Frost effects on new flags - Damage

[andrewlefkas]

Hi Fellas
having followed the fantastic advice on here without which my job would have looked terrible i acheived a great new patio area in indian random stone- my wifes verdict and I myself was surprised at what a good result I had managed!
Four or five days later after only maybe half of flags pointed the weather hit us - I can already see one flag that has lifted , im devastated and there is not a thing I can do -I dont think ? I scaped all snow off and shoved loads of salt down but now Im wondering about repairing damage if ever the weather gets warmer .To stick down flags that the frost has popped up can i mix a slurry type mix and that will refix flags -I cant even contemplate how much worse its going to get after all my hard work .Any advice or reassurance gratefully recieved
cheers from one pi...ed off apprentice flag layer .
andrew

[Tony McC]

Andrew,

ease up on the salt and accept that hard frosts, such as we're currently experiencing, will always upset new paving.

Leave it until the Spring, and then you can carry out remedial work safe in the knowledge that you're unlikely to be hit with a prolonged freeze again.

[Trevski]

Hi Andrew,

I had exactly this problem earlier this year. Tony is right in that you can't do anything about it right now.

I waited until things warmed up late spring and then lifted each popped slab (30 something in all) and poured in a cement and SBR mix over the bedding layer and carefully replaced the slab to its original position and put my weight on to make sure the slurry bond was squeezed in.

There were a couple where I had to chisel out the bedding layer and start again but since doing that and pointing the joints its been no problem.

Just a waiting game now for daffodils :;):

[Bob_A]

I remember reading that on here Trevski.
I had a couple of flags that clicked when you walked on them. Nothing serious they weren't proper rocking.
After reading Trevski I also cured the problem with sbr/cement.
You can read about it here. Go to 31st Aug 2010
http://ext.pavingexpert.com/cgi-bin....7;st=20

[andrewlefkas]

Thanks for that guys , it makes me feel a bit better and I can rectify things in the spring , it was one of the most succesful home projects I have ever done thanks to the people on this site and all the information ,it really does look so good but hey ho it wont be the end of the world .
Thanks again for your comments and advice .

cheers
andrew

[creativestoneworks]

I have been building patios and walkways for years in harsh Canadian climates on the east coast and northern Alberta. I don't have problems like you are experiencing because our construction techniques are different. We build a sub-base under everything with a 3/4 inch thick rock base packed in 2 inch layers up to 10 inches thick depending on the frost zone that you live in. I also tell people NEVER to use salt. but everyone is right. there is nothing you can do about it now. wait until things warm up and dry up and rebuild your patio on something a little more garanteed. Perhaps 6 inches of packed in rock first.

[Tony McC]

Despite us having two bad winters in a row, the norm for Britain and Ireland is wet, rather than cold, winters, and so the frost-proof construction techniques used in Canada and that strange country to the south of you are not normally warranted. Bear in mind that, if the outside temperature falls below 0°C, the whole country here grinds to a halt and starts talking about the risk of a new ice age and returning glaciation.

The weather over the last few weeks have been exceptional, and given that most of the frost heave we've seen has been millimetres rather than centimetres, and has largely returned to normal, the extra costs involved in frost-proofing our pavements are virtually impossible to justify anywhere other than the Scottish Highlands.

I don't envy you trying to survive in the Canadian climate. A cousin of mine runs a business in Ontario and he's effectively out of work for 3 or 4 months of each year.