So the base is down, about to order my Indian stone pavers. I've seen mortar suggestion of 4:1...but if a 'part' of sand and cement is a spade full, what's the best way to measure a 'part' of water? Or should I just lay on sharp sand?
What is the point if you lay on sharp sand? You will get dirty. Sit on a chair or stand up for goodness sake!
That means 4 parts sand ,1 part cement... not 4 parts sand/cement 1 part water! Have a look at www.pavingexpert.com All you need to know is there... and it has a forum! You wont need much water... and for pavers you can use a much weaker mix... 8:1 would probably be just fine! Cando
Personally I always use sharp sand for bedding slabs and 8 :1 is certainly strong enough. You need to be careful to keep the slabs clean especially when you point them.
Yes. And it want to be damp, rather than wet. Think about the dampness of the sand you used to make sandcastles with at the seaside... Well that's probably a little too wet! Cando
Never been tempted but looks expensive and if it goes off as quick as postcrete (which is vastly inferior to proper concrete) then I'd imagine it's a nightmare to use.
Yes. Add a little at a time. You'll be surprised at how easily "just enough" becomes "too much" Cando
If you're not using a mixer, Instead of a barrow, I really recommend buying a cheap workhorse paddle mixer and mixing in a XL flexitub. I've use a £30 Lidl mixer and it's still going strong after a few years. It's made life so much easier.
I spoke to my merchant briefly when he dropped off some crush. He said to have a mix of grit and soft builders sand for the concrete. The soft sand he says gives added suction. I've found somewhere that does bulk bags of mixed with 70% soft and 30% grit. Is buying a mixed bag ok (will it be mixed enough)...and is the ratio the right way round or should it be predominantly grit?