Hi Folks

This debate seems to be a popular one and there do seem to be variations in construction techniques.  When I learned the trade in Glasgow I worked under two brothers who were bricklayers and stonemasons for over 40 years each - the ratio taught by them and fairly common up here (and also listed on Tony McCormack's spec sheets at PavingExpert - so perhaps common in the North-West too) is 10:1 wet.

I now use a ratio similar to that described earlier of 5 sharp:2 soft:1 cement, we add PVA to mix to add strength and bond and also apply some to the underside of the slab.  The sharp sand we get up here comes in 2 varieties; the standard stuff you guys will all be familiar with, and granite sand - red grit from the Cloburn Quarry.  This stuff has excellent compaction performance and is very strong when mixed with a little cement, but some soft sand is required (in my opinion) to help bonding. 

Another product has become more common up here since a local supplier started selling it - recycled crushed glass.  Very cheap @ £16.50 per bulk bag and has the same performance as the cloburn granite sand.  We have used this on a couple of driveways very successfully - haven't tried mixing with cement yet though but ultimately I might guess that it'd work the same as granite since it is simply a manufactured form of sand.  Have you guys any experience using this stuff?

Also regarding the pointing; we often use a product called EnviroBond which is simply brushed in dry and sets as normal - it's quite expensive at around £30+ per 20kg but performs very well and saves on labour.  All re-visits to projects where this has been applied have been good.  Does anyone else use this stuff?

 I agree with Phil Geddes on this one....we put in a herb garden combining brick and stone paths, my landscape contractors work was impeccable and he mortared all the joints beautifully only for us to return to the site the next day to find the owner on his knees on the new paths raking and scratching away like mad trying to get all the mortar out.....he wanted a more rustic look, even though the house was an elegant contemporary home, we explained about the weeds and maintenance etc, but he was too furious because we hadn't asked him what he preferred.....we all spent the next two days raking out the contractors perfect work.....where do you go from here on how deeply you enter into a brief - ask your client what bond they prefer in their garden walls? 

My last client would freak if I even entered into any construction details...eyes gloss over, attention lost.....its a tricky one.

 OOps ....that was supposed to go into the landscaping section....derr

Hi Garden architect,

That is an interesting story. Ive had some funny experiences over the years and one particular one that sticks to my mind . Is of a job we did in London and this client was just plain nutty.  She would come out every hour and ask us to move slabs we were laying because she wanted dark ones in one place and lighter ones in another and she kept changing her mind Also when we did the pointing she didn't like the bucket handle finish as she didn't want dirt building up in the recesses.

The job was meant to be done and dusted in 2 weeks...took 6 weeks!!

We had a client on a project in Herts were the husband and wife argued what side the indian sandstone should be laid, I told them there was only one way it should be laid, once we laid it to the pattern she had worked out, the whole thing had to be lifted and relaid the other way round and to a different style, then she had the cheek to not pay the extra money that we charged for wasted time and materials!!!! there is no accounting for some clients.

All of what you say about laying indian sanstone is almost 100% the way we at Bowood Landscapes do it and the only difference is that we add exterior PVA to our laying mix.  This really helps get that perfect bond.  I can see you know your stuff, good luck with your business in these tough times, proffesional landscapers are hard to find.