The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:28 pm**

Hi,

I have been using the help an guidance on this site to extend an existing patio first can I say thanks for all the excellent help.

Now all has been going well and I thought I had sourced the same slabs that were used for the rest of the patio.

However although they look the same dry when they get wet the existing slabs absorb more water and go a much darker shade creating an obvious difference between the new and old slabs.

I have just finised laying 60 on a dry mix motar bed.

Is there anything I can do to blend te colours in, or can I lift the slabs and re use the motar bed with slabs that give a better match.

Any ideas please, I'm desperate!

Thanks in advance,

Jon

Posted: **Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:33 am**

Short of applying a sealant, there's nowt you can do to amend the colour/absorbency of the flags at this stage. This serves to emphasise the point of buying ample paving before starting and then randomising the units before laying.

Posted: **Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:11 am**

Hi

The problem was the patio was laid by contractors when the house was built. I have been extending the existing patio and I thought I had got matching slabs but didn't realise how many permutations of 450 x 450 textured buff slabs were on the market. Each manufacturer seems to do their own version. The slabs I got (Bradstone) match the originals when dry but not when wet.

I have solved the problem by lifting the slabs, the motar bed was still workable so I got the correct slabs (Marshalls Saxon)
and laid them instead.

The lesson is get a sample of the slab you are trying to match and check the match wet and dry.

Once again thanks for all the help on this site, its been invaluable.

Regards,

Jon

The Brew Cabin

Slab colour mis-match