Phil L wrote:

I think the most telling words in this paragraph are, 'several
times'...brush pointing like this is IMV a waste of time, sand and
cement. mortar needs to be compressed, I have used this method a few
times and it's never lasted more than a few weeks, *unless* you go
over it with a jointing tool or trowel and force the mixture down,
then sprinkle and brush again to get the rest of the joint filled and
trowel down again.


I was not clear: Several times, in different locations - the oldest is now
10 years plus, completely sound and regularly pressure washed

to try this yourself, mix a handfull of sand and cement dry and leave it in
a bucket - you can crumble it up a fortnight later with your bare hands

Because the sand is not *dry* and does not flow & compact.


The key to the method is to use *kiln dried ready mix* that flows into the
cracks and crevices packing just as well (possibly even better than) a semi
dry mix well trowelled down. A normal builders sand and cement mixed by hand
will not work and will behave as you describe. ( NB I am not talking about
block paving kiln dried but the bags of dry ready mix) I does work!



pk