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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:26 pm
by slimdotjim
I've been asked by a client if she can have a star feature in her currently being laid drive. I'm using Plaspave Como for edging detail so I could use those to make up the circle part, its the spikes I'm struggling with. obviously most of the shelf star features are not suitable for vehicles and I don't want to make the spikes from cut blocks, I think that would look bitty, Could I just shutter out my own, if so what sort of thickness should I make them and what would be the best mix to avoid cracking, I will be adding die to the mix. The feature will have a 3.5m-4m diameter, any suggestions will be gratefully received.
cheers
slimdotjim
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:14 am
by seanandruby
you can get thin metal crack control material that is left in situ, cant remember the name off hand i'll look for it at work for you. i would lay a rough slab first and keep it down low eough to be topped up with other hard material. simeon can maybe help you there. but remember you have to cut in the points of the stars both inner and outer with blocks and that would look appalling, not to mention time consuming. the solution would be to use two different coloured concrete, or resin finishes.
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:36 am
by lutonlagerlout
sorry jim ,is it block paves that you are laying or flags?
if its block paves i imagine there will be a lot of darts and thin cuts which may not stand up too well.
a lot of lads round here tend to do overlapping diamond designs in different block paves ,and fill in the centres with something different again,so that they are still keeping the integrity of the paving(so it still locks together)
if its slabs could be the same again,lot of sharp cuts
LLL
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:12 am
by Tony McC
If you were to take a good quality ready-made star feature in, say Indian Sandstone or Chinese Granite, and bed it onto 100-150mm of concrete, it would probably be OK for a private drive. It would be even better if you could get some thicker stone.
As you're using Plasmor, that suggests you're somewhere close to the M62 corridor, so it shouldn't be too difficult to pick up some thicker-than-average reclaimed yorkstone and cut a star feature from that. Again, it would need to be concrete bedded, but it would be more resilient (and more expensive) than a patio feature.
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:52 pm
by GB_Groundworks
i was talking to our bitmac contractor the other day and they did one with a pre cut stone star bedded on a concrete slab and then used rompox d2000 the 25 ton version to point it up. and then red tarmac around it.
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:27 am
by slimdotjim
Thanks for the replies, all viable solutions, although its changed from a star into a motif of there sons up and coming rock band (Toxic Federation) which consists of three interlocking crescents "phew". So I think it will have to be the bonded resin route. Very nice people to work for, bacon sarnies and lots of tea 
the bands not bad either, was invited to see them so went along out of politeness, supporting Justin Hawkins from the Darkness, oh how the mighty fall.