The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 8:58 pm**

Hi
I've just finished laying my first patio and finishing the garden off. I've laid slate flags with a close joint and I'm wondering what to point it with. I have got my hands on some black sand that I think would look nice, but after sweeping some kiln dried sand in our top patio (just some cheap square slabs) it seems to have made water marks on all the joints. I think they will dry out in the hot weather but they don't seem to dry as fast as the rest of the slab. Would this happen to the slate or is it because the cheap slabs seem quite pours? Would a dry sand and cement mix be better? Any help would be great because it's the only thing left to do in the garden!

Cheers
Alex

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 9:00 pm**

Sweeping dry sand and cement into the gaps will fail. The pointing mix needs to be well compacted or it will just flake away in no time. What is the size of the joint?

steve

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 9:08 pm**

Cheers for the quick reply!!
The flags are pretty much butted up to each other.

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 9:18 pm**

Are you a DIYer or is it your first paving job?

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 9:28 pm**

Lol. DIY it's in my own garden.

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 9:39 pm**

Ok

Its too late now but its always better to have a pointing gap of at least 5mm. Otherwise the joint will have no strength.

There is no point in sweeping sand/cement in. Just sweep some kiln dried into the gaps.

Got any pictures?

Steve

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 10:06 pm**

I was going to put a gap but because there would have been a few thin bits I thought it would look better butted together. Will the sand stay wet and mark the flags when it rains?

This is the garden as it stands. Haven't got a close up pic of the joints. Sorry

Posted: **Mon May 21, 2012 11:08 pm**

Sika do a product which is made for block paving, it goes in dry, like kiln dried sand (so it will fill a tight joint) then you wet when its in. It sets very hard, probably the best product I can think of in this instance, but as the previous comments said, at least 5mm is best for a rigid joint.
Nice design by the way, well done !

Posted: **Tue May 22, 2012 5:44 am**

Cracking job there,I bet the misses is happy!
You could very carefully run a cut saw through the gaps and use an epoxy resin jointing compound.

Posted: **Tue May 22, 2012 9:21 pm**

You've done a great job with your garden !

I've seen a lot worse from so called professionals.

The Brew Cabin

Slate flags and kiln dried sand