williams wrote:The nature of those blocks means if they were cut they would look hideous. If they were jointed inbetween that imo would also look pretty poor.
They can be double-taper cut (ie: cut on each long edge) using a saw to create a neat looking joint. This will cause the loss of the gently rounded corners, and possibly result in a block that looks different to the main paving, but it would look far better than what is there at the moment.
Joints >6mm are not in compliance with 7533:3 2005, and mortared joints just look chuffing awful. This leaves two options: cutting as described above, or using an alternative paving to form the tread.
Those step risers are also amateurish. They, too, should have been taper cut (either single or double) and then mortar jointed. It is possible to create a relative fast arc using uncut units, if a proper mortar joint is used. I have a 900mm radius semi-circular step outside my own front door constructed using 'standard' kerb units (rather than the over-priced taper units that can be bought) and it looks fine. However, the practice of having the kerb units/step risers in direct contact with neighbouring units on the 'inside' of the arc, and then filling the gaping joint with mortar is shoddy. The WHOLE joint should be mortared, with not less than 9mm at the inside edge and not more than 20mm at the face. When the joint is greater than 20mm, cut the bloody units to a taper - it looks SO much better.
and it all lines up thought tegula type paving is not supposed to line up for three rows in random bond if youre paying that sort of money i would expect perfection ???
With steps at a front door, it's the one thing visitors and residents spend most time looking at, so getting them right is, IMO, critical. Bodged mortar joints, avoiding 30 mins of extra work in cutting (and if you abide by the new HSE guidelines, there's no dust to speak of!), usually indicates a slack attitude to the work as a whole.
If that monstrosity was outside my front door, I'd be refusing to pay until it was demolished and a proper step was built in its place.
KK point taken,if anything the different riser heights are what is wrong with the steps.
when i stayed at the reebok stadium i noticed many hundreds of these tapered cuts around the base of columns there,looked very neat
for steps i generally use a combination of tapered kerbs and straight ones to achieve the curve(?) and always bed steps onto a cementious mix.
would anyone have any photos of these many tapered cut steps that everyone is on about??
I wouldn't go as far as calling it a monstrosity.
I think tapered cuts would look as bad although i must admit that throwing them in a mixer with water would re tumble them-good idea that man!
They look like classico to me as well with rounded edges which would make it even harder to taper them properly unless you cut both sides.
I,ve seen far far worse daily by almost every other paving firm about.
Although 6k is top top money.
the name of this site is "paving expert." the boss has done a very professional job setting it up and inviting "experts" to give their opinions and advice. this means we have specialist skills and knowledge. therefore we should do quality work and expect others in our game to do likewise. those steps are a mess, not in complience and not 100%. different height risers, joints to big, sand joints in contrasting colours and multi coloured morter joints.
if you had to spend a few hours cutting and shaping to make a job astheticaly pleasing to the eye, then so be it. nuff said.
Ok the rest of it is a bit dodgy. I was just looking at the cuts and just scanned the pic, looking back yes the heights are different, the muck is different colours and also it looks like the step is not central to the door.
However if you want to see some step monstrositys come round this way. Theres one local company whoes trademark seems to be
omega 50mm in 90 degree in brindle
charcol soldier border
step built from random bricks mucked straight onto the paving with alphas mucked to the bricks- now thats a monstrosity!
now if you were to take photos of "dodgy" steps, work etc and some photos of your own work, put them in your "bad jobs" portfolio to show clients the difference in workmanship that is a good selling point. :;):
sean rights the name of the site isn't "that'll do as its friday and i want to be done and paid and get to the pub" mediocrity shouldn't be encourage because other less professional people are doing dub standard work. mrs workingmum's question was are the steps ok and they aren't, would you be happy with them on your house or worse your mums house? i certainly wouldn't and would want them correcting.
just my 2p
gi
Giles
Groundworks and Equestrian specialists, prestige new builds and sports pitches. High Peak, Cheshire, South Yorkshire area.
