Anyone had any success with brush in patio grout or am I just wasting my time?!

[IndieRocknRoll]

We had our patio laid around 5 years ago. Looked great when it was finished. Around 2 years ago we noticed some of the joints between the slabs were stating to crack and come loose. Now virtually the whole lot needs scraping out and redoing!
The builders used the brush in type of grout and I’m wondering if they used a poor product and we should redo it ourselves with something better or whether this is standard for the brush in stuff?
Anyone had it last longer than 3 or 4 years? I don’t want to be constantly redoing it!

Following as I am in exactly the same position as you!

5 year life meant you were very lucky.
"Brush in" joint filler comes in either ready mixed version which typically lasts 2 - 3 years or 2 part mix it yourself version which lasts a tad longer.

The other crucial variable is competency of the labourer as every "brush in" filler does in reality (as stated on the pack instructions that no one reads) actually require to be compacted in place forcefully, not just brushed in. Failure to do that step is why 2 years life is not unusual.

Yes joint fillers are cheaper on labour costs (quick and unskilled), yes they are more expensive on materials costs, but no they are not better in longevity terms than traditional cement mortar mix laid at a much higher & skilled labour cost.

I may be an old fashioned dinosaur but....
"Patio joint filler (commonly resin-based, brush-in compound) and traditional mortar (sand and cement) serve the same purpose but differ significantly in application, longevity, and cost. Resin jointing compounds (like Sika FastFix or Azpects EASYJoint) offer ease of use and flexibility, while traditional mortar provides a more rigid, cost-effective, and long-lasting solution if installed correctly"

Stuart's channel is reasonably balanced review of products, I suggest you watch this:

I would however take issue with him about colours, there are now quite a range of colour additives for mortar so "going traditional" can now be jazzed up if you mix in a cement pigment product.

Opting for resin instead of cement is no longer based on inability to use coloured cement!

The brush in stuff is rubbish, wouldn't be so bad if it was cheap but it isn't!

The brush in grout the landscapers used on our new patio was lifting within a year.
My OH redid it (with the same stuff) but pressed it in which meant this time it lasted 2yrs.☹️
He is now redoing it again but using Flowpoint, a lot of prep work but hopefully when done, it will last.🤞

The cowboys guys who laid my patio used Sika fastfix, obviously didn't compact it properly, and when I pressure washed the patio the next summer, most of it came out. I removed what was left and put more in, following the video @Wot23 linked, carefully compacting it several times. It looked lovely and hardened nicely but within a few weeks the colour had changed from golden sand to almost black. Two years later it's cracking and breaking up so I wouldn't use it again.

Thanks for the replies. It’s bit disheartening as it sounds as though we are going to end up needing to redo every couple of years!
@Theresmagicwheretheflowersgrow Sika is what our builders originally used. It’s useless!

so bite the bullet and get it done using cement mortar.

I’m not sure we have the skill level for this. DH stuck down a few edging pieces and managed to make a mess!
I’ve been on a couple of Facebook groups and there are a few products that seem to be recommended by people in the trade.
Tempted to try either Nexus Titan or this one
https://www.steintec.co.uk/merchant/products/tuffjoint---dry-apply-jointing-mortar/

you might find this one useful

This is a respected You Tube tradie, note his comment towards the end regarding "structural", but from what you say you will be limited to using a "brush in" so Nexus is probably (currently) the best

unimpressed with your tuffjoint link. Anything that requires you to use "their" tools sounds like a con to me. "We cannot stress the importance of using the right equipment for the cleaning process." Oh yer right... hand scrubbing afterwards is not a cost effective comparison to the much easier cleaning up with Titan.

At the end of the day it is your money and your decision which is "best value"
Titan £50 - £70 per tub at 8-10 sq meter per tub
Tuffjoint £33 per tub at allegedly up to 39 sq m coverage

I have not used Tuffjoint, (I have Titan) but it sounds like it will be more risky in terms of cement staining unless you spend a lot of time doing the cleaning?

Thanks for your helpful replies @Wot23After watching those videos I think I’ll give the Nexus titan a go. As you’ve had experience of using it, how free of debris do the joints need to be? I spent yesterday removing the sika stuff and scraped them clean as best I could (even got my Henry hoover on the job!) They are 2-3cm deep but there is a small layer of dust etc on top of the concrete base. Do I need to jet wash the joint or should it be ok as it is?

Mine has lasted about 7 years and now at 9 years old is really really getting to the point it needs redoing. In retrospect I should have asked them to point it properly but it was a bargain price, I think the whole patio cost me maybe £700 so I think I had to just go with the flow really.

My cowboys used Geofix then I got it redone with another firm using Sika. Both only lasted about 2 years. If I'm honest I wish I'd spent more with the second firm but I knew we would be moving within 2-3 years.

I would pressure wash it, after all you want to put the Nexus down in damp conditions anyway.

Here is a hard sell with huge claims from the manufacturer but with useful tips on weather conditions

Good luck mixing if you do not have a paddle mixer!

PS, I give it a few minutes for it to slightly go off then compact it and then do a second layer it level it up.
Keep your tools wet and clean as you go to avoid dragging it all out again!