We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we are
generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a problem with
the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to localised water
action (around the drains or where condensation drips off the facia
boards). Is there anything I can use to lock the sand in place without
creating a look that is obviously cement(ed) please?

Mark W.

You could try some block paving sealant. I'm not sure how effective it will
be at preventing sand getting washed out of joints, but it should help.

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:31:00 +0100, Mark Webb wrote:

We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we are
generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a problem with
the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to localised water
action (around the drains or where condensation drips off the facia
boards). Is there anything I can use to lock the sand in place without
creating a look that is obviously cement(ed) please?

Mark W.

I have just had my front block paved ( laid today). I am going to seal
mine myself. I suggest you google for block paving sealer, lots of useful
stuff around. Sealer will keep the sand in, so the sealer companies say.

Cheers

Dave

--

Some people use windows, others have a life.

In article ,
(Dave Stanton) wrote:

Sealer will keep the sand in, so the sealer companies say

Interesting. I thought sealer just stopped the blocks discolouring from
spills etc. I presume this is a liquid? If so, does it alter the colour
of the blocks it comes into contact with? I don't fancy having to do the
entire area.

Mark W.

Mark Webb wrote:
We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we are
generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a problem with
the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to localised water
action (around the drains or where condensation drips off the facia
boards). Is there anything I can use to lock the sand in place without
creating a look that is obviously cement(ed) please?


Yes. Use a very weak mix of cement - possibly white cement, and sand.
About 7-1 to 10:1.

I have laid my snadstone on that and 'grouted' it with tat quite wide
gaps - and it looks pretty sandy when done.

You can either brush it in dry, and brush the residue away, or go sloppy
wet like I did, but you have to sponge down everything afterwards, and
then treat with brick acid to remove the white covering the cement
leaves everywhere.

Try varous mixtures to get the colour and strength right - you want to
only prevent it washing away, not go stronger than that, and too strong
will look cementy.


Mark W.

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 20:36:00 +0100, Mark Webb wrote:

In article ,
(Dave Stanton) wrote:

Sealer will keep the sand in, so the sealer companies say

Interesting. I thought sealer just stopped the blocks discolouring from
spills etc. I presume this is a liquid? If so, does it alter the colour
of the blocks it comes into contact with? I don't fancy having to do the
entire area.

Mark W.

There is some stuff which is red to help bring back colour to faded
blocks. But most of it would appear to be colourless. They are putting
the sand down today, so off to B & Q Sat as I understand they sell block
paving sealer otherwise its buy off the net.

Dave

--

Some people use windows, others have a life.

There is some stuff which is red to help bring back colour to faded
blocks. But most of it would appear to be colourless. They are putting the
sand down today, so off to B & Q Sat as I understand they sell block
paving sealer otherwise its buy off the net.

Dave

Update: no sand today, rain !!!. Still gives me a chance to get the sealer.

Dave

--

Some people use windows, others have a life.

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:31 +0100 (BST), Yuk
(Mark Webb) wrote:

We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we are
generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a problem with
the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to localised water
action (around the drains or where condensation drips off the facia
boards). Is there anything I can use to lock the sand in place without
creating a look that is obviously cement(ed) please?

Hi,

Try running a dilute solution of PVA in the joints on a small area.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote in message ...
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:31 +0100 (BST), Yuk
(Mark Webb) wrote:

We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we are
generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a problem with
the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to localised water
action (around the drains or where condensation drips off the facia
boards). Is there anything I can use to lock the sand in place without
creating a look that is obviously cement(ed) please?

Hi,

Try running a dilute solution of PVA in the joints on a small area.
I don't think you could stop it soaking into the blocks and giving you a
white stain on the edges.

On 14 Oct 2004 Pete C wrote:

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004, Yuk (Mark Webb) wrote:

We had the area behind out house block paved last year. Whilst we
are generally pleased with the quality of work, we seem to have a
problem with the sand washing out of the joints in areas subject to
localised water action (around the drains or where condensation
drips off the facia boards). Is there anything I can use to lock
the sand in place without creating a look that is obviously
cement(ed) please?

Try running a dilute solution of PVA in the joints on a small area.

I'm wondering whether it's wise to seal up the joints. I recently moved
and realigned part of a block paved driveway which entailed relocating
the kerb at one side, moving the blocks across and then doing the kerb
at the other side. I didn't fill in the gaps between the blocks.

On the part that wasn't moved the rainwater just collects on top and
eventually runs off into a gulley or evaporates. On the relocated part
the water just runs down the gaps and soaks into the ground. This is
greatly preferable from an environmental point of view.

I did have a problem with sand disappearing around an inspection cover
but this was cured by regrouting the cover surround to block up the
holes. Ants bring up sand in various places, regardless of whether the
gaps are filled or not, but they just get zapped with Raid.

--
Richard Porter
Mail to username ricp at domain minijem.plus.com
"You can't have Windows without pains."