Butt jointing flags

Eargasm · Post: # 4922Post **Eargasm** Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:32 pm

Hi all,I'm laying a patio 5m X4.5m using dovedale buff riven concrete flags,i have prepared the base and am laying them on a full bed of mortar.My question is can i just butt them together with no gap as i think this would be easier than pointing them up.
Thanks Phil

84-1093879891 · Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:55 pm

Standard apology - been off for a few days due to angina. Sorry for delayed responses.

You can butt-joint these flags, but, in my not-so-humble opinion, they look much better with a proper mortared joint.

Eargasm · Post: # 5012Post **Eargasm** Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:42 pm

Thanks for the reply tony,i have decided to lay the flags with a 10mm gap ,what is my easiest option for pointing them, a dry mix or wet? Also should the riven flags be laid with the pattern just random or all facing the same way? Thanks for your help Phil

84-1093879891 · Post: # 5017Post **84-1093879891** Wed Jul 28, 2004 5:39 pm

As it says on the main website, butter the joint with a Class II mortar and then, once the flags are bedded, and while the butter mortar is still plastic, sweep in a dry mix and press it down with a pointing bar or similar.

As for the riven effect, it's a matter of personal taste. Soime folk find that, with these repro flags, having the riven texture aligned the same throughout emphasises the sameness, while others find this to be a pleasing effect. That's summat else I could do with photographing as it's much easier to explain using a picture than to rely on text. Any offers?

Eargasm · Post: # 5110Post **Eargasm** Sun Aug 01, 2004 10:32 pm

Hi tony,been hard at it this weekend ,half way there and it is looking good,i have about 11 square metres to go but need some more building sand i have been using a mix of 5 to 1 mortar,will a ton of sand be enough to cover the remaining area? Thanks for your help it's a great website. Regards Phil

84-1093879891 · Post: # 5126Post **84-1093879891** Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:50 pm

Building sand for the laying course? You should be using grit sand, but, if it's mixed at 5:1, then there's not likely to be a real problem.

So, you've a patio of around 22mÂ² and 11mÂ² to go, using around 50mm of bed? That's just over half a cubic metre, so a tonne shouldn't be far off. :)

Eargasm · Post: # 5130Post **Eargasm** Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:45 pm

Thanks for the reply tony,however on your general purpose mortar page it says a class 2 mortar is 4 building sand and 1 cement ,most people i have spoke to say 6 to 1 is fine so i split the difference and went for 5 to 1. the whole 22 metre area has had 4 ton of mot whacked down prior to laying flags.Should i stick with building sand for the rest?

84-1093879891 · Post: # 5144Post **84-1093879891** Tue Aug 03, 2004 2:33 pm

Yeah, but a Class II mortar would only be used for buttering and pointing, not as a laying course material!

Is that what you've done? Laid on a Class II mortar? Not that it would do any harm, but it's a lot of extra work and extra materials. A weakly-bound grit sand, such as the legendary 10:1 semi-dry mix, is more than adequate for laying course.

Eargasm · Post: # 5154Post **Eargasm** Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:41 pm

Bloody hell! no wonder i'm knackered,yes tony i have laid the flags on class 2 mortar,i diden't realise it was only for the buttering and pointing i have miss understood the instructions,but still as i have borrowed a cement mixer i may as well continue if it is not a problem. Thanks for your imput I will send a piccy on completion. Phil