How to re-point a patio
This video provides a detailed walkthrough of repointing a patio, focusing on practical tips, challenges, and lessons learned from previous attempts. The presenter shares his experience of dealing with a problematic patio that required multiple repairs and repointing efforts over several years.Key Insights and Process Overview->Ideal Conditions for Repointing:-Must be done in dry weather and not freezing.-Checking the weather forecast beforehand is essential.Background and History of the Patio:-Original paving slabs lifted due to poor initial laying on mortar dabs.-Re-laid on a compacted hardcore base with a solid mortar bed by a relative.-Initial repointing used a brushing-type jointing compound, which looked good initially but failed—turning green, remaining soft, and washing away with pressure washing.-Lesson learned: traditional sand and cement mortar is more reliable.Removing Old Mortar/Compound:-Brushing compound can be removed with a screwdriver.-Traditional mortar requires grinding out using an angle grinder with a diamond disc and a dust extraction attachment.-Mortar raking discs, normally preferred, cannot be used with the dust extraction attachment, causing extra work (cutting joints twice).-Grinding with dust extraction reduces visibility; sometimes traditional methods with dust masks and face visors are better.Preparation of Joints:-After removing old mortar, vacuum joints to clear debris.-On hot days, wet joints slightly and brush off excess water to prevent mortar from drying too quickly.Mixing Mortar:-Use a 3:1 sand to cement ratio (six units sand, two units cement).-Ratios can vary (4:1 or 5:1) for more flexibility, but 3:1 is standard here.-Use an Evolution mixer for thorough mixing, superior to a trowel.-Instead of water, use SBR (Styrene-Butadiene Rubber) additive to make the mix stickier, more flexible, and easier to apply with a mortar pointing gun.-The mix must be runny enough to flow through the pointing gun without blockage.-Mortar gun requires click here cleaning with water if it blocks during use.Applying Mortar:-Use a mortar pointing gun for narrow joints.-Inject mortar deeply to avoid voids.-Avoid working in direct sunlight to prevent quick drying.-Excess mortar on slabs should not be wiped off while wet to prevent staining; wait until it dries slightly.Tooling Off Mortar:->Tooling (smoothing and shaping the joint) is critical and timing-dependent:-Too early, mortar smears and makes a mess.-Too late, mortar hardens and is difficult to tool.->Test joints every 15 minutes for readiness.->Use a finger pointing trowel, brick jointer, or plastic pipe for tooling.->Remove excess dried mortar with a soft brush.Additional Tips:-Use kneeling pads or knee pads for comfort during the job.-Textured or riven paving slabs make perfect pointing lines difficult.-Take time and work carefully to avoid mistakes.Final Outcome and Aftermath:-Despite extensive effort and expense, the patio was destroyed in January 2024 by a fallen tree during a storm.-Most of the patio was replaced professionally with pattern imprinted concrete.-The presenter rebuilt the boundary wall (to be featured in a future video).