Hi All
Sorry if some of these questions have been answered before but I have went through last 10 pages and got some answers already.
I had marshals Autumn gold clay paver laid (90m2) last week I understand they should not be sealed for 3 months if at all as my installer said as they were clay they didn't need a seal.
However as some of the joints are quite large he suggested I may want to put on a joint stabiliser to stop sand from running away, what would you recommend?
Also i have parked my car on it and it has left tyre marks already
will these come off with the rain or will i need to clean very couple of weeks?
Thanks for your help in advance
will
:p anyone!!!
Autumn gold clay pavers
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Tony McC
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I'm not a big fan of sealing any block paving, and there is a very good argument that clay pavers don't need sealing, but as they are often more prone to moss than their concrete cousins, particularly true with the wire cut "cobbles", some folk do like to daub them and so render them somewhat more moss-resistant. The added benefit of having them selaed is that it does usually 'glue' the jointing sand in place over those tricky first few months.
However, you can't (or shouldn't) use just any old sealant. Clay pavers are a different animal altogether and therefore require a subtly different sealant for best results. And your installer is right in saying that youre better leaving them unsealed for the first few months for many of the reasons listed on the main website.
As for joint stabilisers, well, again I'd play a 'wait and see' game. If I found that I was losing the jointing sand to a depth of more than 10mm, or there was a known problem with scour, then it would probably be a good idea, but if it was just a matter of losing the top few mill, I'd be tempted to leave it be and review the situation in, say September and then top up the joints with fresh KD sand if I was preparing to apply a sealant.
Tyre marks are another matter. The Allendale Gold are particularly light in colour and so they tend to show every single mark. Tyre marks sometimes degrade due to weathering, but sometimes they 'build-up' and become progressively more noticeable. I suspect the 'noticeability' is dependent on a wide range of factors, including tyre composition and incidence of sharp/point turns. The worst marks can often be removed using a white school rubber or a proprietary cleaner, but I should mention that sealants are not a guaranteed way of eliminating tyre marks.
Regarding cleaning, again, wait and see - try not to clean the paving until it is 8-12 weeks old and the jointing has stabilised. I'd prefer to leave the pavement "as is" until next spring and then review the situation. If the tyre marks are still a problem, then use a cleaner; if they have weathered away over the winter, then simply give the surface a brisk clean and decide whether you wish to use a permanent sealant.
However, you can't (or shouldn't) use just any old sealant. Clay pavers are a different animal altogether and therefore require a subtly different sealant for best results. And your installer is right in saying that youre better leaving them unsealed for the first few months for many of the reasons listed on the main website.
As for joint stabilisers, well, again I'd play a 'wait and see' game. If I found that I was losing the jointing sand to a depth of more than 10mm, or there was a known problem with scour, then it would probably be a good idea, but if it was just a matter of losing the top few mill, I'd be tempted to leave it be and review the situation in, say September and then top up the joints with fresh KD sand if I was preparing to apply a sealant.
Tyre marks are another matter. The Allendale Gold are particularly light in colour and so they tend to show every single mark. Tyre marks sometimes degrade due to weathering, but sometimes they 'build-up' and become progressively more noticeable. I suspect the 'noticeability' is dependent on a wide range of factors, including tyre composition and incidence of sharp/point turns. The worst marks can often be removed using a white school rubber or a proprietary cleaner, but I should mention that sealants are not a guaranteed way of eliminating tyre marks.
Regarding cleaning, again, wait and see - try not to clean the paving until it is 8-12 weeks old and the jointing has stabilised. I'd prefer to leave the pavement "as is" until next spring and then review the situation. If the tyre marks are still a problem, then use a cleaner; if they have weathered away over the winter, then simply give the surface a brisk clean and decide whether you wish to use a permanent sealant.
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