Page 1 of 1
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:30 am
by sooshi
Hi all,
I have some old manchester setts in my back garden that I'd like to spruce up a bit. They're sturdy, and level but the gap between them (about an inch across) is basically just filled with soil, upon which grows moss (at best) and of course, lots of weeds.
All I really want to do it scrape away the surface of this soil and replace it with some sort of sand (decomposed granite?) that will brighten up the patio and keeps the weeds somewhat under control (along with weed killer). I understand I will probably need to re-apply this pointing regularly (yearly, perhaps).
From the research I've done, it seems concrete or some similar solid pointing is preferred, but I don't really want to go down that route - I'm rather taken with it's rustic charm.
Is this a silly idea? If not, what would be the best material to use? I've seen some mention of decomposed granite for paths and I like the look of it, but can't seem to find any - I think it might be an Americanism...
I will try to provide a photo later today if that would be helpful.
Thanks in advance for any advice offered!
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:45 am
by henpecked
Do you mean Granno? ???
You'd have to see what's underneath the joints as pointing will not sit on soil, it will fail.
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:48 am
by sooshi
Maybe? It's this stuff: https://www.google.co.uk/search?....bih=415
We've lifted the odd sett and have found they're seated upon soil - there's some sand and gravel there at the bottom, too.
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:12 pm
by henpecked
No, thats self binding gravel. It wouldnt made a great pointing material.
Have a read here. This might be more apt as your joints are wide. There again, if the sub base is borked, you might have to lose lay something in the joints like self binding or pea gravel. Failing that, its a rip up and restart. 
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:19 pm
by sooshi
I see!
What does Borked mean?
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:03 pm
by rimexboy
sooshi wrote:I see!
What does Borked mean?
no good
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:12 pm
by sooshi
Ah, right. No, despite it not being laid on concrete or anything, it's really flat, non-wobbly and sound. It's really old and I guess it's sat there long enough and is well established? It's definitely not worth me ripping it all up to re-lay it; I'd do a crap job and since there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, I don't see it's worth the time/effort/money.
Anyway, as there is currently just soil between each sett, I just want to replace this with something more attractive, and that will repress weeds for a little while. Purely cosmetic... but I just don't want to use a material that's just going to promptly blow away... if there was a material that would act like the current soil, but not actually be soil, and be a sandy colour, that would be ideal....
Well, that's how I imagine it anyway... but obviously, I don't know what I'm talking about, at the end of the day
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:43 pm
by henpecked
Well you could go for self binding gravel or pea gravel. This wouldn't do the job of pointing, but will combat the weeds. If its soil, theres not much chance of destabilising the paving by digging out between the slabs and filling.
Pointing needs a solid ,stable base ,otherwise it will crack and come out. Gravel will move with the slabs.
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:52 pm
by sooshi
Sorry, it occurs to me actually have no idea what pointing really means, I've been using it as a general term for "filling in the bits between the setts". Sorry!
Do you know where I might find self-binding gravel? I've only seen it by the tonne....
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:09 pm
by henpecked
sooshi wrote:Sorry, it occurs to me actually have no idea what pointing really means, I've been using it as a general term for "filling in the bits between the setts". Sorry!
Do you know where I might find self-binding gravel? I've only seen it by the tonne....
Surely, have a look HERE
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:43 am
by sooshi
Jeez! It never even occurred to me to enter the quantity into my search! Thank you!
What I was planning to do was remove about an inch of soil, wet the soil, brush in the sb-gravel, pack it down, wet it again, and then top up the gravel until it's just shy of the top of the sett.
Would you say that's the best approach, or can I do it better?
Thanks again!
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 4:44 pm
by henpecked
You'd be better to compact the soil below before you begin.
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 4:45 pm
by sooshi
Great, will do!
Thanks again!