Stepping stones

[Spence]

Great site - future life saver for sure..!

I'm about to lay indian granite, 600 x 300, as stepping stones onto un-even concrete path - 20 flags (will surround with shingle).
1) - Should i use a wet mix or a dry mix...?
2) - Should i edge them with battoning to stop them moving...?
3) - Will i get done before last orders..?

Any help appreciated guys

Sp--------

[Mark B]

i would lay them on a full mortar/concrete probably something like a 3:1mix bed, with plenty of haunching around all edges to make sure there not goin to move lateraly. i dont see why battoning would be needed if there haunched with mortar well enough as they shouldnt move

[lutonlagerlout]

i would use a 5 soft sand 1 part cement and a dash of PVA in everymix
most important is string a line on the top level of the path first and make sure you have enough clearance
btw are you talking indian sandstone or granite??
you may make last orders but you arms will be too tired to reach into your pockets
better to lay in a hot bath with a pint of creme de menthe and a morrocan woodbine
tony

[Spence]

Cheerz boyz, much appreciated.

doh.... indian slate, not granite..
Haunching - so would i chip that away afterwards or keep it quite low and cover with the shingle..?

The concrete has a hump in the middle...i could angle grind it out i suppose..it's gonna look like the Channel by the time i've finished otherwise.

Getting on a bit now....looks like i'll make last orders after all...

Thanks again

[Mark B]

no just leave the haunchin when finished, it needs to be there to stop any movement, just bring it up to just over half way on the flag and then the shingle will cover the haunching fine.

[Spence]

great, thanks for the advise.

keep up the good work people.

[simeonronacrete]

I've seen the recommendation above....."i would use a 5 soft sand 1 part cement and a dash of PVA in everymix".

Beware, PVA is not fully waterproof and can break down when continually exposed to wetting (e.g. outside). The professional choice is Ronafix, chemically a carboxylated modified butadiene styrene polymer dispersion. It IS waterproof, and frotpoof and IS designed for use in the wet, the dry, the heat and the cold.

Mix it with water, 1:1, and add it to your cement and sand.

As to sand, although harder to mix and lay, sharp sand (rather than soft) gives the strongest, toughest and most waterproof mortar.

[Ted]

I'd bed them in a mortar of course sharp (ie, screeding) sand and cement. Five in one should be about right.

[lutonlagerlout]

Beware, PVA is not fully waterproof and can break down when continually exposed to wetting (e.g. outside). The professional choice is Ronafix,

and who is it you work for simeon??

i have used PVA for over 10 years and it seems to get indian sandstone really stuck down,it works for me and the cost is minimal

in an ideal world we would all use grade *A* chemicals, materials etc.but sometimes clients are on a budget ,and they cannot stretch an extra 10 % or whatever for ronafix instead of PVA

you are both correct about sharp sand but the OP talked about an uneven path,sharp sand isnt too clever when laying on a thin bed,but thats just my opinion
no offence meant
cheers tony

[Dave_L]

chemically a carboxylated modified butadiene styrene polymer dispersion.

Run that past me again please? :O ???

[simeonronacrete]

Sorry, it's my passion for big words.

Carboxylated - treat (a chemical compound) with carboxyl or carboxylic acid
Modified - err, changed, adapted, altered
Styrene - a base monomer, naturally occurring in plants, generally mass produced from oil
Butadiene - butadiene is produced from ethanol, another process with origins in oil
Polymer - a long chain of molecules (Greek words: polys meaning many, and meros meaning parts)
Dispersion - the distribution of the polymer in water

I bet this doesn't help either!