The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:57 am**

Hi. I recently had about 30m2 of porcelain slabs installed. 60x60x2cm size, very light beige colour. The main reason I chose porcelain was to try and get a uniform, flat look, with little variation. I asked the installers to make sure the jointing was a similar colour because I didn't want to see an obvious grid. They talked me into using a buff coloured jointing compound, they really didn't want to grout it as I had suggested. Anyway, the result is exactly what I didn't want especially ad the jointing compound very rarely ever dries out and hence stays much much darker than the buff colour advertised.

So the question is, how to I go about painting the joints so that they match the colour of the paving. The joints are about 2cm wide and mostly they are about 5mm lower than the level of the paving.

Thanks for any advice.

Posted: **Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:53 pm**

Alternatively, can anyone recommend a different method for getting a very light (almost white) colour pointing and the best way to remove newly installed jointing compound?

Thanks.

Posted: **Tue Sep 22, 2015 11:15 pm**

could you post a photo ?

how to upload an image

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:06 am**

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:09 am**

Its a shame that you've got to remove it, looks like a pucker job.
Are you dead set that its got to go? Wonder if its worth sitting on it for a couple of months to see if the colour grows on you?

If you are fully decided that its gotta go, then the only way to get rid is to grind it out with an angle grinder. Not a difficult job but take your time to avoid nicking the edges of the porcelain with your blade.

The joint is a little wide for a grout. Larsen and easipoint both supply a gun application mortar in a white colour

Steve

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:20 am**

Yeah I know. The tiling's pretty good on the whole. Its not easy to see from the photos but the grid doesn't fully match the direction of the garden. This was caused by the central retaining wall not being built parallel to the back of the house, so the patio actually goes back at an angle. If the joints were less obvious, it would help to disguise the funny angle the patio has been laid at.

With hindsight and a little more research I would have insisted on that easy point gun method or proper pointing using white cement and a combination of yellow and white sand.

I'm just wondering now if there's anything else I can add on top to make it better. There's about 5mm to play with in most cases.

Thanks

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:20 am**

5mm is not enough depth to provide a stable joint, especially in exterior. Its going to crack and break up in no time at all

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:15 pm**

What about using some kind of latex additive to a mortar mix, to create a slightly flexible, thin screed type grout that binds really well? Like this...

http://www.mapei.com/public/US/products/PlanicreteAC_TDS_EA.pdf

I'm not knowledgable in this area at all, so please excuse me if I'm way off with that idea.

Think I'll try a grout paint like this to start with and see how it goes.

http://www.universealsealants.co.uk/product_groutrescue.html

Posted: **Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:57 pm**

gtfk have a white resin pointing for thin joints i know its against all know how but you could try a small section its for joints down to 3mm if you have good falls water should run straight of it would be hard to remove jointing as is but with care you could drop 15mm with care and right tools cheers cookie

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:49 pm**

temas wrote:Hi. I recently had about 30m2 of porcelain slabs installed. 60x60x2cm size, very light beige colour. The main reason I chose porcelain was to try and get a uniform, flat look, with little variation. I asked the installers to make sure the jointing was a similar colour because I didn't want to see an obvious grid. They talked me into using a buff coloured jointing compound, they really didn't want to grout it as I had suggested. Anyway, the result is exactly what I didn't want especially ad the jointing compound very rarely ever dries out and hence stays much much darker than the buff colour advertised.

So the question is, how to I go about painting the joints so that they match the colour of the paving. The joints are about 2cm wide and mostly they are about 5mm lower than the level of the paving.

Thanks for any advice.

I can't comment on your jointing compound not knowing the brand

However, if it is sand based primarily, it will naturally change colour when it is wet, that's how sand works.

If it's still dark in periods of dryness, it could be that base is not allowing water to drain away meaning your jointing is remaining wet and thus your grout looks darker

As an outdoor product, it will naturally darken over time due to dirt getting into the joints but it sounds to me like you may have a drainage issue

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:52 pm**

London Stone Paving wrote:5mm is not enough depth to provide a stable joint, especially in exterior. Its going to crack and break up in no time at all

Agreed on that one, with our product we recommend a minimum of 25 mm depths

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:16 pm**

What's the best way of pointing granite paving slabs with a 6mm gap and approx. 20mm deep, without causing any staining without using geofix

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2015 4:19 pm**

http://www.pavingexpert.com/setts05.htm

Have a look here.

Geofix is not loved here.

The Brew Cabin

Painting over jointing compound