Looks like a very neat job @Debs. In particular I like how well they matched the drain cover insert pieces to disguise it. Hopefully it won’t be long before the weather will have been dry enough to enable the grout to harden and you can start to fully enjoy the result of your investment.
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Yes it was a good choice of company to use for the job albeit a little expensive at £6.5k but that does seem to be the going rate these days.
Was a bit surprised to see how many bags of hardcore, sand and cement arrived here last week but good to know the stone slabs sit on a firm foundation. Just wish i had the financial resource to continue on finishing other areas of the garden…
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I’d rather pay double the price for something really done well than having something half baked or broken too soon.
We’re redoing the garden too and have invested upfront by having a proper design and a gardener who understands the designer well.
The design is incredible already:
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I’m really looking forward to see photos of the greenhouse once it’s fitted!
@Debs that looks like a very nice job.
A ‘cementitious’ (cement based) grout ‘cures’ as part of a chemical reaction rather than ‘hardens’. Wet weather is unlikely to cause any problems unless the rain is hard enough to wash cement fines out of the mixture, leaving unbonded grit or sand behind. Dry weather is more likely to cause problems by drying the material out too quickly. That’s why construction sites cover large areas of freshly poured concrete with sheets, often a sacking material which is deliberately kept wet until the concrete has cured.
Your patio should be ok to sweep by now.
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Not long to wait…installation on Thursday. Will be planting espalier fruit trees in front
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Thanks for the input.
Today i gave the patio a preliminary sweep over, just to rid the grit off, but tomorrow i’ll get the hose out and do it properly, the guys did say to wet it when brushing over and give it a scrub to clean any loose grout out from the riven, and i can see what they mean, plus some of the sand stones have a grey powdery dust that seems to be washing off. When these stones came out of the crate they did look a dusty grey but this is gradually disappearing as the natural hue colours come though.
Also thinking of applying this colour enhancing product, is it any good?
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When I had some in London- in really cold winters I would chop off the fronds and place straw on/around the crown- it worked fine
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Hi Debs, I asked my builder about these products (not this specific brand), he said they are good. They can give the stone a ‘wet’ look but only last about two years.
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I took my mum around the local garden discovery tour (people’s private gardens) yesterday. Lots of inspiration for fine tuning our own garden if our dodgy spring ever settles down:
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Afraid I’m not familiar with this product so can’t advise you.
I guess it depends on the aesthetics you’re seeking. Personally I like the matte finish of natural stone pavers (as per your photos). I would be concerned about how any coating would cope with the wear and tear of natural weathering and foot-traffic, and therefore how often you might need to re-apply it.
Also, with a glossy finish would the surface become a little too slick in wet conditions?
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It would be nice to enhance the colour without any shine imo, so maybe not what i’m looking for. Then again may try it the once…
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Yes, it will give the pavers a wet look, but you need to be careful as they could be slippery when wet - it depends on how porous the pavers and, and how much you apply. You will also need to re-apply every year or so. I’ve used similar for our pool coping stones where the pool water (salt and chlorine) is corrosive, but our courtyard is natural and I use a patio/concrete cleaner attachment on a water blaster to clean that once a year.
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Semi gloss on small brick drives can look quite smart, but here I am in agreement, matte looks better on larger pavers.
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I can understand the desire to maintain the new look. Ours have lichen growing on the surface, and would need a high pressure washer to get them clean. The joint would need to be very hard to resist!
Phil
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Groundwork’s going on. It looks like warzone.
On this spot a 10m * 5m gardenhouse will appear spring next year. It’ll have a ‘green roof’ as it is called.
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My build is continuing, despite many rain interruptions. The builders are doing a remarkable job considering the conditions. Paving has now started around the house, using silver grey porcelain slabs. The pond is now ready for the liner to go in early next week. So much still to do…
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I planted some garlic today - bought too much so now i have two beds of the stuff. Covered them with manure, now I’ll be patient until they develop. I hope they will be bigger than my last harvest, which were smaller than a baby’s fist.
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The bigger the cloves, the bigger the harvest. Also good to rotate beds and important to snip the scapes in the spring. You maybe know all that though. Worth the effort!
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