The Brew Cabin

Dear Tony, will be enbarking on a large paving job using Indian sand stone random paving. I always find it long winded,the pointing process. The edges are so crisp usually that they lend themselves to tightish joints. Can i brush them with kiln sand and then use a stabilizing solution. How is the best way to lay them for a quality finish. I dont mind chopping in the joints if i have to. You see i have layed and have seen being layed a multitude of paving on a great number of ultra modern developments, everyone thinks there way is correct. I want to slowly triple check with you to see if i can better my working methods. What would you recommend I point the joints with.
My dbc macadam is down and ready for my setts to be laid, photos on there way. Cheers Tony

Stone paving is intended to be laid with joints of 9-15mm in width. I've seen sand-filled joints, and they never last more than a couple of seasons, before the client has you back, at your own expense, re-doing it all again.

Using a stabilising fluid does give the sand some extra bant, but it's a long way from perfect. There are special Wide Joint Compounds that can be used, but they work out to be far more expensive than standard mortar pointing.

I've been laying stone flags for almost 35 years (up until I lost the use of my spine) and I firmly believe that the best way to lay these flags is to butter the receiving edges, and point as soon as poss after that, using a very stiff mortar, as shown on the Pointing Case Study page.

You're right that every flagger has their own preferred method of working, and, if it works for them, then I won't counter it, but I know my methods work, I know they've been working sucessfully for over 50 years, as I learned them from my Father, and they meet the requirements of all Local Authorities, SHW and the relevant British Standards. As they say, there's more trhan one way to skin a cat, but mine works for me. :)