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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:36 pm
by SFLandscape
Hi
I have used that rubbish Geo-fix and have also been using Cementone wide jointing compound, well tonight i had a call from a customer and it appears that cementone has the same problems.
I like using this kind of pointing agent but do not what to have to keep replacing it, have spoken to most of the suppliers and of course the promise everything and deliver nothing.
Is Romx as good as some of the guys are saying, the two issues i have are :
1) Does it set hard and stay in
2) Does it discolour
Many thanks
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:05 am
by lutonlagerlout
1 yes very
2 it discolours to the extent that small dirt particles get into it,i did my own patio and was annoyed that after a year it had discoloured ,however after i had it professionally cleaned it came up like new 
romex or gftk both make similar very good products,or you could try easipoint,i have heard very good things about their mortar pointing guns, RE:speed and finish
LLL
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:03 am
by GB_Groundworks
just had £420 of romex and the proper sand delivered to do 120m just waiting on the squeegee to start doing it. went for neutral colour, my bm tried to shift that wide joint compound onto me but having lived in munich for 2 years i know the germans know their stuff haha.
will report back next week when we have pointed it, and report back on its performance.
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:22 pm
by SFLandscape
Thats been a great help thanks for taking the time , do either of you know which is the best, the ready mix, think it is called Ropox or the mix it your-self stuff.
If it helps I what it to cover 150 mtrs of Indian Stone i have just laid
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:34 pm
by GB_Groundworks
i went for the rompox patio which is supplied in .75 litre tubs with 25kg bags of granular material. speaking to rompox ray he said it was a superior product more trade than the diy one (premixed).
got the squeegee today and 2 new buckets and anew broom and it rained all day 
so will report next week on how it goes. we are doing close to 150 metres with patios and copings.
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:32 pm
by lutonlagerlout
i prefer the rompox patio to the easy,it goies off rock hard and you can use your own colour sand with it
i just use a standard mixer to knock it up
mind you the old patio business is dead as a doornail round here in 2 large BM s today and both like ghost towns?
LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:31 pm
by ambient
same here tp just dropped indian stone £5 a metre.
how much does rompox cost nobody round here sells it or will help you they want you to buy rubbish they have in stock
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:28 am
by GB_Groundworks
the rompox patio cost me £3.50 per metre with the proper grey sand for the neutral colour can use your own but alot of kiln dried sand tends to be red in colour. that includes vat and £40 of pallet delivery i got a number off tony for rompox ray 07872 824010 he'll be able to sort you out.
what are they charging for indian stone now then if the have dropped it by £5. i'm paying 14.50/m if i collect in our wagon for 4 sized patio packs in golden brown. its good stuff as well all average thickness of 30-40mm and not had one break on me yet.
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:16 pm
by ambient
its now £13.50 but good quality only the odd bad one
you can buy indian stone for £10-50 a metre but usually a lot of bent mis-shapes let me know how you go on with romex if it as easy as they say or not
ive always used washed river sand mix my dad always swore by it but it takes forever to point with
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:57 am
by GB_Groundworks
managed to get a few dry hours yesterday and mixed one bucket up of the patio and jointed about 15-20 metres. i was very impressed in fact i don't how i have lived without it haha. has set the stone of really nicely with the colour and very easy to do. squeegee is essential as is a good soft brush and a really good mixer drill. so its covered up now and when i have had my cuppa tea i will be going to check it out. post some pics up later on in the week when we get it all jointed.
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:59 pm
by lutonlagerlout
normal clean cement mixer works fine for me
LLL
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:47 am
by GB_Groundworks
lutonlagerlout wrote:normal clean cement mixer works fine for me
LLL
wev'e only got our belle 200xt on site and she's a big girl, just used a paddle mixer hehe. could hire a mixer and return it nicely coated with clear epoxy. plus whats a clean mixer??
spent half an hour the other day attacking ours with a hammer and chisel where the lads hadn't been washing it out correctly.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:04 pm
by Jason Herring
I used a lot of Romex over 2006 and 2007 and in to this year. Firstly, if you're using the 750ml glue pot (Patio) and mixing your own a clean gorilla bucket and blender attachment on a drill will whizz up a good mix in a few minutes... so you can keep your dirty mixer dirty
I only ever used kiln dried sand from the same supplier. Then if I had to add more on a job it would match.
Second, it does discolour. The neutral is quickest, then the grey, and the basalt is least noticeable. However, if you hammer it with a good pressure washer it comes clean.
It doesn't come out. On normal pedestrian work such as patios etc the 15kg tins of "Easy" set hard enough to withstand my 13hp pressure washer held right on one spot no problem. It's truly is impressive here.
The only real discrepancy I've noticed against the manufacturers claims is the time it takes to go off and get properly hard. Sometimes this can be a couple of days. With winter on it's away I'd avoid treading on the joints for a day or two.
Finally, after being a reasonably heavy Romex user (I've got through 4 pallets of Easy plus a fair bit of other stronger products) I have to say I've switched back to good old fashioned buttered up 3:1 mortar. It takes a little knack to get it right but it's almost as fast and cheaper even taking the labour in to account for myself. I've also found that some customers just want mortar joints regardless of your enthusiasm or evidence for epoxy / polymer or other products.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:38 pm
by James.Q
one local supplier to me is doing indian stone for £11. i must admit to being old school tried all this jointing stuff but you cannot beat mortar joints. looks the part and ages well:)
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 6:37 pm
by lutonlagerlout
i hear ye fellas
properly done mortar looks the business and lasts well.
LLL