How To Make These Both Look Better Please?

[ukanonymous]

https://imgur.com/RxlDbl9



Hi everyone I posted a question last night and got so much info so I hope you dont mind but there will be many many questions in the coming days as our house is in major need of repair and modernising. Anyway we appreciate it so much! I will do all the questions as my OH only has 1 hand. Thanky poos :)
[img]https://i.imgur.com/RxlDbl9.jpg[/img]
View post on imgur.com

How do I make these exterior floor paving look like new? If I pressure wash them what should I put in the joints please? Or should I pressure wash it and put chemicals on? If so what chemicals?


Also would anyone be able to tell us how to fix up this retaining wall? It looks damp to me and parts damaged. My OH was thinking put a waterproof layer on and paint it? Or is there a better way (most likely)
https://imgur.com/4huQaNh
[img]https://i.imgur.com/4huQaNh.jpg[/img]

[fiction-factory]

Hi. Sorry can't help with this = hopefully TheBuilder will see it- but did you see the request for you to consider changing your avatar ?

[wolf63]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1705698.html

[The Builder]

Thanks FF.

I'd be interested to see what the others come up with for the slabs, but I would say...
Weeding
Powerwash
Brush kiln-dried sand into the joints on a nice warm sunny day. (So that the sand doesn't take up moisture and clog up.)

The wall...
A retaining wall I guess. That would account for the damp penetration. Ordinary blockwork with one coat of render (you can see the mortar joints clearly because they are more porous than the blocks.)
A second coat of render would hide the joints, but I wouldn't advise it now. You'll have to do quite a lot of preparation to get it to bind.
Consider "scatting" the wall. Otherwise known as "roughcast" (NOT pebble dash.)
Simple sand and cement mix, but sloppy. Hurl it on with something like a small coal shovel, or rent a proper scat-gun from a Hire Centre. (They'll probably call it something else - it's a receptacle with a handle on the side, which you turn to flick the scat out.)
With two or more coats, you could leave it at that. Pick a colour of sand that you like. Even use white cement.

The downside is that there is no coping along the top of the wall. Overhanging tiles/slates would look good, and help shed the rain off the face of the wall.

Painting is an obvious choice, BUT, without a coping, rain will run down the face and stain badly. Very soon, it would start to look awful.

[ukanonymous]

Wow builder I didnt k ow those devises existed I always wondered how to get that finish on a wall. Awesome! We will hire a scathing machine is it easy to do?

[alavahalf]

The device The Builder is thinking about is called a ..
'Tyrolean Flicker' .. if you can wind a clock, you can operate a Flicker. You will either become addicted or it will send you mad !

https://www.hirestation.co.uk/tool-hire/Building/Paint-Sprayer-Hire/150125/

[theshedman]

I have used one of these Tyrolean Machines many times and they are good for the finish that The Builder mentions. The downside of them is that they can get heavy after a short time of using them and your arms will ache a lot.