[Roland S]

hi

i've cleaned a drive and they want it sealed. it was sealed apparently straight after cleaning with a watering can according to the customer "by gypsies" about 3 years ago. i can't see any sealer remaining on the surface of the blocks but the jointing sand is pretty hard still, most of it only movable with a pencil jet (so i've left that as it is). so i'm assuming it's some sort of water based sealer they used - to be fair the drive is in pretty good condition so whatever it was wasn't a total ripoff.

so my question is does anyone know what travellers normally use in the form of "sealers" on drives and assuming it's some sort of solvent free sealer i was going to use the smartseal solvent free sealer (or an alternative if anyone has any suggestions) straight on top of what's there now it's clean, does anyone with an opinion think that's likely to be ok or could i get away with a solvent based sealer without stripping anything previously applied?

any advice appreviated

[chris scott]

Possibly a water based Acrylic...

[drive surgeon]

It just depends on what they can nick on the day    some of the jobs we have seen by gypo's makes me wonder why anyone would employ the or even allow them on their properties.

[drive surgeon]

It just depends on what they can nick on the day    some of the jobs we have seen by gypo's makes me wonder why anyone would employ the or even allow them on their properties.

[Roland S]

Thanks guys. I thought it might be a water based acrylic, can j go straight over that with a solvent based acrylic or would I be safer sticking with a water based?

As far as the job they did, it was clean but they didn't resand, however the level of the sand in the joint is quite high. The customer (a pensioner) wouldn't pay cash (they tried to take him down the bank) and would only give part cash part cheque and they said don't worry about it you can have this job for free, and didn't even take the cash lol. Very strange.

[Blast Away]

They use 2 pints of milk mixed with water

[Roland S]

They use 2 pints of milk mixed with water

yeah i've heard that lol. but not in this case, whatever they used was legit, the sand is still rock solid.

[Jettaway]

They use 2 pints of milk mixed with water

Haha, wasn't that featured on watchdog or something a few years ago

[trevor perry]

They use 2 pints of milk mixed with water

semi skimmed or full fat 

[chris scott]

They use 2 pints of milk mixed with water

semi skimmed or full fat 

You don't use full fat ...it leaves streaks on the block. Don't you know anything.

[Kenny83]

do a test with solvent on the sand, if it goes mushy you know its a solvent based a acrylic that can be over coated, if not then it good be a cheap paint derived clear polyurethane varnish type sealer that's all over ebay at the minute....
Another aqngle that I would be inclined to go for is that the sealer is still well in place and doing a good job, so why the need to reaseal? the jonts are stable, just give it a clean and offer to go back next year?