Jointing Compounds

A brush-in compound like our Joint-It Simple goes in far faster than pointing by hand, does not stain the stone, stays slightly flexible so it resists cracking, and is rated weed, frost and power-washer resistant. Sand and cement is cheaper per metre and sets harder, so we still recommend it for cobble edging, kerbs and anything that takes vehicle weight. For a patio laid on a solid mortar bed, the compound is the easier and tidier choice. 

A brush-in jointing compound that sets hard, such as Joint-It Simple, is the best way to keep weeds out of a patio. Weeds in paving almost always grow from seeds that land in soft, loose joints, not from roots pushing up from below. A set compound gives seeds nothing to root in and is designed to withstand a pressure washer, so you can clean the surface without blowing the joints out. Sand and cement pointing also stops weeds if every joint is filled fully; loose kiln-dried sand does not. 

A semi-dry mix is better for most people pointing with sand and cement. It is easier to press into the joints, less likely to smear and stain the slab face, and still sets hard. A wet slurry is stronger but marks porous stone such as sandstone and limestone, so it suits pointing rough driveway blocks more than a patio. 

Yes. Joint-It Simple is made for all natural stone, and riven sandstone (slabs with a naturally split, uneven surface rather than a sawn flat one) is one of the most common surfaces it goes on. The rough texture holds the product in the surface dips, so soak the slabs well, work the compound along the joints rather than across the slab face, and sweep off with a soft brush and plenty of water before it sets. Joints need to be at least 3mm wide and 25mm deep.

A 20kg tub of Joint-It Simple covers around 12 to 15m² of paving. The exact figure depends on joint width and depth: large slabs with narrow 3 to 5mm joints sit at the top of that range, while small cobbles or wide joints use more. For a typical 20m² patio of 90 x 60cm slabs, two tubs is usually enough with a little left over.

We stock Joint-It Simple in three colours: Dark Grey, Neutral and Grey, all at the same price of £57 per 20kg tub. Dark Grey suits black limestone, anthracite porcelain and dark slate. Grey is the safe match for Kandla Grey sandstone, silver granite and most grey porcelain. Neutral is a buff tone that sits best with Fossil Mint, yellow limestone and other warm sandstones. All three dry a shade lighter than they look wet. 

Yes. Joint-It Simple is applied to paving that is already soaked with water, so light rain during or after the job does no harm and the product keeps setting because it cures on contact with air, not by drying out. The one thing to avoid is a heavy downpour in the first few hours, which can wash product out of the joints before it firms up.

Not as a loose grit, but our Joint-It Simple is water permeable, so rainwater drains through the joints of a standard patio or path without the need for a separate aggregate. For a full permeable block paving system, the wide joints are usually filled with a 2 to 6mm angular grit, which is a specialist product we do not carry in our bulk bag range. If that is the system you are installing, we can still supply the Type 1 sub-base and sharp sand; the jointing grit is best sourced from a block paving specialist.