Re-pointing question

[Pansypotter123]

Morning, fellow Mumsnetters.

Can anyone tell me what colour cement I should be looking due to patch up a fairly small area of pointing? Please see photos.

This was traditional cement originally, so not the brush in and leave to cure stuff, but all the packs I can find online are grey? For the life of me I cannot remember what the colour looked like when it was first laid, but I don't think it was grey? The flags are Indian stone.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. It's a job I'm happy to try myself if I can find the correct product. In total there's about 1 metre, if that, of touching up required.

Do you remember specifically asking for a certain colour last time? Because if not I would say that looks exactly the same as my Indian stone patio which we have just had redone with a standard mortar mix of cement/sand/water. Standard mortar is just the usual grey sort of colour that you’d expect from the cement. I think you’d probably remember specifying something outside of just standard mortar surely? I’d just nip to wherever you’re buying it from and buy cement/sand and get cracking, don’t bother with any of the alleged special patio premixed bags. They’re just an expensive way to mix your own mortar!

Thank you for replying! No, I didn't ask for a specific colour - I just let them get on with it. The joints are quite wide in places hence the standard cement as opposed to Geo Fix which was used elsewhere. I have another similar area at the side of the house which has the same colour pointing too.

I'm thinking of doing it myself as it's such a small area (and fed up of being ripped off if I'm honest!). I wonder if the standard mix you're referring to will just bleach out when it's dried and weathered in?

If it's mortar you're looking for, I find Hanson ready-mixed mortar is quite pink, so I'd definitely avoid that. Lafarge ready-mixed is greyish. The only white one I have used is an NHL lime one, so not suitable for that job.
I'd have a chat with a local independent builders' merchant if you have one. They sometimes have samples of things like bricks and set mortars/cements. Failing that, try a Jewsons or similar.
Can you not contact whoever laid the slabs for you and ask them what they would have used?

Thank you - I did contact the person who did it, but unfortunately they aren't responding to calls and messages. It looks like he's let others down too by promising much but delivering little 🙄 But yes, I had already thought about going to a local builders yard and asking - one for when it isn't too hot outside though! I have re-set some loose flags this morning that he was supposed to have re-set for me last year (!!) so feeling quite pleased about that 😊

Well done you for doing it yourself! I have been gradually repointing my parent's patio- it was done many years ago and with joints that are far too wide, so it takes absolutely masses of mortar. Mixing mortar by hand is a real drag- heavy on the wrists and slow as you have to mix it really well, especially for brickwork. I find using one of these you can fit to a drill to mix the mortar in one of those black 'builders' buckets helps massively (but you do need a fairly powerful drill- I use an SDS one- and don't mix a lot at once). You can get cheaper ones, this is just the first I found on a search. www.screwfix.com/p/berg-hex-shank-mixer-paddle-120-x-600mm/99006

It's very satisfying when you get a result. Thank you for the link too - I'm rapidly acquiring a set of mechanical tools to save my hands!

If you didn't want to re-point - you could put plants between the slabs like

www.houzz.com/magazine/low-maintenance-ground-covers-to-go-with-your-pavers-stsetivw-vs~95482214

Looks like normal mortar mix.
Clean the joint out well and make sure slabs are solid.
4 to 1 building sand and cement with a bit of plasticiser and only just wet enough to stick together, then squeeze it in and pack down well.
Then sweep away the excess then keep it wet for a few days with water spray and old sheets left damp on top

@johnd2 thank you for this. Can I ask a dim question - do you buy that mixture like that, in those proportions, or would I mix that myself?

The plant suggestion is lovely but too much to look after I think in this area - it's in full sun.

I'd mix myself but for small amounts a ready mix mortar would be ok. It's dry powder and you just add water and mix so less labour and less left over materials.

Thank you! I shall sort this tomorrow 😊