The Brew Cabin

I seem to be making work for myself by blasting my block paving with a pressure washer and ripping the sand out of the joints in the process. I am already working at an oblique angle as recommended, (and doing my back in), but there must be a better way?
I am sure I read somewhere on here that you recommended a brush type cleaning machine, but I can't find the posting now. If suitable, what are these machines called, who makes them and are there any particular features I should look out for?
Thanks
Mike

I'll dig out the info and post something this evening or over the weekend.

Hi Tony
Did you forget to look out the info or is it posted elsewhere?
Thanks
Mike

Of course I forgot - head like a sieve!

Anyway, I've scanned in the image I had in mind. It's basically a power-washer with a 'skirt', that helps to clean a larger area at each pass and prevents it spitting out sand and crud everywhere.

However, that's not the same as leaving the jointing sand in place. All the cleaning gizmos based on high-pressure water jets or sprays end up dislodging the jointing sand. Some just knock out the top 3mm or so, while others are far more thorough and almost empty the joints!

Here's a pic of one of the 'diy' units from Kew/Alto...



...there are similar gadgets from all the major manufacturers.

However, one of the cleaning systems that is less damaging to the jointing is a high-temp but low pressure gadeget which can be seen on the Zero-Gum website.

Check our web site at www.zerogum.org.uk we use a WHIRLIGIG which operates at lLOW pressure but very HIGH temperature 130, this combination is ideal for cleaning block pavings without removing the sand/grouting.

Many thanks both. Question for the whirligig chap - what is one of these units likely to set me back? Do you do recon units? This is only for my domestic drive, so I'm not about to spend £1000s !!
Thanks
Mike

Mike you don't say where you are located or the size of the drive.
There are companies like my own that will clean for you at a very reasonable cost.
I normally charge £1 m/sq to clean and £2 to clean and resand, depending on the size of the drive you could end up spending more money on equipment than it would cost to have somebody else "do their back in".

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If you do wish to DIY the trick is to use a rotary device on the your washer like the Kew one suggested or Karcher T-racer both cost about £50 from DIY stores.

(Edited by DDL at 10:26 am on July 21, 2004)

Many thanks. I am (unfortunately) nowhere near your neck of the woods and the few operators who cover my area have it sewn up with charges of around £5 for cleaning and sanding. That would work out pretty expensive if I was to have it done, say, once a year.

So, I am still on the DIY track. Can I pick yr brains on the equipment you use? Some operators seem to use high pressure (circa 3600psi) cold water equipment and some use steam. Bearing in mind my current problems of moss & weed growth, some gappy paving (all block paving), and the fact that my current cold water jetwash with lance pulls out far too much sand, which way should I go?

You have recommended a couple of rotary heads, but Tony suggests that these will still rip the sand out of the joints. Wouldn't a professional 3600psi system with rotary head be far worse? If so, would steam at a lower pressure be better? 2nd hand steam cleaners seem to be available for under £500, which I would consider a good investment if it worked.

Any info you can provide would be most welcome.

Thanks
Mike

Many thanks. I am (unfortunately) nowhere near your neck of the woods and the few operators who cover my area have it sewn up with charges of around £5 for cleaning and sanding. That would work out pretty expensive if I was to have it done, say, once a year.

So, I am still on the DIY track. Can I pick yr brains on the equipment you use? Some operators seem to use high pressure (circa 3600psi) cold water equipment and some use steam. Bearing in mind my current problems of moss & weed growth, some gappy paving (all block paving), and the fact that my current cold water jetwash with lance pulls out far too much sand, which way should I go?

You have recommended a couple of rotary heads, but Tony suggests that these will still rip the sand out of the joints. Wouldn't a professional 3600psi system with rotary head be far worse? If so, would steam at a lower pressure be better? 2nd hand steam cleaners seem to be available for under £500, which I would consider a good investment if it worked.

Any info you can provide would be most welcome.

Thanks
Mike

Reply to DDL can you please set up a depo in the N.W. im sure you know your prices but i would love to sub you you some work as you are more than,.... more than reasonable with your prices. Ps. dont take this the wrong way as i usually offend people without meaning to (believe it or not i am a nice guy) but im sure you could add 50% to your prices. ie The average drive may be 25mtr2 to 50mtr2 and a price of £25-£100 to clean or clean and resand seems v. cheep to me or is it just us thats expensive ... i hope not. And im sure you get a bad back like the rest of us ...dont kill yourself for free mate.

Quote Alan
"Reply to DDL can you please set up a depo in the N.W."

OK, no offence taken.

Agree about the prices, I have recently put them up from those quoted. But not 50%..!
Just an observation.
Biggest request I get is to clean to try to get rid of problems with weeds.!
Try to explain that the pressure washer will knock back the weeds but it won't kill them off. Only solution is to use weedkiller and to be persistent until you get them under control.
Bye the way the site Tony suggested http://www.zerogum.org.uk are also cleaning contractors not equipment suppliers. I tried to get some info on the system they were using but to no avail. Obviously top secret..!