Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm gaps
with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types of
manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either metal or
plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube - are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm gaps
with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types of
manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either metal or
plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube - are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

EricP wrote:
On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm gaps
with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types of
manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either metal or
plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube - are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

That was my first thought, but from a quick search on t'web it seems
that it doesn't give as good bonding as wet pointing, hebce the interest
in the mortar guns.

EricP wrote:
On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm gaps
with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types of
manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either metal or
plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube - are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

The problem with that is that you get voids, and a mist spray doesn't
add enough water to make the mortar sink. IME better to mix the mortar
just slightly damp

EricP wrote:
On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm
gaps with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea
shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with
mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types
of manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either
metal or plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube -
are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

Tomm'y Top Tip off of Groundforce;

'Water' joints with watering can (no rose) on sunny day. Wait till surface
of slab adjacent to joint is dry, then brush in mortar & force down with
brick jointer.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
EricP wrote:
On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm
gaps with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea
shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with
mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types
of manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either
metal or plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube -
are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D
Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

Tomm'y Top Tip off of Groundforce;

'Water' joints with watering can (no rose) on sunny day. Wait till surface
of slab adjacent to joint is dry, then brush in mortar & force down with
brick jointer.



Makes sense, but did we get a sunny day last summer?

The Medway Handyman wrote in message
m...
EricP wrote:
On Tue, 05 May 2009 10:13:51 +0100, NoSpam
wrote:

Confession time ... several years ago I laid a 40 sq.m. patio using
600x600 slabs and thought it would be a good idea to fill the 12mm
gaps with pea shingle rather than mortar. History has shown the pea
shingle
to be a bad idea so I've finally decided to point the slabs with
mortar.

What's the best/fastest pointing method? There seem to be two types
of manual mortar guns, one type is like a mastic gun (with either
metal or plastic nozzles) the other is just a plunger in a tube -
are they any good?

Seems to be a debate about sharp or soft sand - advice?

D

Mix the mortar dry and dump onto the flags. Brush out with a broom,
finish with a hand brush and then gently mist coat with a hose pipe to
wet the cement.

Tomm'y Top Tip off of Groundforce;

'Water' joints with watering can (no rose) on sunny day. Wait till
surface
of slab adjacent to joint is dry, then brush in mortar & force down with
brick jointer.



That's the way to do it......


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