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Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:20 pm
by 86-1518890816
Hi all, I'm new to the forum and need some advice. I've laid a lot of slabs myself including lining a ditch and a steep sloping path (Marshalls Argent course 400x400 with Weatherpoint 365). But I didn't feel confident/competant enough to do a new terrace, steps and replacement patio, so a professinal landscaper did it in early 2015. The new terrace (Marshalls Argent smooth 400x400) has a 3-4 brick high (class A blue) curved retaining wall round to steps using the same brick as risers and the same slabs as treads, these lead down to the patio. Against my better judgement (was going to use Weatherpoint 365 again) Geofix was used for the joints. The problem I now have is that the mortar on the first 2 slabs on the terrace and at least the last few steps (going up) is all soft and crumbly and falling out. What has caused this, is it porous Geofix letting water under the slabs and the mortar sitting in wet all the time, or were the slabs "fixed" with the "bricklaying" mortar (slabs were laid onto the brick risers as they were built)? How should I fix, do I need to remove and relay using my usual sharp sand mix? What about the jointing, should I use Weatherpoint, I've looking at the site for recommended ones, but they seem to be porous, will I have the same problem again?
Any advice would be welcome.
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 5:22 pm
by Tony McC
If your "landscaper" has used GeoFix, then he's a spanner and the mortar is most likely to have failed. If it's not completely knackered by now, it will be by the end of next week!
As for the bedding, we'd need to see images before we can determine whether it's implicated or not.
Weatherpoint, like ALL of the readily available* resin mortars is permeable/porous, but, in all honesty, that's not really something you need to worry about as long as the paving itself is properly laid. The permeability isn't an issue as long as the bond between paving and bed is sound, problems arise when the bed is soft, loose, friable or there is no effective biond between paving and the bed.
* there ARE impermeable resin jointing mortars, but they are typically reserved for the commercial sector because they are bloody expensive!
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:02 pm
by 86-1518890816
Thanks for the reply, will try and get some pics tomorrow. I suspect it's a combination of both Geofix and the mortar 
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 5:08 pm
by 86-1518890816
Having got close up to get some photo's this afternoon, it looks worse than I thought
As I haven't done this before I'll try just one photo first -
Hope this works ...
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:33 am
by Tony McC
Victoria, you seem to have deleted your account! That's why it's recording you as "Guest".
That's untidy mortar work, and it's an inconsistent mix, but there's nothing on show that makes me want to suggest "rip it up and start again". It's just all a bit shoddy.
Where it is "crumbly and falling out" then that should be cut out using a nangle grinder or hammer/bolster, and re-pointed. If any of the step treads are loose, then they should be lifted, the bed chiselled out and then re-seated as shown here.
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:52 pm
by VictoriaJ
Tony, thank you for your reply.
No idea what happened to my account, If I deleted it I'm not aware how. Have registered again, using a different email address, all has worked fine this time, I think there was still something wrong with the previous account setup as this time I received a "welcome" message and more information is displayed...
I'll wait till the weather is a bit warmer to chisel out and repoint. As it's the joint between paving and brick what mix should I use? Do you think the old Geofix jointing compound should stay or would it be better to rake out and redo with something else, if so what would you recommend?
Glad you don't think it's as bad as I'd feared, it's such a relief.
