Pointing:

My mother always taught me that it was rude to point, but apparently it is perfectly acceptable in paving parlance.

Great care should be taken with pointing as it adds the finishing touches to your hard work and depending upon the success of the venture it can either turn it into a masterpiece or a mess!

Investing in a Pointing tray may be a wise move as this allows you to travel around you newly laid slabs without fear of slopping mortar all over the shop.

Alternatively you can use a dryer mixture to fill in the gaps. For a professional finish, make up a wet 4:1 soft sand/cement mortar mix, and trowel into the gaps between slabs, taking care to wipe off any mortar you get on the surface, as cement will stain.

Rake out the joints using a special tool or a rounded piece of wood, so that the pointing forms a slight dip between the slabs instead of being flat or proud.

All your friends will be very impressed with the quality of your work, and it may be advisable to tell them you hired an expert, otherwise you'll spend every spare weekend doing their patios too!

Maintenance:

Regular maintenance helps to keep your patio looking as good as new. Every couple of months thoroughly irrigate your patio or path with lukewarm soapy water and brush off, using a stiff yard broom.

Avoid using high pressure hoses as this may damage your pointing or your paving slabs. If your paving does become icy in the winter, do not use common salt to de-ice it. Instead use Urea pellets which will not harm your slabs but which will clear the ice.