Got some buff-coloured patio slabs...
They don't seem to buff-coloured all the way through, just the surfaces. Does this seem right ?
I'm assuming this is done using some sort of die or something?
Just wondering - if I used a pressure washer on these slabs is there any way I'm going to wash the colour off them?
"Paul W" wrote | Got some buff-coloured patio slabs... | They don't seem to buff-coloured all the way through, just | the surfaces. Does this seem right ?
Some are like that, surface coat colour.
| Just wondering - if I used a pressure washer on these slabs | is there any way I'm going to wash the colour off them?
Quite possible. Some of the manufacturers explicitly warn against pressure washing some of their ranges because of this.
Owain
Does this mean that I can dye my existing (concrete-coloured) slabs a different colour?
Another Dave
Don't know, but the two coloured patio I laid some years ago is now a uniform concrete grey. And I don't own a pressure washer.
Yep. And in the places I have found, its a tad more expensive than natural stone of decent quality too.
Guess what I just ordered 80 sq meters of at 19 a square? (plus VAT of course)
Yes but not in the same way, wet concrete can be coloured using a dry shake or sprinkle finish, this is a blend of pigment and cement applied to the surface of the concrete which gives you a depth of 2-3mm of colour, you can post colour concrete with the use of a coloured acid etch, the acid opens up the surface allowing the pigment to impregnate the surface (impregnate is not quite the right word but conveys the right impression) Most coloured slabs that you buy are made using a coloured concrete mix which is simply achieved using iron oxide powder pigments which are available to buy should you wish to make your own.
I took delivery of 60 sqm of Indian sandstone 2 weeks ago. I've only laid about 1/4 of it so far but it really looks the business. It's harder to lay than concrete, being non-uniform thickness, but in my mind it's worth it.
That sounds like the sort of laying rate I will achieve.
I found the quality of what we fingered in a country wide search, very variable with some cheap stuff being very friable.
Finally we found a good un, and then it was down to finding who had it at the right price. Turned out to be less than 8 miles away.
Via pavingexpert.com links pages and several phone calls.
Gah,
Took delivery of 18m2 of the stuff, layed around 8m2 in the last 6 hours; Bloody knackered and waiting for SWMBO to get out of the bath (she's been belting at knocking up the concrete mix [and cleaning the mixer out afterwards).
Flags look superb.
Now just to wait for the next dry day, and for the aches and pains to subside.
For the same price as the Marshall's range of concrete flags, there's no contest - Indian sandstone rocks (pun intended).
And I'll agree with the pavingexpert link, superb site.
Mike
You bring us both great trepidation, and comfort :=)
And in order to try to (possibly) add some value to this thread, anyone trying to lay a random arrangement of patio flags could do worse than the Bradstone Random Patio Generator (free-download),
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