Repointing crazy paving

[stamati76]

After having cleaned our large patio which consists of crazy paving and is about 50m2, a lot of the old mortar was removed and there are a lot of gaps.

As you know crazy paving is not always cut in straight lines, so an angle grinder would not cut around the circumference of the stones, without deforming the shape.

I would really appreciate some expert advice on how i should repoint my patio, taking into consideration i am a complete beginner. What tools would i need and what would be the best mortar to use?

[lutonlagerlout]

if you use a 100mm diamond angle grinder you can grind out around arcs.
pointing is an art ,but even for professionals it can be very slow
personally i could only do about 10M2 per day flat out

depending on your joint width you could do flush joints,which are flat, bird's beak which are raised in the centre (slow but looks nice) or penny joints which are flush but have a single line scored along the middle

unless its only small areas that have come out you are better off raking the lot out and redoing it all

instarmac and easipiont both do some very nice gun injected mortars
i wouldn't use polymerics on crazy paving
regards LLL

[stamati76]

Thanks for your reply.

I dont mind it taking a while. I am just concerned about repointing it. As you mentioned it is an art. Do you think it's too hard for a complete beginner to do? Also would the mortar stain the crazy paving at all?

I would only consider repointing it flush and scoring a line around the edge of the stone, which should make the job slightly easier. Do you have any pictures of examples that you or anyone else has done? I have checked online but they are all related to repointing brickwork...

And thanks you've been really helpful

[stamati76]

One more question to the list above...

What tools do you recommend considering the paving has been 'fairly' laid out. Meaning there are sizeable gaps between the paving stones as illustrated in one of your pictures in the 'crazy paving section of this website..

[lutonlagerlout]

i recommend using a marshalltown pointing trowel



costs a bit more but will last you

also easipoint and instarmac both do some very nice gun injection mortars

as for the art of it,its hard to say

you can do it and wreck it,or maybe you have the eye for it and can do it sucesfully

be patient is my top tip for pointing
you will need it
LLL

[jonnyboyentire]

The last two I oatched (customer budget issues) were old yorkstone. I played around a bit but as the gaps were fairly large I ended up using a gauging trowel (rounded nose). Managed to make it look subtle anyway.

[dig dug dan]

years ago i was pointing crazy paving using a pointed trowell. then someone who specialised in it advised using a gauging trowel. I thought he was crazy. i tried it, and never looked back since. Its so much easier, and gives a better finish!

[lutonlagerlout]

if you have done a lot of pointing ,your pointing trowel has a rounded end similar to a gauging trowel
i find a pointing trowel more precise
LLL

[jonnyboyentire]

"precise" wasn't an option to match in with that job!

My gauger is a marshalltown one, quite narrow, worked for me on that job, which had practically a zero budget