The Brew Cabin

I'm just about to lay a patio and path around my Conservatory using 450mmx450mm flags that have a cobble effect. I think I'm clear on the base materials needed (drymix 10:1) but when it comes to pointing these what should I use? The place I'm getting them from has just used coarse sand in between the cobbles but I'd rather have something more permanent that can be brushed, hosed etc. Is there a suitable dry mix for this purpose?

I'm hoping I'm not too late in answering this, but I've been away for a few days.

A dry mix never really does a good job as a pointing/jointing material unless it is brushed into a mortar-buttered joint pretty much as soon as the flags are laid.

A much better method of pointing is detailed on the Pointing Case Study page. This uses a barely damp mortar and gives excellent results. It's not as easy as 'brushing in', but it is less likely to need re-doing in a few months time!

Good luck!

Thanks for the info Tony. We're still torn between this or some Riven paving (which might not be such a pain), so haven't started yet.

I hope someone can help further. When my house was first built, the guy who built it laid concrete paths around the house, no doubt to keep costs down. I want to break these up now to make a job of laying my new path/patio. I'm going to hire a concrete breaker from the hire shop to break the path up and wondered if there is anything I should be careful off, like breaking near to the house or over drains/ beside gulleys. Is there any special techinique or is it a case of just getting stuck in?

It really is just a matter of getting stuck in and trying not to drive the breaker right through the concrete into the sub-grade below, just in case there are any shallow cables or pipes.

You will probably find that any hoppers, or other drainage fittings,embedded within the concrete will end up getting smashed in the process, but this is unavoidable, I'm afraid. Take your time an dtry to minimise any damge - that's the best you can hope for.

Just because you've got a breaker, don't think it will be a doddle. It's still bloody hard work, and it's hard to decide which aches most - your back, your legs, your arms or your ears. Still, it's probably easier than a sledge hammer and drift!

Good luck!