Any experience of Resin or Silicon Patio Grout/Pointing?

[RichB]

I need to have my patio re-pointed. The builder I usually use said he would use traditional sand & cement but I have read about silicon (?) or resin based grout/mortar which looks interesting as it claims to last forever. I've also seem patio pointing in a tube which is applied with a large version of a sealant gun. I have read that these methods are up to 10 times more expensive than sand & cement but on the other hand they claim to be very quick to apply.

Anyone used any of this stuff and care to comment, good or bad?

http://www.pavingexpert.com/jointing12.htm

http://www.sovchem.co.uk/easy-paving-grout-20k.htm...

[Kinkell]

I've used the yellow tub variety sold by Keyline. Simple and effective. Lasts longer than mortar/compo that crumbles and cracks after less than two years although I wouldn't blast it directly with the pressure washer.

[s3fella]

Not sure on the synthetic stuff, but you can buy a mortar gun from screw fix to do pointing with

[RichB]

Thanks, sounds like it may be worthwhile. Anyone for any more?

[wolfracesonic]

Not much to added to the advice on paving expert tbh. I will say though that there is nothing wrong with traditional sand and cement pointing if done properly. The advantages of polymerics and resins are usually ease/ speed of installation and the fact they can usually be used during adverse weather.

[wolfracesonic]

Not much to added to the advice on paving expert tbh. I will say though that there is nothing wrong with traditional sand and cement pointing if done properly. The advantages of polymerics and resins are usually ease/ speed of installation and the fact they can usually be used during adverse weather.

[bogie]

We had a paved area re-done and later a lot of new paths. The landscaper used Flopoint grout. I watched them sweep it in as a liquid, using a squeegee. Then they jet wash excess off before it goes off. Apparently its very hard, and we have jet washed it every year since ...no cracks or anything. No crap growing in/through it

http://www.ultracrete.co.uk/product.jsp?productID=...

[jep]

A thumbs up for the resin pointing here, very very easy to apply and looks good. It's weathered well too, and have had no problems with jet washing the patio. We used EasyJoint in buff sand, which goes well with Indian sandstone.

[m3jappa]

I've been using a two part resin compound since 07 (I think) now. I wouldn't go back to sand and cement at all.

It's negatives are:
Takes a long time to apply,
will always leave a stain either side of the slab if it's done wet (which it should be, a lot of people round here are still doing the old damp mix swept in and struck off method)
Actually takes a lot of skill to be able to produce a nice birds beak finish. I haven't come across many so called pros who can do this. (I can )
Cement joints don't like jet washes, with most slabs now being sandstone which goes green easily people are jet washing a lot.
It can still crack, and if jet washed a lot can craze.
Is a nightmare to do commercially as we never know when it will rain or freeze etc. I've had to remove cement joints from more than a couple of patios due to weather.....

Resin based
Easy to do (as long as instructions are followed to a t )
More expensive by far but quicker by far
Leaves the job looking like a finished floor because it has to be jet washed before unlike cement which you don't want to be having wet slabs with.
Will take pretty much any jetwash.
Shouldn't crack
Will retain colour

I have seen it slightly shrink but only a couple of times in small places. Easily filled anyway. Typically this is with thinner joints anyway, stuff like granite and sawn stone with smaller joints.

Stay away from polymeric stuff it's just simply not as good and much more diy IMO.

[RichB]

m3jappa said:

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Stay away from polymeric stuff it's just simply not as good and much more diy IMO.

That's interesting advice there M3J, thanks. What make of resin stuff do you use? Polymeric is the stuff mentioned a lot in the links I posted in the original post. So that's the stuff to avoid yes?

R...

[m3jappa]

Im just not keen on the polymeric stuff although it is better now than in the days of stuff like geofix. it just doesn't bond. i use gtfk stuff and usually vdw800.

[bigee]

As an (ex now..) tradesman like M3jappa i can only agree with his points. Resin based is best by far,polymerics more diy based but still 'ok'...oh,agree also about traditional pointing,not seen many who can do it well (myself and by the sound of it jappa excepted !! )