The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:15 am**

Hi,

I'm about to finish off my patio with some coping stones along the retaining wall; is the mix the same for the coping stones as for the rest of the patio? I've been using a 6:1 sharp sand:cement mix, but I was going to make it a bit stronger for the coping stones, maybe 4:1 and make the mix fairly wet to get a good bond. I'm also using SBR on the underside of the slabs to stick down - does this plan sound fine? Would I be better/worse off using building sand instead of sharp sand? The paving is 22mm calibrated smooth sandstone.

Thanks,

-Ross

Posted: **Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:48 am**

3:1 building sand with plenty of sbr in the mix and painted on the copings
you could use plastering sand (slightly stronger) but for a 10mm bed building sand works good

LLL

Posted: **Fri Aug 15, 2014 12:40 pm**

Great - I need to do some rendering as well so I'll just order slightly more plastering sand and use it for both.

Cheers!

Posted: **Fri Aug 15, 2014 3:56 pm**

plastering sand is better than soft as it is more angular and has less clay in it than soft sand

just a bit harder to work with

LLL

Posted: **Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:40 pm**

From reading LLL last post am I right thinking a mortar made using angular sands (sharp sand) makes a stronger mortar than building sand (round particles).

Is this because the sharp sand locks together and is bound by cement unlike building sand that is only bound together?

Please excuse my ignorance.

Cheers

Posted: **Tue Aug 19, 2014 4:30 am**

yes it has better interlock

but try laying bricks with it!!

i did it once on a job where the wrong sand was ordered

took me all day to lay 250 bricks

but super strong

LLL

The Brew Cabin

Bedding mix for coping stones