Would be grateful for some advise here Tony. I basically went cheap and dirty due to financial constraints. Marshall contractors were charging me c10k for the drive (lot of excavation work). A passer by offered to do it for 3k! Like a fool I agreed!
Whilst they have excavated well, and laid down CHARCON blocks (which appear to be good!) in a 90 degree pattern, what they have not done is sweep the kiln dried sand across the top. As a consequence, I have gaps (very small) between the bricks, and I understand that these gaps should be filled with dried Kiln sand.
So my question is (being a complete novice!) is there any special technique to use whilst seeping the sand across... for example, should I brush the sand until the drive is completely devoid of the sannd - or is a very thin layer on top ok? Any tips on sweeping the sand in would be much appreciated!
Been Stitched! Help please!
-
84-1093879891
Charcon blocks are as good as anything from Marshalls - it's just that they don't seem to promote themselves as visibly as do Marshalls. They are part of the Aggregate Industries Empire which includes the rather better known (at least to the non-trade folk) Bradstone products.
Anyway, on to your jointing. There is no real special method for sweeping in the sand. Choose a rain-free day when the blocks are throughly dry, split open the bags of sand (you'll need summat like 1 bag per 10 sqaure metres) and brush it around the pavement letting it fall into the joints. Go over it all 2 or 3 times as jonts that appear full can settle over a few minutes and need topping up.
When you reckon all the joints are as full as poss, sweep off all the surplus jointing sand. A good plan is to sweep the sand into a corner or onto an area outside the paved area, because you'll need it again shortly. Don't let it get damp.
Then, run the plate compactor over the pavement two or three times in criss-crossing directions. This rattle the sand into the joints as well as compacting the blocks. Finally, brush extra sand over the lot to top-up any empty or 'hungry' joints.
The reason why excess sand is swept off the pavement before compacting is that the plate can often 'grind' the sand grains into the surface of the blocks, leaving unsightly blotches that are damned hard to get rid of. If the plate is fitted with a neoprene-rubber sole, then this can minimise the problem, but it's still better to sweep off before compacting.
Whether you choose to leave a surfeit of sand on the surface after the final top-up is up to you. Some folk do, because they think it allows any joints that settle even further to 're-fill' from the sand blowing around on the surface. I think it just looks untidy.
You should check the joints again in 4-6 weeks, as they may have settled a bit by then, and will need to be topped up, but there's no requirement to use the plate compactor any further.
Anyway, on to your jointing. There is no real special method for sweeping in the sand. Choose a rain-free day when the blocks are throughly dry, split open the bags of sand (you'll need summat like 1 bag per 10 sqaure metres) and brush it around the pavement letting it fall into the joints. Go over it all 2 or 3 times as jonts that appear full can settle over a few minutes and need topping up.
When you reckon all the joints are as full as poss, sweep off all the surplus jointing sand. A good plan is to sweep the sand into a corner or onto an area outside the paved area, because you'll need it again shortly. Don't let it get damp.
Then, run the plate compactor over the pavement two or three times in criss-crossing directions. This rattle the sand into the joints as well as compacting the blocks. Finally, brush extra sand over the lot to top-up any empty or 'hungry' joints.
The reason why excess sand is swept off the pavement before compacting is that the plate can often 'grind' the sand grains into the surface of the blocks, leaving unsightly blotches that are damned hard to get rid of. If the plate is fitted with a neoprene-rubber sole, then this can minimise the problem, but it's still better to sweep off before compacting.
Whether you choose to leave a surfeit of sand on the surface after the final top-up is up to you. Some folk do, because they think it allows any joints that settle even further to 're-fill' from the sand blowing around on the surface. I think it just looks untidy.
You should check the joints again in 4-6 weeks, as they may have settled a bit by then, and will need to be topped up, but there's no requirement to use the plate compactor any further.
-
robert500
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 8:23 am