How can I re-grout my outdoor brick paving?

[arun16]

Hi All,

I've got a brick floor/paving in my backyard and some parts of it are covered by a patio roof, while some are uncovered. As you can see in the (poorly taken) picture, the grouts of the floor have given away and I have weeds and grass growing from the joints. Also, the bricks have faded in colour with age. Looking to fix this issue, any suggestions are welcome.

Kind regards,

Arun

[Jason]

Hi @arun16,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We're pleased to have you join us and trust that you'll get loads of helpful advice and project inspiration from our clever and creative community members.

I'd imagine your first step is to get rid of those pesky weeds and make sure they don't come back. Then you can apply the technique as explained in Step 11 of this guide - How to lay paving - using washed sand to fill the gaps. Let me tag the ever-helpful @Adam_W to see how we would go about removing the weeds and keeping them away. I'm sure @EricL will also be happy to help as soon as possible.

Jason

[arun16]

Thanks for your response, Jason.

The potential issue with having washed sand to fill the gaps is that I will have to keep using a weed control method periodically to ensure they don't come back. I was wondering if there is a way to quickly fill the gaps with mortar or something similar, which will ensure weeds won't come back at least for a few years.

[EricL]

Hello @arun16

Thank you for sharing your question about re-grouting your outdoor brick paving.

It's great that you've received excellent advice from my colleague @Jason. Using Davco 20kg Neutral Slate And Quarry Grout to re-grout your brick paving is one of the materials you can use. However, if you use this grout, deep and thorough cleaning of the brick grout lines must be carried out. It is a very involved project and I suggest doing it in sections. Here are the recommended steps to take.  

• Using one corner or tong of the Saxon Hand Cultivator dig out the old grout and soil currently in the gap. Remove all the old grout and weeds between the bricks.
• Use a Ryobi 1800W 2000PSI Pressure Washer to further clean out the gaps. Let the area dry off before grouting.
• Once you've cleaned a section out, mix a small amount of the Davco Grout do not mix more than what you will need. Use a Hyde 140mm Pointing Trowel to insert and push the grout between the bricks. Place as much much as you can and as deep as possible. Use a Hyde 13mm Tuck Pointing Trowel to give the grout a good top finish.
• Make sure to clean excess grout immediately with a QEP Tile Sponge in a bucket of clean water. Don't let the grout dry on top of the brick. 
• Once you've finished a section, give it a few days to dry off before proceeding to the next section.

This should provide you with a good seal for a few years and prevent the weeds from coming back. Please keep us updated, we look forward to seeing your freshly grouted bricks.

Let me tag our experienced member @tom_builds for his recommendation.

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric

[arun16]

Thank you Eric!

I will use this as my last option because this is an involved project like you said.

When researching this, I came across a recommendation:

1. Clean the grouts with a pressure washer

2. Use mortar - mix with slightly more water to make it a bit thinner than usual

3. Pour it over the bricks, spread it using a squeegee - it goes into the gaps easily as it is thinner

4. Use a sponge to take off mortar from the bricks.

Keen to hear your thoughts on this method. @EricL 

[EricL]

Hello @arun16 

It is a possible solution. Please keep in mind that there are areas where the mortar will be so thin that, as soon as the weeds grow it will push the mortar out of the way. It is more of a temporary solution as you will eventually see that parts of the mortar that did not get a good grip will begin to crack and float. Deep-seated moss and mildew attached to the brick form a barrier. This prevents mortar from getting a good anchor. I strongly suggest considering doing the deep clean so that you will have a long-lasting repair. 

Please keep us updated, we look forward to seeing your project begin.

Eric

[tom_builds]

Hi @arun16,

And thanks for the tag @EricL.

I'm with @EricL on this one, while it will be a very involved job, the results and longevity of a full clean out and regroup will be worth it in the knowledge that it won't need to be done again for quite some time. 

While a more watered down grout will be easier to apply, cement products are designed to be mixed to a specific recipe in order to achieve the highest practical strength, so I would recommend sticking to the manufacturers recommended mix. 

Whichever way you decide to go, keep us updated with your progress, it would be great to see some photos once you're done.

Best of luck

[arun16]

Thank you very much for the advice guys! Appreciate it. I will definitely keep you posted on the progress. Waiting for the chilly Melbourne weather to subside before starting this one.