BOUND SURFACING
URBAN PAVING
REPOINTING
- FOR THE LONG-TERM !
Why is Repointing Necessary ? All around the UK , the need for small format paving repointing , seems to be increasing in all areas of urban paving , especially heavily trafficked areas of our roads and other frequently used areas , such as historic market squares , and the entrances to retail , commercial and all types of public facilities . This need for repointing usually becomes evident by the existing pointing cracking , then breakingup in the joints and coming out in pieces , or by the original pointing deteriorating by erosion from the surface down and being washed-out of the joints by rainfall and cleaning regimes , typically involving jetwashing and / or mechanical street cleaning machines .
In both pointing cracking and eroding from the joint situations , this is almost always due to the original , or previous repointing works , being carried out with inappropriate materials for the area ’ s loading and exposure e . g ., accelerated freeze-thaw due to de-icing salts , pressure jet washing or mechanical road sweeping machines . Alternatively , and / or the pointing material was installed in the wrong conditions e . g ., in wet , or damp conditions with residual water in the joints , or the area being subject to rainfall , water run-off , or to direct sunlight and high winds before the material had hardened .
Urban paving repointing requires special solutions to be successful and durable , so that it does not need to be redone again the following year . There are many different materials technologies , brands and products that are promoted as paving pointing solutions , as well as contractors that tend to make
purchasing decisions based on the cheapest price per tub or bag , or simply on product availability in their local merchant . These additional factors are always an issue and will compound the potential for future problems if the right materials are not specified correctly and their installation controlled on site .
For repointing urban paving in public access areas the selection of the right paving jointing material is essential , and the selection , specification , and installation decisions , should be made following suitably qualified assessment of the anticipated future loading and exposure , the type of paving and the joint dimensions , plus the time and installation conditions at the time .
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