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Laying granite paving

A customer of mine is asking me to give them a price for laying approx. 100m2 of 800x200x20mm granite paving.

I want to lay them close-jointed (i.e. 3mm gap) so there is not tonnes of pointing to do.

What's the best construction for laying these pavers/tiles?

Thanks

David

Tags: bedding, granite, mixtures, paving

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 9:18am: David

Have a look at this image of the excact units with 10mm joints, the finished project was an eye opener, the black jointing compound swept off the dry light granite units without any problems using a large soft brush.

http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/photo/2074886:Photo:46693/prev...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by david beasley on October 9, 2009 at 9:45am: Thanks Kerry it was you I was mainly speaking too!

What bedding mix do you use for these thin pavers/tiles and what brand of jointing material do you use?

This is an image of where the pavings going (not slate/limestone anymore).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 11:55am: Well why didn't you say man?

The bedding mix will differ dependant on the speed of which the individual can lay.

I'll tell you why, should the contractor be at a level where they can install units quickly, not rushing and making a show of them selves then the bedding mix would need to be allot drier than the usual brickie/bedding mix.

Not so dry it looks like an Apple crumble mix, your looking for a mix that binds together forming a ball shaped to your inner clenched hand, and it must remain in this formation.

The reason for the latter is: as your bedding the units on a 50mm brickie/usual bed then the area will start to "float" basically as your tapping, not smashing, each unit into the wetter mix it will send out ripples within the wetter mix.

Waste of time, all your hard work will be lifted at your expense, it will look a joke.

Be sure to PVA the underside (which is the smoother finished face) and a full bed is in contact with this face.

Beautiful products like granite, plants, steel, hardwood decking need to be treated with the utmost care, respect and admiration in my eyes.

Have you thought about your m2 price?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kieran Ray on October 9, 2009 at 12:24pm: When I get paving such as the contempary stuff i often score it with the grinder to add some adesion factor, nothing worse than a slab coming loose in the middle of your paving especialy if close jointed!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by david beasley on October 9, 2009 at 12:26pm: Kerry,

All good stuff, all good stuff!

What I'm mainly getting at is do you lay them straight onto a type 1 sub-base material or do you lay an intermediate screed layer between the sub-base and bedding mix. When you say 'brickie mix' are you refering to a 4:1 soft (builders sand)/cement rather than 5:1 sharp sand (grit)/cement, plus do you add PVA to the mix as well (is the PVA on the base of the pavers neat or diluted).

I've had a look at your photo and it's hard for me to decipher the base construction as you have the 'red' sandstone type materials down in devon and we have white/yellow limestone sub-base round here.

Phew

Cheers; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by david beasley on October 9, 2009 at 12:29pm: Hi Kieran

I like the 'grinding' idea, but on a job of this scale that means doing it to 625+ pavers!

David; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kieran Ray on October 9, 2009 at 12:33pm: Yer I know its very time consuming. I usualy get one of the lads to do it for a do or so solid. They usualy hate me for it afterwards!
On those slabs you would only need 2 quick lines.

DAVID BEASLEY said:
Hi Kieran

I like the 'grinding' idea, but on a job of this scale that means doing it to 625+ pavers!

David; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 2:58pm: David

Right click the image and open link from here you'll clearly visulize my standard methods, zoomin and take a look

Because my brief for this particular project had partying and adult entertainment thrust In my mind by the client I choose the 150mm deep sub base of which sits on top of the Terram, as I envisaged heavy traffic. My mix is 5;1 50/50 sharp sand, remember, if your mixing from a dumpy bag than as the contents drop in the bag you'll need to add less water to the mix espically this time of year, the water collects and holds in the bag.

Why not fetch two units and experiment with your pointing and see what method works well fo you, after all if your looking to introduce cement colourings to pointing the last thing any client needs is unsightly stains on quality products. Any product.

To lay these units vertically as planters, water features is another story, have a look at this experiment

DAVID BEASLEY said:
Kerry,

All good stuff, all good stuff!

What I'm mainly getting at is do you lay them straight onto a type 1 sub-base material or do you lay an intermediate screed layer between the sub-base and bedding mix. When you say 'brickie mix' are you refering to a 4:1 soft (builders sand)/cement rather than 5:1 sharp sand (grit)/cement, plus do you add PVA to the mix as well (is the PVA on the base of the pavers neat or diluted).

I've had a look at your photo and it's hard for me to decipher the base construction as you have the 'red' sandstone type materials down in devon and we have white/yellow limestone sub-base round here.

Phew

Cheers; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 3:06pm: Poor Cordaline was resited, It did pick up after its move; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 3:08pm: Eight units required from the trough planters in the backdrop.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 3:10pm: You catch my drift David?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerry Jackson on October 9, 2009 at 3:24pm: Why only score contemporary paving, if you score then surely it would be second nature to score every unit you lay.

Personally I dont and wont score or install closed butt paving to any calibrated stone, as I've mentioned beautiful products need care and thought to fuse all the elements together to create a complimenting area.

With granite if the laying and pointing is bang on then the only words spoken when viewed by any pair of eyes is "wow".

Kieran Ray said:
When I get paving such as the contempary stuff i often score it with the grinder to add some adesion factor, nothing worse than a slab coming loose in the middle of your paving especialy if close jointed!; ▶ Reply to This