Last question on pointing - now i start!!!

[Rolyan]

Tony - I feel like I'm wasting your time as I keep coming back to the same thing. However, the problem is that the more I read and learn, the more confused I get.

The situation is that the patio (16m2 Marshalls Chancery) is now laid. It wasn't buttered (my mistake). Gaps are about 10mm (or a bit less sometimes). It's been raining for 2 3 weeks. It's now stoppping, so I'm ready to point.

I was going to brush/pour a dry mix in, then wet it carefully, then tool it off. The more I read the old forum messages, the more I think I'm doing it wrong. I've just read a reply from you that said a wetted dry mix will never be that good, that it wont hydrate properly, it won't bond to the flags, and will probably not last that long.

So, final questions once and for all (then I'll leave you to get on with more interesting projects than my piddling bit of pointing, which would probably take you less time to point than it takes me to write this!!!).

1) I accept that a dry mix (pre-mixed from BQ), brushed in, then wetted, perhaps topped up, then struck off is more expensive, more time consuming, and more difficult to control than the a semi-dry mix done as you suggest. However, is it structurally okay?

2) However well I do the dry mix and wetted joint, will it degrade earlier than a semi-dry mix done 'properly', and if so what sort of time scale. Will it need doing again in 2 years or 20.

3) Can a dry mix and wetted joint ever be as good as a semi-dry mix done 'properly'.

4) If I decide to do the semi-dry mix, do I do it as a 4:1 building sand:cement mix, with just enough water (i.e. very little) to just hold together when compressed in the hand, but crumble easily.

I can't help feeling I am trying to take the so called easy way out, rather than do it right. It's not an easy way out if its not strong enough, and starts to come loose in a couple of years, hence my requests for help. Many thanks for your assistance, 'cos the more I learn, the less I know!!!

[Rolyan]

I stoppped chickening out, and decided to do a 'proper' joint. Semi-dry mix, trowelled in, tamped down to compress, then struck off with the trowel to level it and smooth it off.

It wasn't too difficult, it was easier than messing about with trying to wet a dry mix, and I think it looks pretty good. My advice to any other total beginner (i.e. like me) is not to try and take an easy way out on something that's taken time, money and effort to do right in the first place.

[Tony McC]

I'm glad to hear you coped while I was away, and that you found the pointing not to be as scary as many people imagine. Pointing can often 'make or break' aptio job and it really is worth the ectra time and effort to do it properly - it not only looks better, it lasts 10 times as long!