Wondering which type of sand to put with cement for your concrete mix? To get the best results, use sharp sand. It’s perfect for patios and gardens, and will prevent moles or rats from tunnelling underneath the paving slabs. STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO LAYING A PATIO Filling large gaps in a patio is a time-consuming job that just has to be done, so what’s the best way of going about it? I’ve had the same problem with my driveway, sand washing out, weeds, moss, generally looking grubby Sika Pave is a really great option if you’re looking for a brush in patio grout that is extremely easy to work with. It’s another great water permeable option for your patio.

Sand getting washed out from block paving | Screwfix Sand getting washed out from block paving | Screwfix

This depends on the weather a little. If it’s hot and sunny, most polymeric sands will set up between 24 and 72 hours. The other big advantage with this compound is that you can simply brush it in without firmly pushing it in according to the instructions. In reality following this has led to having to top up a few days later but the result was all the same, near perfect and looks beautiful against stone. Its been down about four years. Some of it slopes (just in case that makes a difference) and I noticed that in places the kiln sand has been had been washed out by rain. So I swept some more in and there are already small gaps appearing again. I know I can sweep some more in, but anyone know if there is anything I can do to stabilise the sand and reduce the washout? Try out some smart and subtle patio lighting ideas and your pointing will look good whatever sand you have used. What is the Best Mix for Pointing a Patio? With summer approaching, make sure you have your garden patio ready. Here’s how to lay a patio in 6 easy steps.Filling gaps between patio pavers is one of those jobs you can just keep putting off – but we all know it needs to be done. You’ll probably want one tub if you have a patio around 15m2. I know they say you can get 20m2 but if you have wider and deeper joints then it’ll not go as far. My patio area is about 6 metres by 4 metres and I used two tubs to give you an idea of my experience. Make sure you mix the sand and cement thoroughly and evenly. Otherwise you will have problems with parts of the pointing not setting properly and breaking up. Be careful not to damage your stone or slab by removing the old mortar or grout. Once this is out, dig up as much old sand or mud as you can. I use a small screwdriver initially for this. There are some huge benefits to this later on in the guide. Pressure washer the joint out If you are using a traditional dry mix you will get a smoother finish if you use a dry building sand or a kiln-dried jointing sand (which is a fine dry sand). Sharp sand is coarser than both and won’t give such a smooth finish.

Sand - 20kg Dansand NO GROW Block Paving Jointing Sand - 20kg

Polymeric sand works best to fill gaps between 1/4 inch and 1.5 inches wide. Wider joints will require more time to harden. Some pavers are designed to fit together like puzzle pieces – if the gap is too small, polymeric sand won’t help. If doing the job yourself you obviously save on labour costs but you will need to buy the pointing materials and tools. There are two choices for materials: jointing compound or the old-school option sand and cement. Sand and cement is around a third of the cost of jointing compound. It works in exactly the same way as the Sika FastFix but I feel is beaten simply on price. You get about 15% better value for money on the Sika range and given Sika is a faultless product, I can’t justify the extra spend. Especially when a tub will give about 7m2 of coverage with big joints, so it can soon add up if you have a decent sized patio. Yes. You should always fill expansion joints. Expansion joints account for cement’s natural properties of expansion in the heat and contraction in the cold. Be sure to choose a flexible sealant.

Cost to repoint patio

However, the results were amazing and the patio looked great – so it’s always well worth the effort. 🙂 I sanded it during the hot spell. Maybe my mistake is that I used a rubber brush that swept across the top of the gaps. The kiln sand flowed in nicely but didnt get any compression. Maybe get a different brush.