Jet washing - Jet washing block paving
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K-TEK
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:10 pm
- Location: thanet, kent england
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Tony McC
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- Posts: 8346
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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There are specialist cleaning machines for 'washing' flexible block paving, and these do an all-round better job than the now ubiquitous lance-type washer because the water jet is directed at an oblique angle to the paved surface in order to minimise the amount of jointing sand that is lost.
One gormless twonk in St. Helens was bragging about how he'd "got rid of all that grubby sand by blasting it with his jet washer", and he honestly thought he'd done a good job!
I have a nasty feeling we are about to see an upsurge in block paving failures due directly to the number of so-called cleaning specialists thata re now bollixing driveways the length and breadth of the nation. Many of them have buggerall idea of how a block pavement functions, so they are removing too much of the critical jointing sand, brushing in a bag or two of new sand into damp joints, and then spolshing a sealant over the lot, with no understanding of how the jointing sand needs to be settled within the joint.
I've looked at 5 such driveways since March - "We never had a problem until we had it cleaned..." is the common theme, and in each case, too much jointing sand was removed, fresh sand was carelessly and negligently brushed into damp joints, leaving many of them only partially filled, and then a sealant (and often a really crap sealant of the type sold in DIY Sheds) is smeared over the top. The clients are told not to drive on it until the cheque clears...but it looks really good!
As ever, there's nothing we can do to stop these eejits ruining what were perfectly good, if a little grubby, drives and patios, but I would caution all those considering such work to their property to check that the cleaning company has the requisite insurance and that they understand just what is required to ensure the continued integrity of the paving.
One gormless twonk in St. Helens was bragging about how he'd "got rid of all that grubby sand by blasting it with his jet washer", and he honestly thought he'd done a good job!
I have a nasty feeling we are about to see an upsurge in block paving failures due directly to the number of so-called cleaning specialists thata re now bollixing driveways the length and breadth of the nation. Many of them have buggerall idea of how a block pavement functions, so they are removing too much of the critical jointing sand, brushing in a bag or two of new sand into damp joints, and then spolshing a sealant over the lot, with no understanding of how the jointing sand needs to be settled within the joint.
I've looked at 5 such driveways since March - "We never had a problem until we had it cleaned..." is the common theme, and in each case, too much jointing sand was removed, fresh sand was carelessly and negligently brushed into damp joints, leaving many of them only partially filled, and then a sealant (and often a really crap sealant of the type sold in DIY Sheds) is smeared over the top. The clients are told not to drive on it until the cheque clears...but it looks really good!
As ever, there's nothing we can do to stop these eejits ruining what were perfectly good, if a little grubby, drives and patios, but I would caution all those considering such work to their property to check that the cleaning company has the requisite insurance and that they understand just what is required to ensure the continued integrity of the paving.
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