How to repoint paving slabs

[@bukurgirl]

50yr old mum here, thanks for the clear no nonsense advice, gonna try this myself on my little patio.. Will hopefully save me hundreds.. Thanks guys

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You can do it! Super easy and low mess/clean up 💪

[@AllOutMedia-x3w]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder great video!!! I want to do this. with a 4:1 mix. do I use sharp sand , or builders sand. Or dried sand? you didn’t mention this on your video to help people.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Builders sand 💪

[@AllOutMedia-x3w]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you! do I leave it a day or two to spray it over with a watering can ?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

@user-cv3wq7pt3f yes indeed. It depends how damp the sand is to begin with, if there's enough moisture in the sand, you may not need to add too much more than a light sprinkling with the watering can.

[@raynebrown8456]

After watching your video I feel confident I can do my patio project! I’ve even taken notes! Really helpful thank you!

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You've got this! ☝️💪😎

[@DH-pq2ud]

So today was the day I did the patio, so easy and left looking very clean. The brushing sideways is so effective. Thank you.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Great to hear!!

[@stocky7620]

I would generally use a 3 to 1 mix of sharp sand for pointing or grouting great work still love it 🔥

[@joannapocock6055]

Wow, you have really helped me out. I have just had Indian sandstone slabs laid by cowboys !! They used SIKA FAST- FIX SELF-SETTING PAVING JOINTING COMPOUND which they did not apply properly so I have scaped out and will now do what you have done I will let you know how I get on tomorrow. Thanks for sharing a very informative video.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Sorry to hear that! I hope the fix worked as well for you as it did on this patio! 🤞

[@joannapocock6055]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder Hello I did what you showed us in the video and it worked great Thank you once again for sharing your video

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

That's awesome! Congratulations, I'm glad it helped 👍

[@DH-pq2ud]

I’m saving this video for future reference. So easy and informative.

[@karenk3952]

Thank you for such an informative video. You make it look so easy, so I will get myself some sand and cement this weekend and give this ago, thank you

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Best of luck, you can do it!

[@susanr1306]

Amazing. You have no idea the time and struggle you have prevented.

[@roylw]

Been a landscaper for many years we have done it that way but dose not last. now we use wet cement (sharp sand) clean with a sponge .when we are laying slabs we point as we go now so we have a strong bond and save time

[@janebeasley8213]

What brand (types) of cement & sand and use 4 sand to 1 cement? Mix well, no clumps & wipe off excess w/ sponge, correct? MANY THX

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Any brand will do really. I've used blue circle cement which is good. Any builders sand will work 👍

[@Builderbob-q8v]

@@OfficeBoyBuilderwhat mix are you doing please?

[@wesleykenyon6475]

Your video was very helpful and probably the easiets to understand of any I've seen, thanks

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Thanks! Glad it helped!

[@janesmith9024]

Very interesting because my memories of my father doing some bits in the 60s or 70s was a very messy job with sticky wet stuff all over. I have a vast patio area most of which needs redoing - sigh.....

[@sidecarwiggy]

Really helpful and clear advice, just what I was looking for. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful!

[@dantehughes897]

Cheers not done any in a while and me grandma wants some doing just needed a refresher

[@chiron6699]

You asked so. Sorry in my exp dry mix pointing don't last will crumble be patchy not durable within a few months. What I do is mix with enough water so that it's like a crumble mixture. Use pointing trowels to work in brush up afterwards. Next day it's solid sound. Will last years. The art is to get sweet spot between enough water to bind but not enough to stain. Landscaper 20 years

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Thanks mate, really useful to hear that. As it turns out we had a bit of rain which rolled in over night after we laid it. I went back a couple of weeks ago and it was set like rock! Hopefully it lasts...

[@jbatesy3masterbate3]

When I did landscaping I was taught by my boss to point with a wetter mix. Falls in the cracks nicely and presses itself down

[@tommystrainsfunandmore]

Can you come and do mine please ?

[@colinmoss7343]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder

[@jeremymoore1746]

I would consider that too dry, breaks easily after a while. I use a wet mix, not sloppy, pack it in with the thick end of a bit of fencing feather or piece of wood, sponge the cement off the edges, and if I’m feeling super good, go over the surface with water spray bottle, just enough to seal in all the edges. Sets rock hard for years, no weeds.

[@ld7103]

Agreed

[@davidknell8831]

Yeah we add more water to the mix than that. which is a gaged 3/1. and we point it up with a rubbing in iron .

[@CyberWolfVR]

@@davidknell8831 On the ground, it should be 2/1 not 3/1

[@davidknell8831]

@@CyberWolfVR depends who yr asking I guess! Because everyone I know it’s a 3/1 ! That’s not my opinion it’s a trade fact

[@WestysGate]

@@davidknell8831 It is an opinion when you have different trade opinions lol

[@hansiskitchen9956]

Thank you for Very useful video.I am certainly going to try and repair my patio .

[@davidsweeney8133]

Top advice worked a treat, refurbished patio look new, great weekends work.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Well done mate! Glad it helped 👍👍

[@dellfinniam324]

This looks well-doable (it would, in the hands of a professional!) so am hoping to have a crack at my own, with thanks! And thanks hugely for your list of tools and materials, much appreciated! 🙂

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You can do it!

[@Outdoorshuntingshooting]

I am redoing mine 20 years after I first laid patio. I used this method and it failed within a few years, so now doing it with a wet mix 3:1 ratio. Patio is 4x12 meters. Backs in bits.

[@shouwill]

Great example of dry pointing. At what stage in the repointing cycle do you clean and or power wash the paving slabs themselves (noting the black spot and general condition from the video), mindful of the integrity or relative weakness of the new joint material (days / weeks / months?) if then in place? Thank you.

[@IGM_254]

Thank you. Just doing this now on my end to prevent weeds

[@robertgiles1878]

I’ve looked at this video and it has helped me at least given me the motivation when the weather improves. Is there a ready mix that saves on the mixing process? If so please PM me with that advice.

[@heatherhawkins2270]

Thank you for this, just what I was looking for.

[@amiscott4454]

You make it look so easy! Looks great 👏🏼👏🏼

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You can do it too!

[@szilardvincze]

I’d be interesting how would you take the existing grout out? What would you be using to do it efficiently?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Honestly anything you can get your hands on! A manky old chisel. Or better still a cold chisel and hammer would do it, if it's really tough. Sometimes if it's a very old, soft mix, a stiff wire brush would work.

[@RossHbn]

Legend, great video! Will be repointing when the weather dries up. 😂

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You got this!

[@stephenchatterley3583]

Just about to do mine now. Hope its as good a job as yours. Thanks for the tips.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Hope it went well?! Enjoy!

[@MoMoAKA24]

Brilliant work mate👍🫡

[@luigiardingo]

Superb video and thanks for sharing 👍🏻

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Glad it helped!

[@ryanbrunt3660]

Thanks for the video, did mine a week ago and left with lots of cement stains on the slabs, can't understand why as washed and brushed it off afterwards. Any tips on how to renove the stains? Thanks

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Sorry to hear this - it really depends on the type of paving you've got, but I hear that CSR Cement Stain Remover can be good. Worth researching exactly what slabs you've got, just to make sure you don't have any issues.

[@TheNWaite]

That instructional video was great on many levels. Least of all those paving stones and the job you were doing looks exactly like what I am about to do. Right down to the garden looking similar to my own! So REALLY useful to watch you at work. Thanks for posting.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Awesome! Glad it was useful and timely. Hopefully it comes out well 💪🤞

[@PatRice-by3bm]

I have 11sq metre area of patio that needs repointing. Would appreciate recommendation of quickest and easiest way of doing it please. I am not concerned that it lasts for many years just that it looks better now.

[@runningfox5091]

Great and helpful video, thanks! was 2 years ago now, how did it hold up?

[@runningfox5091]

I’m fact ignore this. I see you did a follow up!! 👌

[@jeffreybresnahan]

Will lift during bad weather and time, best to mix it up wet and keep it tight, then ram it in with either a 10mm or 12mm steel jointing iron, and strike it off?

[@Paul-mz2dq]

How do you make up a wet mix and what do you mean by strike it out? Thank you in advance

[@jeffreybresnahan]

@@Paul-mz2dq Just mix up your 4&1 sand and cement mix, with enough feed-up water to bind the mix together. You can then trowel the mix over the joints, and use either a steel jointing tool, or hard wood jointer to press the mix down into the joints and finish off flush.. Using a tight mix stops any staining off the pavers/flags, and wears better over time due to it being compressed by jointing it up..

[@jeffreybresnahan]

@@Paul-mz2dq Feb...

[@annettesanders7891]

During the demo of applying the mix and compacting it, you said rinse and repeat. Can you explain what you mean by this please. Thank you

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Sorry, I meant just do it all again - definitely don't rinse it with water...!

[@annettesanders7891]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you 👍🏽

[@dstirl]

Thanks for the video. I need to repoint some cheapish Bradstone paving slabs that were originally done using a dry mix. A recent power wash blew a lot of it away so I'm left with gaps of varying depths. It would take me a month of Sundays to remove what's left. After reading some of the comments below, I'd prefer to use a wet mix. Three questions: 1. What's the minimum depth of new mortar I can put over the old? 2. Is there any glue that would help where it's very thin depth? 3: Are there any ready-mixed mortars you'd recommend as I have very little space to work in?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Hey, I'd be very cautious about trying to stick new to old...cement never stops curing, and so if you have two different ratio mixes on top of each other, they can react and break down faster. It's worth allowing at least 2 centermetres or more really...the deeper the better, to allow it to pack in and hold. I don't know a wet mix, but there have been a few other comments of people recommending a wet mix that you sweep over the paving slabs...maybe take a look and see other recommendations there 👍👍

[@callummccarthy7091]

Hello, thanks for the video! Quick question what sand and cement should I use please?

[@cooper6062]

Looks great, now to do mine!

[@stuartpelan7149]

would you recommend using a pre mixed mortar product? not confident at mixing my own mortar!

[@joyridef6830]

You did a very good and neat job, very professional and well explained. I wish mine was done like that, all slabs are loose now and sank most of it.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Cheers!

[@asifkan2]

Just what i was looking for ❤️

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Great! I hope it helps 💪

[@antoniogalluccio4213]

Is it going to set really hard without water? Is weed gonna grow like with sharp sand only?. Will it get pressure washed away?

[@richardpetts5149]

Thank you, great video and explained so well

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Cheers! Hope it helps 👍🤞💪

[@ciprianzugravu1720]

Hi I've pointed my garden with builders sand and cement 4/5 to 1 and it looks yellow. How do you make it to look grey? Cheers

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

More cement...you wouldn't need much, just a dusting.

[@Karlb7426]

Thanks for this video. I have just had my paving pointed and it’s cracked and come out after 2 days! It was a Wet mix though. Any ideas why that happened? Gutted as a family member done it and they obviously don’t know what to do. I don’t have experience with pointing or laying flags. So not sure myself so I am lost. I am thinking about doing what you done. Concerned about staining flags? Been told to use silka resin? Was this building sand and concrete? What was you mix Thanks for great video

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Sorry to hear that, sounds like they've under mixed the cement perhaps? Hard to say really. Normal soft builder sand + cement is a great way to go. Damp it slightly and you can carefully pack it in, no worries about staining.

[@me_llamo_la_cucaracha]

Thank you for the tips.

[@paulac4917]

Thanks, this is really helpful

[@mattdoran8513]

Great video, just what I was looking for. What sort of sand do you recommend? 0/4? 0/2? Kiln dried? Thanks.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Builders sand is best ☝️💪

[@mattdoran8513]

@@OfficeBoyBuilderThanks!!! 😊

[@tuningemporium]

great video guys,

[@heathermoore8911]

how many bags of cement and sand and what sort of cement ? is it quick drying cement ive never done this so havnt got a clue ?and i dont have one of those hoovers so how would i get the stuff out of the cracks ?

[@shelleyzhu7185]

Good to know I need to remove the old point first !

[@kazboo542]

My ants have removed mind last 5 years. So de weeding and using ready to use.and sweeping in.

[@preyashdesai]

What a helpful detailed video. Exactly what I was looking for. Top job! Got one question : Do you have to have guttering (as I can see the drain in the video) when you are sealing paving slabs? Because when you seal it, the water has no where to go.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Thanks! Glad it helped! A patio should always have a fall on it, to help with water run off. Small amounts of water will seep through the sand and cement grout.

[@stevelewis3515]

thanks, great video. I have one question, my slabs are dark grey almost slate coloured. How do I get the grout to be roughly the same colour and not too light ?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You can use more cement and less sand - not too much, but the pigment in the cement has a strong colouring

[@DS-fo4ed]

If a material is highly alkaline, I would have thought the ph would be above 7 rather than “low” ph as mentioned as low ph is towards the acidic end of the ph scale. Am I missing something obvious.?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You're right. I just got it the wrong way round...

[@teresachan8261]

Hi Thank you very much for the video. I have the same job repointing the patio front and back of the garden . I thought water is needed to mix the sand and cement before putting the mixture down the gap . Please let me know . Thank you . Teresa

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Best of luck with it! It really depends how wet the sand is at the point you make the mix. If it's bone dry sand then you'll need to add a bit of water to get it right. If the bag is already wet then you won't need to add much, if any. There's a bit of feel to this - you can always add a little more water if needed, but it shouldn't be sloppy!

[@bensales8986]

How long do you leave it before being able to jet wash the patio again?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

The longer the better... cement never stops curing, up until the point it gets broken or damaged. Ideally you'd jetwash before you re-point, and then use it as a method for removing the old stuff. Minimum of a week or two though

[@jimbop4499]

I always swept it in and used a jointer. keep pressing it down until it wont go anymore. Need the joints damp and the mortar barely damp. If you put a hose on that patio now, you would end up as you started.

[@kazboo542]

That's what I am going to do.sweep it in..push it down....and hope for the best.

[@sirrichardrichard5655]

If you like unstable paves sure do it .. best to put it in wet and ram it in..your paves will lock together stronger

[@billywright8606]

Yeah that’s the best way just more time consuming it does go off okay but ide use the mist on. A hose pipe to wet the area after allot of people use dry mix it’s not the best but it does the job

[@JosephE-yd6ks]

Good luck doing that without staining the hell out of your patio!

[@biffmccool7789]

Lovely stuff!

[@omraz7864]

my needs repointing plus i don't have any dpm membrane underneath my slabs can rainwater penetrate through slab gaps and damage building foundation and cause damp?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

DPM underneath isn't really needed when you have large slabs like this. It's best practice to put it down if you're starting from scratch, but you wouldn't rip it up to put a DPM down. Also, rain water cannot damage foundations. Water can cause damp, but that's because of a lack of DPM between the foundations and the wall, not because of the slabs (UNLESS, the patio slabs sit higher than the DPM, in which case you will need to remove the patio and dig down and then lay a new one)

[@omraz7864]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder I just have patios without anything underneath just soil when it's raining the water found a way to come in the corner wall of the kitchen is this cos of lack of dpm membrane and other things?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

It depends how high your patio is. It could be driving water into the house, if the patio is angled towards the house slightly, or it sitting above the DPM layer in the brick wall. You'll need to get someone to come and look at it. Having a DPM under your current patio will not fix your problem.

[@omraz7864]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder where abouts are based in the uk?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

South East London

[@abbyiyer2011]

Sorry I have one more question. As I was cleaning today I saw under my door a black cloth and dry sand. What kind of cloth is that. I have landscape fabric can i use that?I live in Calgary and because of problem of the paving the door gets jammed throughout winter. In some places the paving stones have a v shape.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

I'm guessing it's a weed barrier/landscape fabric, but I honestly don't know!

[@andyhume874]

Thanks! Planning this job on my large patio and path next week. It's hot at the moment so definitely going to add additional water to get the right clumping. Haven't bought the sand yet to know exactly how damp it will be from the bag. Will likely do a test run of a small area a few days before and see how it's looking. One things for sure, I don't want to be out doing this again in a year's time! :)

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

That's cool - definitely test the moisture of the sand, but once you've got it right with a small teat area, make sure you keep your ratios the same so that you don't get any colour variations 👍

[@sarahsinger6052]

What sand do you use please

[@rjp666]

Pointed 1000s metres of Indian sandstone slabs, I generally mix 4 to 1 slightly damper than your mix, pack it in tight, then use a marshtown brick jointer to finish it of. Never ever do it if rain is forecast 😳 especially on sandstone 😱

[@aaronsmall9277]

I've never seen pointing done with a semi dry mix that's has lasted much more than a year I always wet point takes longer but is worth it because it will last years providing the slabs have been layed correctly with no rockers.

[@kanhdahar2]

how do you apply the wet point mix? i did some dry pointing last year, basically the same as this video, has started to fall apart in areas already!.... in the shaded areas where the mix stayed damp longer it set much harder.

[@hmg8915]

@@kanhdahar2 use a mortar hawk and slicker.. takes time but is the proper way.. this is nonsen5

[@kanhdahar2]

@@hmg8915 ive used a dry mix and it only lasted a year, please dont use this method.

[@pink43560]

My Mum’s patio had a dry mix done, it lasted at least 15 years. Needs redoing now, but it’s been fine…

[@arsvikhakhnazarian9882]

Thanks for your video very informative weather its nice today I'm going to crack on. 😀

[@wotviewer]

the eternal debate between dry or wet mix for repointing. Each to their own, but dry is quick so many trade use it a lot for obvious reason. However... now we have resin based filler options that are just as quick/easy to consider as well (£££!)

[@johnclowes3894]

Question. Wouldn’t it be better to lightly sprinkle water on it then cover it with plastic sheeting for a couple of days so it cures properly? Not a criticism just a question?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes that can work too, and that does work well. We knew that forecast so worked with that..

[@davelloyd5528]

Would this grouting withstand power washing?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Once fully cured, yes. Obviously as grout gets old, it will break down, mainly through frost and ice damage, but that takes a number of years

[@rajberisings]

So no water is added to the sand and cement mix? And it sets

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

The sand needs to be damp. But you don't add lots of water like you would if it was cement

[@wolves1980]

What cement please

[@jasonnixon8711]

Great advice Thanks

[@lukeyoneshot6040]

Do you add any water to the mix or is it completly dry mix mate great job by the way lools fantastic 👍

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

It really depends how wet your sand is when you mix it...slightly damp sand is best and doesn't need any water added when you make the mix. But you'll need to sprinkle with water once it's tamped in.

[@lukeyoneshot6040]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder brilliant thank you for the reply on a video that is a year old thats class great guy 👍👍🔥

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Cheers and all the best with yours mate!

[@markatkinson167]

I've York stone paying, is it possible to obtain a mortar mix that compliments the colour of York stone?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

I believe product's like flowpoint have different colours to them...I haven't used it before but have heard good things about it. If not, changing the amount of cement you use in it will make it darker or lighter, depending on whether you add more or less.

[@caltblake6112]

your 4 to one mix do you had water? at the start

[@davegill7614]

No it's a dry mix...moisture from the ground will set it off

[@thomaswright2614]

was that just sand cement mixed dry?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Not quite...the sand has a lot of water trapped in it already, as most soft builders does. If it happens to be a bag that is bone dry, then you will want to add a small bit of water to help it clump in your hand when you squeeze it 👍

[@mtbworld3904]

How to do a patio with bear grills

[@abbyiyer2011]

Can I use thinset premix .to do this job? Please reply

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes you can 💪

[@abbyiyer2011]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you, I have bought the mix but it is going to rain so will do when dry. Some of my paving slabs are sinking , can I pull them out use this to raise and bring it to the level of other stones or do I have to use limestone and sand then lay the stone.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes you can use the same mix to reset/level the stones, but you'll want it a little wetter, and then give it a few days to fully set before you do the pointing.

[@abbyiyer2011]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you so much. Really appreciate.

[@daves4026]

What type of sand did you use. Sharp, building, dry kiln?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Just normal yellow builders sand 💪👍

[@daves4026]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thanks

[@PaddyDixieTheMinerva82]

How long did it take you to do the whole patio ready for the wetting part?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

3 of us for about 4 hours...rough area of 18m2(ish)

[@PaddyDixieTheMinerva82]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder Thanks mate. I got a job coming up about 3 times that area with 3 of us. That's a great pointer to estimate the time ( excuse the pun!) Thank you and best wishes

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

One of us was constantly mixing the gear, and two getting it in. We had previously worked together to clear the old grout out. I would suggest it'd take 3-4 days for that size for 3 of you. At a guess

[@PaddyDixieTheMinerva82]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder ah,OK. Thanks for that. I was hoping you'd say about 1.5 - 2 days maximum given yours was 4 hours and mines 3 times that size. But it's ok, really, the client has already agreed that it may be tricky to be exact on timings, plus with the drying/setting delay etc it's going to be a good week until its done and signed off I'd say.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yeah I'm including drying time, and then coming back to wet it down... it's very hard to be exact on these things because it's impossible to know the depth of the slabs and when you might reach solid ground before you can pack in the new gear etc. All the best with it!

[@marinafrew4004]

Is that all you mixed in with sand and cement to get that colour??

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes, no additives or colourants were added.

[@Ollied]

How log did it take to do this job mate? And what size in square meters was it? Cheers

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

It took 3 of us 1 day, but really not sure what the size of it was mate. Sorry!

[@Ollied]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you for answering

[@Mortimer50145]

So you don't need to sprinkle water over the dry sand and cement mix to allow it to cure?I I'm amazed that you can just leave it for a couple days and then lightly water it (or let the rain do the job). I assumed that you needed to water it as soon as you'd tamped it in: the sooner it is properly damp, the sooner it cures and can be walked on. So far I've only ever filled the gaps with damp mortar (dry enough paste that it can be tamped in without staining the stones too much) and sponge off any staining ASAP. Dry-filling is probably a lot easier (less wear on the knees as I gradually fill each crack) but does it really set as firm? The problem is that I'd be doing a patio that gets a lot of usage (it's the main way from the back door to the garden) so it needs to be capable of withstanding walking on it fairly quickly.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yeah it works well bud - if you rewatch the video, near the start there's a little pop-up in the top right corner which is a link to a video I took 1 year later, of the same patio. It shows you how then mortar has come out and held firm. Loads of comments here saying "it's no good" but they're wrong. It works perfectly well 👍

[@Mortimer50145]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder I did a first trial this morning (just a few inches of one of the cracks, before I committed myself to a large area) and I had two problems. You say that the consistency of your dry mix should allow it to clump together when you squeeze it in your hand. Mine remains a loose powder even if I squeeze it. Is that due to the cement:sand proportions being wrong. I'm using B&Q mortar pre-mix which unbelievably doesn't actually state the proportions by volume. Because the mix doesn't clump, even after I tamp it down, it is very prone to the lighter cement blowing off the top, leaving the heavier grains of sand behind. Secondly, I found that the flagstones got stained by the cement. This is for dry stones and dry mortar mix. Brushing removed the excess mixture but left the edge of the stones stained grey. Because of this, I had to water the mix almost immediately (hosepipe spray on mist setting) so the cement that was staining the stones became wet and could then be sponged off. I'll report back after a couple of days when the mortar will have cured as much as it's going to, to see it it has set rock hard or whether it's still powdery. With a light misting of water or a light rainfall, how deep does the water penetrate to cure the mortar? The old mortar I dug out had only cured to a depth of about 10 mm, and below that was uncured sandy dust which was probably a mixture of sand and the base soil, maybe mixed by any insects that had burrowed in it. I presume the dry method, absorbing atmospheric moisture and/or a misting from a hosepipe relies enough water permeating through the dry mix to a good depth before the top "skin" has cured and sealed the surface, preventing moisture getting deep enough to cure the mixture deeper down. I'm sure the technique works and that I'm not doing it correctly.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

If it's not clumping when you squeeze it, the chances are your mixture is too dry. My bag of sand was really quite wet which allowed a decent amount of "hold". That also explains why the cement is blowing off the top and staining the edges. Try wetting the sand so that when you hold it as a fist of just sand, when you tip it back into the bag, your hand is lightly covered with wet sand, and the fist-full gentle breaks down to a pile when it hits the rest in the bag. That should be sufficient to chemically trigger the cement, and then the sprinkling of water on top at the end will seep through to help cure the whole lot

[@Mortimer50145]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder Ah, so the sand has to be dampened first. I hadn't realised that. I imagine that rather prevents the use of pre-mixed sand and cement, because premix has to be completely dry until you want to use it otherwise it will cure in the bag. Shame, as I've just bought 50 kg of premix to repair the damage to the mortar caused by pressure-washing the stones, exacerbated by the mortar being old and having already cracked all over the place. Looks like I'll still be using the wet method, though I'll bear in mind the dry method for the future. How much latitude is there in dampness of sand? Presumably if the sand is too damp, it will form into a paste when mixed with the cement, and that won't brush into the cracks between the stones. How much experimentation did it take you with the amount of water to add to the sand to get it so it produced a powder that clumped rather than an conventional wet-mix paste. Is my problem with dry cement staining the dry stones due to the sand being so dry that some of the cement is loose instead of being bound to the grains of sand? I'll persist because if it is possible to make up a mixture that can be brushed into the cracks and yet is damp enough to be clumpable so it doesn't just blow away in the wind, then this is so much easier than trying to ram damp mortar down the cracks without staining the stones.

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

My bags of sand were just wet from the rain so I didn't add any more water to it...it's not an exact science, but more of a feel thing that you get used to. Cement just stains, it's less to do with the stones, than it is to do with the nature of cement itself...! I've not worked with pre-mix before, but you may be able to dampen it and use a paddle-mixer on a drill to get it mixed round enough?

[@davegill7614]

People have said to lightly sprinke an hour after

[@tonydean1634]

What was the mix ratio sand and cement

[@pataleno]

4:1

[@JohnMcGonigal-xl2oz]

Building sand or sharp sand

[@tezet26]

If my sand is really dry should I add some water? Also how do I measure 1:4 ratio? With some cup or something?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes wet the sand - just damp, rather than saturated. You're absolutely right with the measure - doesn't matter what vessel you use, so long as it's the same one for the sand and the cement. Top tip, do the cement first, and then the sand after, because if the sand is wet and you scoop it first, you might accidentally introduce water to the cement

[@tezet26]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder is it always 1:4 ? Or it depends on the gap between slabs? Or how deep pointing will be?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Always 4:1 - the size and depth of the gap doesn't matter 👍

[@tezet26]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thanks a lot. Hoply it will work for me.

[@charlotteluther5155]

How long will it take to dry enough fully?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Around 1-3 days, give or take - depending on the weather

[@charlotteluther5155]

Thank you, sorry I hadn’t fully explained, sounds awful but I’m going to paint the patio, so probably should wait longer? Praying for a bit bank holiday sun 💪

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Once it's fully dry you shouldn't have a problem, but perhaps give it 3 days so it's definitely cured. Hope it comes out nicely!!

[@jehump2874]

how much is that job in the uk

[@revisehellenologo]

How did you remove the old concrete?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

It really depends how strong and set it all is...! Our stuff just crumbled straight out, other times you need to use tools to cut or knock it out.

[@davegill7614]

Angle grinder mate

[@farhaan100]

Hi what materials do I need from shop please ?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Builders sand and cement 👍

[@susanr1306]

Do you sprinkle day one if no rain in forecast?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Sprinkle on day two normally

[@colwilpro]

What did you use to get the loose stuff out from between the slabs?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You can use anything really! We used a combination of flat-head screw drivers, and a few narrow scrapers that we had. The moss had turned it to sand so it didn't need much encouragement!

[@colwilpro]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you 👍

[@SuperMarkbrewer]

Whats the mix sand to cement spades?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Same ratio, it's just done in spades rather than cups or buckets or thimbles etc. 4:1 is the same, so long as you use the same thing for each unit.

[@SuperMarkbrewer]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you

[@nickhickson8738]

Alkali means high pH, >7 is alkaline. Cheers.

[@spckrft]

Can you mix the cement and sand in a bucket?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes mate, so long as it's clean and you can get right to the bottom (where the sand tends to clump!) You can mix in whatever you like!

[@TheHarrogateHandywoman]

Thanks a lot for posting this video. I have a patio that needs repointing, in some places badly, but some parts are still solid-ish. How can I remove these bits? I have and angle grinder but seems extreme? Thanks again

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

You possibly won't need something as full on as an angle grinder...if it's loose in parts then taking out those bits may end up breaking down the parts which are more solid. There's a risk of cutting the paving slabs with a grinder, so I'd avoid that. Perhaps try a 5 in 1 scraping tool, or failing that, a drill on the hammer setting perhaps? Easy does it!

[@TheHarrogateHandywoman]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder Thank you! :)

[@susanr1306]

Use chisels, rubber mallet to break out damaged mortar.

[@monkeypops85]

What sand did you use? Sharp sand or just builders sand?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Builders sand - sharp sand wouldn't give you the consistency you need

[@straksparty3425]

Did this last?

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Yes indeed - check out the video again, as near the beginning I show a card to another video I did re-visiting the job a year later...☝️👍

[@Mujahid2885]

We washed after 2 days and most of the sand come off. Also cracks appeared. Any suggestions

[@OfficeBoyBuilder]

Hmm...it could be a number of things; perhaps check the ratio of sand to cement. Also check the depth of the pointing to ensure it can really bed in. If that still isn't working (on a small test area), try a product like flow-point.

[@Mujahid2885]

@@OfficeBoyBuilder thank you