I need to repair a crazy paving path and similar construction garden border
wall. It is starting to break up and has grass growing through etc.

I've never done crazy paving before so presumably it is just cement in the
gaps etc. The mixture in the current paving/wall has a nice pinkish colour
to it. Usually a cememnt mix is grey - how do I achieve this? Any tips on
building or mixing the colour appreciated.

"Brownie" wrote in message
...
I need to repair a crazy paving path and similar construction garden
border
wall. It is starting to break up and has grass growing through etc.

I've never done crazy paving before so presumably it is just cement in the
gaps etc. The mixture in the current paving/wall has a nice pinkish
colour
to it. Usually a cememnt mix is grey - how do I achieve this?

Cement colouring, from your local builders' merchant.

Any tips on
building or mixing the colour appreciated.

Mix up a few small test batches, measuring accurately and taking careful
note of the proportions you use. You won't see the true colour until the
concrete has set, so you need to try a few different mixes. When you have
the colour you want, dry mix enough cement and colour to do everything you
want to do and make sure that you mix it very well. Now put the mix back
into the cement bag(s) and store it somewhere dry, taking out only enough to
make up each batch as you need it. No matter how careful you are, you will
never get exactly the same colour twice if you mix the colour into
individual batches, but this way you have a fighting chance that the cement
you use on the last day will be much the same colour as the stuff you used
on the first day.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert_my_surname_here wrote in message
. ..

Mix up a few small test batches, measuring accurately and taking careful
note of the proportions you use. You won't see the true colour until the
concrete has set, so you need to try a few different mixes. When you have
the colour you want, dry mix enough cement and colour to do everything you
want to do and make sure that you mix it very well. Now put the mix back
into the cement bag(s) and store it somewhere dry, taking out only enough
to
make up each batch as you need it. No matter how careful you are, you will
never get exactly the same colour twice if you mix the colour into
individual batches, but this way you have a fighting chance that the
cement
you use on the last day will be much the same colour as the stuff you used
on the first day.

Thanks for that.

Sounds like a lot of work. If I was trying to match pointing I'd follow
his advice but this is a path we are talking about.

Grey pointing is made with yellow sand. Red pointing with red sand. He's
right about getting the mixture spot on though. I'd just look out for
red concreting (or if I couldn't get that, plastering) sand and mix that
6:1. But then it wouldn't upset me if I had to use yellow sand and have
two tone pointing.


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"Michael McNeil" wrote in message
news:e655e5f2e8cfe965982c3faf8454071a.45219@mygate .mailgate.org

Sounds like a lot of work. If I was trying to match pointing...

.....on a face brick wall that is.


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"Michael McNeil" wrote in message
news:e655e5f2e8cfe965982c3faf8454071a.45219@mygate .mailgate.org...
Sounds like a lot of work. If I was trying to match pointing I'd follow
his advice but this is a path we are talking about.

It depends on whether or not you are the sort of person who notices, for
years after, where he hasn't quite got things right, but could have.

... But then it wouldn't upset me if I had to use yellow sand and have
two tone pointing.

Evidently not :-)

Colin Bignell