Crumbling Patios: Why Cheap Pointing Washes Away
Your new patio looks great in July. By March, the grout has cracked and washed away. Here is why traditional sand and cement pointing is dead.
The Winter Washout
People spend thousands on a nice porcelain or natural sandstone patio, and it looks brilliant in the middle of summer.
But after one harsh winter of heavy rain and frost, half the grout has cracked, crumbled, and washed straight out into the flowerbeds. Suddenly, you have massive gaps between the slabs, weeds are pushing through, and a brand-new patio looks like it has been there for ten years.
The Sand and Cement Trap
The problem is the materials. A lot of cheap contractors still point patios using a basic sand and cement mix because it costs them pennies.
But sand and cement sets completely rigid. It doesn't move. When the ground naturally shifts slightly, or when the freeze-thaw cycle hits in January, those rigid joints just snap. Once the crack starts, the rain gets in and washes the rest of it away.
Modern Resin Grout
Traditional sand and cement pointing is dead.
If you want a patio to actually last, you have to use modern materials. We exclusively use high-end exterior resin grouts and premium brush-in jointing compounds. Unlike cement, these modern compounds actually flex with the weather and ground movement without snapping.
Lock It Down
It costs us more to buy the materials up front, but it permanently locks the slabs together. It seals the patio, stops the weeds dead, and means you won't be out there on your hands and knees re-grouting it next spring.
Do it right the first time and the patio looks after itself.
Stop by the office at 17 Tweedale Road, Bournemouth, or call 07835 390845.
