Problems with gap - need help!

buzz · Post: # 12649Post **buzz** Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:03 pm

Hi, just laid a patio using the paving experts tried and trusted way - looks great.
The only thing was someone else (she can't be named!) suggested leaving 60mm gaps to allow to set in some decorative stone. Great Idea, I thought, BUT I used a mix of 4 to 1 of grit sand to cement and because flags are a light grey I only mixed a small amount of water so that the jointing mixture would not stain the flags. So after troweling in the mix and pressing down, I droped some fairly standard pea gravel and pressed it all in so it would be held by the mix.

Now 3 days later I lightley brushed off the excess and not much has been left behind ! Can anyone help, suggest where I went wrong and how do I remedy it to give that expert look!

Suggers · Post: # 12651Post **Suggers** Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:33 pm

My "she who can't be named" did something very similar for one of her mates recently - used soft rather than sharp - (plus a splash of black mortar dye) - (our soft round here is very orange) - kept it pretty dry (staining bleed etc) - 4:1 - as you, soft broom head 3 days later, seems ok - seems to have worked - oh yeah there was some plasticiser in the mix. (I'm being shouted at) daren't plug Ronafix - joints were around 30mm deep - a painstaking task - they've impregnated allsorts of stuff from her travels - seashells, flotsam,jetsam, you name it - personally I like to see the stone speak for itself - but then, afterall, I'm only a man. Post a couple of photies.
Yours in sympathy.........

buzz · Post: # 12659Post **buzz** Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:29 am

Thanks Suggers, sympathy received, I'm pretty dissapionted by it, having done a good job a few months ago with a 5mx4m patio with 10mm gaps filling with standard jointing mix. Would attach a picture to show how poor it looks. Not sure what how to do that!

buzz · Post: # 12660Post **buzz** Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:52 am

OK here is the picture, look a tad worse in real life!

mouldmaker · Post: # 12662Post **mouldmaker** Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:46 am

Have you tried asking 'she who...' what she intends doing about it?

No, never works for me either.

buzz · Post: # 12669Post **buzz** Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:21 pm

Tried that......
Anyhow the current thinking is that it looks "rustic" and seasoned- apparently!
So have moved onto another project!