Patio question - sand in the cracks - how to…

Why're you using sand? Stuff will grow in it. I think you should be using the sandy grout stuff that sets hard?

Or is that what you are talking about? It's got some kind of resin glue in it that cures with water. The leftover stuff on the surface dries out before the resin has time to cure, and remains sandy so it can be brushed away. Same as cement based products - if they dry out before they set then they don't set.

What Molgrips said. I used Sika Joint. Not cheap but better than sweeping sand in for the rest of your life.

What are you using to fill the gaps?

Kiln sand or jointing compound?

Kiln sand you apply dry to a dry patio with thin gaps (e.g block paving) and brush it in.

Jointing compound you need to make sure the whole area is thoroughly soaked, and keep wetting it as you work as it's air drying. I think you can get a 'fine' version which works on small gaps like kiln sand, but I've only ever used the coarse stuff.

Why’re you using sand? Stuff will grow in it. I think you should be using the sandy grout stuff that sets hard?

Anything that goes hard like grout or cement cracks, the proper stuff is sand.

If you've ever watched them laying monoblock in a city center, after completed they brush sand into it.

The blocks are laid directly next to each other, no gaps.
We've been using sand on the parents monoblock driveway for the last 40 years and nothing grows up. The sand is a special ultra fine type known as kiln dried.
You brush it in on a warm day, needs to be dry for a few days before applying. It must be kiln dried, sharp sand or generalized building sand isnt right for this.

Anything that goes hard like grout or cement cracks, the proper stuff is sand.

If you’ve ever watched them laying monoblock in a city center, after completed they brush sand into it.

The stuff I used, Sikafast, is sand but with resin holding it together. In any case, if you do use sand, so what if it gets on the slabs? That's what brooms are for. If you're using Sika Fast or similar, then as above it does not set before it dries so you can also use a broom.

That’s what brooms are for. If you’re using Sika Fast or similar, then as above it does not set before it dries so you can also use a broom

Yep, this. I'd also add to get a cheapo broom from somewhere like B&M for £3 or so; Sika FastFix is great, until you have to remove it from bristles on your best brush.

until you have to remove it from bristles on your best brush.

This is peak middleclasstrackworld, for today...

until you have to remove it from bristles on your best brush.

Ok then, Trigger... 😉

Yes, I'm using SilkaFast 🙂

So my concern is you dust silkafast on the wet patio slab it might stick to the slab. Appreciate I can brush it off, but when you brush something wet you don't get all of it off easily do you? Or will it dry and then be easy to brush off still?

Do you definitley have to wet the patio before adding the SilkaFast?

edit: Sika Fast Fix - not Silka 😉

So my concern is you dust silkafast on the wet patio slab it might stick to the slab.

It does not.

Or will it dry and then be easy to brush off still?

Yes.

I followed the instructions on the box 🙂

Remove the body and backfill properly and treat yourself to a second best broom?

I've used polymeric joint sand on a couple of pavered patios.

After pavers are laid on properly compacted base and coarse bedding sand, spread the sand and sweep into all joints.
Run plate compacter over entire sand covered patio. Refill by brushing again and repeat if necessary
Sweep up excess sand. Use a yard blower to get rid of the rest of the surface sand without blowing it out of the joints.
Then once clean. mist with water without flooding or pooling.

With the Sika (which is brilliant) I wet the slabs, then use a short length of ply to scrape/tamp it in. So 4mm for a 5mm gap etc.
Then brush away any excess.