Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:09 am
hi there, can anybody help me? i done a patio in august 2010 at the height of summer. very hot during the day but a lot of rain at night. yellow natural effect slabbing so customer required yellow pointing. the method of application was as follows...
mixed building sand with cement in a 3 to 1 ratio and added yellow dye to the mix. added small amount of water so mix just about stuck together in hand and brushed the mix into the slab joints. firmed down by hand and added more mix. finally sprayed light mist of water to joints and trowelled off to a smooth finish. looked good to me so we went home. it rained very heavily overnight and customer wasnt happy with the result and the colour wasnt a deep enough colour....small round balls of cement on top of joints and some colour had been washed away so wanted the job redone. we obliged.
second time round we used washed sand to help enhance the colour and cement to 3 in 1 ratio. added double amount of dye as the previous day. slabs were about 85% dry so didnt add water but repeated the application as the previous day. brushed the mix into the joints, firmed down, added more and light spray of water before trowelling joints to a smooth finish. customer was happy with result and we got paid and left. I believe it rained again that night but only moderately but no return call from customer.
along came the fierce winter we had and upon defrosting the customer was on the phone to say the mortar is breaking up into sand and washing away.
firstly, have we used the wrong method for coloured joints and secondly does it sound like frost damage. we are adamant we havent cut corners or bodged it but customer disagrees. I am prepared to go back and redo for a third time but not at my cost and not using the same method of application. I would use the slower and riskier method of wet mortar and hope not to stain the slabs. am i right in asking the customer to foot the bill?????
mixed building sand with cement in a 3 to 1 ratio and added yellow dye to the mix. added small amount of water so mix just about stuck together in hand and brushed the mix into the slab joints. firmed down by hand and added more mix. finally sprayed light mist of water to joints and trowelled off to a smooth finish. looked good to me so we went home. it rained very heavily overnight and customer wasnt happy with the result and the colour wasnt a deep enough colour....small round balls of cement on top of joints and some colour had been washed away so wanted the job redone. we obliged.
second time round we used washed sand to help enhance the colour and cement to 3 in 1 ratio. added double amount of dye as the previous day. slabs were about 85% dry so didnt add water but repeated the application as the previous day. brushed the mix into the joints, firmed down, added more and light spray of water before trowelling joints to a smooth finish. customer was happy with result and we got paid and left. I believe it rained again that night but only moderately but no return call from customer.
along came the fierce winter we had and upon defrosting the customer was on the phone to say the mortar is breaking up into sand and washing away.
firstly, have we used the wrong method for coloured joints and secondly does it sound like frost damage. we are adamant we havent cut corners or bodged it but customer disagrees. I am prepared to go back and redo for a third time but not at my cost and not using the same method of application. I would use the slower and riskier method of wet mortar and hope not to stain the slabs. am i right in asking the customer to foot the bill?????