Pointing crazy paving - Any tips for flush, mess-free pointing?

[msh paving]

should go back tomorrow ,very wet in garden so wont get dont as quick as i would like, but ill post piccys soon as MSH

[lutonlagerlout]

i generally use a well work marshalltown pointing trowel
I love doing brickwork as well

its time consuming but gives a lot of satisfaction when done right
LLL

[Dave_L]

You must be crazy msh!!!!

Nice job, looks good and fits the property nicely.

[msh paving]

Dave, if we had known when we ripped the old up and stacked it we would have run a mile, we laid 200m off chelsea sets first, got on very well with the client due to recomendation and knowing his mates etc etc we sort off droped ourselfs into it, its not made big bucks but its kept wolf from door and led to other work there,as you can see to keep constant joint size there was alot of cutting and pissing around could take 10 mins to find a piece some days lay 3m in a day others 10m so much hand work, but its been a learning curve never to be repeated ,the property is 100 years old very large set in 65 acres, MSH

[carlbeardsmore]

Hi Msh,

Sorry to butt in on a pointing post but how do you find your Muck Truck. I see yours is the earlier two wheel drive model. Does it ever get stuck? ie Do they need to be four wheel drive.

I am thinking about getting one but I only get reviews from people wanting to sell them so they always tell the good points, never the bad.

Can you give us a review on it?

Cheers Carl

[DNgroundworks]

Not mush of a review but...

I use one all the time, the new 4 wheel drive one, and i must say it is excellent, we built a small ramp for it out of some bits of steel which fits on the side of a skip and it climbs that easy.

I cant realy think of any bad points tbh maybe could do with a slightly larger load capacity?

Regards Dan

[msh paving]

that is a very usefull machine,i bought it a auction blind £450 when i got it home engine was sezeed , bit pissed off rung auction as i know them they gave me 80quid back new engine cost 185+vat for a honda,it gets about on hard ground great, wet stuff you need to lift the back wheels off ground to help it along, i have used 4 wheel drive ones they go anywhere no probs at all,i use it for putting sand and type 1 out load with digger 1-2 buckets at a time save so much work,not tried it climbing into skip ramps but it runs up my lorry ramps ok,, MSH

[carlbeardsmore]

The two wheel drive versions are so much cheaper than the four. I was looking at the two wheel but was worried about it getting stuck in soft ground.

Thanks for the advise, it now makes me feel much happier about buying one without actually trying it out first.

[cookiewales]

nice work there msh but as you say its harder to lay than random york stone very good job on your levels people seem to think its the cheap opption but as we know it comes back and bites your ass big time keep up the good work :p :;): cookie

[Tony McC]

As I say on the main website, you have to be crazy to want crazy paving. To do it well, using quality materials and minimal jointing, it costs more per square metre that sett work.

I priced some of a Chelsea garden design last spring, and it would have cost 250-300 quid per m² to achieve the standard of finish required by the designer (no joints more than 25mm - no sawn straight edges to pieces - laid to sweeping curves - using reclaimed yorkstone flags with strip milling marks).

And even if you do a top quality job, it will be at least 5 years before it looks any good. Unweathered crazy paving looks shite!

[kipper1066]

Thanks for all your advice (and pictures) - it has been very helpful... and made me think that I'm possibly biting off more than I can chew! When I win the lottery I'll give one of you guys a call to do the job properly.

Many thanks!

[lutonlagerlout]

Thanks for all your advice (and pictures) - it has been very helpful... and made me think that I'm possibly biting off more than I can chew! When I win the lottery I'll give one of you guys a call to do the job properly.

Many thanks!

better make that the euromillions!
LLL