[drive surgeon]

hi guys got a custy having a little moan, i cleaned and re sanded an orange clay blockpaving drive which is around 150 sq metres.  i used b&q kiln dried sand and waited for joints to be completely dry as usual before doing it.  i have never had any probs before in 6 years.  but the custy says the sand has not gone off the surface and is all over the surface.  i always make sure only the joints are filled and i get rid of any excess sand.  i know clay pavers have wider joints so im just thinking the rain and wind has pushed the sand up a bit and over the blocks all over.  he wants me to have a look and see what i can do.  should i have applied a joint stabiliser?  i have never need to before!  he said when he first had it laid the sand went after 2 weeks but i did this over 6 weeks ago and its still over his blocks.

if he wants me to do anything about it he will have to pay for me to re jetwash the drive again and re sand it and also appy a joint stabiliser which will cost a lot.  what the hell should i do cos he wont want to pay a lot again"!   there are always some custies never happy!

[Nathanael Jones]

I'd give it a quick surface wash,.. just rinse away any excess and walk away.

[drivewasher]

To be honest as its just been washed I'd just go and sweep the exess off the surface with a soft brush. It just shows up more because the blocks are clean and it's new sand. It's probably all this torrential rain thats just splashed the sand out the joints a bit and he's fussing. Ask him what he wants you to do about it as the sand is more use on the blocks and finding it's way back in the joints, than it is i the bin

[Griffus]

This is not uncommon with newly sanded block-paving. Heavy rain is the usual culprit and clay is especially prone as the gaps between blocks are wider and so mor sand is used.

As long as you remove as much as possible during the initial sanding then this should not take more than a 10 minute sweep to resolve.

It is best to advise of this prior to starting work. This way the custy is not disappointed and knows that all they have to do is a quick sweep.

As you haven't explained already it would be best to pop over to your custy and sweep for him. Explain during your visit that this may happen again if there is heavy rain prior to the sand properly settling.

[drive surgeon]

che ;)ers ian.

[drive surgeon]

she phoned me today and said i cant look at it today as its wet and you can t see the sand all over surface.  she threatened to go to lawyer over it if i dont sort it. im disgusted at this treatment after doing a great cleaning and re sanding job!!

even if she buys the keybond i would have to jet wash it again for free and resand it for free including buying the sand and then there is the labour of keybonding it. she said she wont pay me for labour as it should have been done in the price, but thats rubbish as i only quoted for cleaning and re sanding

help guys, she might take me to court im worried.  also she lives in my local area so she will bad mouth me all over if i dont do it. 

[stalwart]

Funny,i was always lead to believe you wet pointed riged clay pavers
or used polymeric sand
http://www.pavingexpert.com/pointing.htm

[Griffus]

Hi Stalwart

Kiln dried is for between all block paving.

I understand that some people do use joint stabilisers and suppliers sell various additives. Not sure they are ideal for flexible paving but can't comment for sure as we've neber used.

Quote below is from the link you posted: -
Dry Sand Jointing
"This method is used on all flexible block pavements, and on pavements constructed using small element pavers. It is also used with some decorative patio flags where a mortar joint is not required.

    Three important points to note:

      1. there is NO cement used: None, nil, zero, zilch, nada, neamhní, nowt.
       2. the sand used is specially selected
       3. the surface must be dry

Building sand, playpit sand, beach or river sand, grit, coarse, bedding, soft and plastering sands are not normally suitable. The sand to be used consists of grains that fall within an upper and lower size range, to ensure maximum interlock between grains".

[drive surgeon]

On the subject of jointing, clay pavers usually require slightly more jointing sand per square metre than
http://www.pavingexpert.com/pointing.htm

this is what it also says.,

concrete pavers of a comparable size. This is because of the imperfect nature of the pavers, which results in the joints being slightly wider than would be found with concrete blocks. The difference is usually around 15-25%, so, where a standard 40kg bag of jointing sand might be sufficient to fill all the joints of a 16m² pavement constructed using 200x100x60mm concrete blocks, a similar area of 200x100x60mm clay pavers might require 50kg.

Also, as the imperfect nature of clay pavers results in some joints being 5-8mm in width, there can be a problem with 'scour' during the first few months after construction. This is the phenomenon whereby surface water or vigorous sweeping can remove jointing sand from open joints. If this becomes a problem, then the joints should be re-filled and treated with a joint stabilising fluid to keep the sand in place until such time as natural sealing by means of detritus takes place. 

the trouble is you cant use keybond,

[drive surgeon]

thats right ian i used a standard kiln dried sand from b&q for block paving as usual.

[stalwart]

Just spoke to a block paver,he recommended this on larger joints,got him out of trouble before,and yes its ok for CLAY pavers
http://www.marshalls.co.uk/select/paving/detail_block_paving_and_setts_limestone_grit_dust.htm
The end

[drive surgeon]

i phoned marshalls before but they did not recommend that they said i had done all i could do apart from seal the paving which is not an easy option being clay.  not to mention the cost, there is no way she would have paid to have it sealed anyway.

[drive surgeon]

i went to see the guy before and i told him that it was just the weather with heavy rain that has pushed the sand out the joints all over the blocks, he said he will sue me and i will lose if i dont seal the paving.  i told hoim im not sealing it but i will try sweep the excess away and see how it goes.

 he could put me out of business if i lose

[drivewasher]

Ds
I can't undertand how you can loose, loose what exactly?
You cleaned and resanded his driveway, thats what you quoted him for wasn't it?
Ask him if it was saeled or bonded in any way when it was new. You have done exactly what you quoted for.

Even if he did sue you, he would only take you to a small claims court, doesn't matter how wealthy or well to do he is he can only use the system everyone else does.

If he does issue a ccj against you you can defend it yourself. You both go in front of a judge (someone just like you and me) put your case to him, at the end of the day it's his decision surley he would see common sence in that a £250 clean and resand can't possibly be missunderstood for a £600 sealing job.

So tell the bloke to go away in short jerky movements

[drive surgeon]

thanks steve, i have been killing myself over this.  he said it was sealed when it was first laid. i asked what with?  he did not know. but i wonder why he never asked me to seal it if thats what he had done when it was laid.  he just agreed to go ahead with a clean and re-sand, or it was his wife that dealt with it anyway.

[drive surgeon]

he said he would do me on the customer rights thing or trades desciption act or something.  cos after the job was completed he was having problems. 

[drivewasher]

Thats a bit like sueing butlins because it rained during your hollidays. Any judge will see what a plonker this guy is.

[drive surgeon]

i know steve you are right.  my head has been banging all day with worry over this.  im 30 and still living at home and i always do a good job. im still only learning myself even tho i have been doing this job for 6 years now. you just cant please everyone.  im getting disclaimers sorted now for each job i do i have had enough of this poop today!

[stalwart]

So tell the bloke to go away in short jerky movements
in other words,go forth and multiply Mr wayne kerr 
simples  :

[drivewasher]

Exactly!