On April 24th, the Resapol Southampton Depot was contacted by Reds Builders for a project involving the jointing of Yorkstone paving slabs recently laid for a project situated in Old Portsmouth. Reds Builders sought a product recommendation that would meet their basic requirements of ease of use & quick application, as the project needed to be completed to coincide with the King’s Coronation weekend set to take place on May 6th. The project site is situated on the seafront and adjacent to the seawall; this meant that during volatile weather conditions waves crash into the wall and subsequently puddle on the paving. This meant that the product put forward had to also be resilient enough to withstand being in contact with salt water.
Reds Builders is a reputable construction company known for delivering high-quality projects in the Hampshire region. They have a proven track record of successfully completing diverse construction projects, ranging from residential buildings to commercial complexes and public infrastructure. With their commitment to excellence, Reds Builders focuses on meeting client expectations by utilizing innovative solutions and efficient construction techniques.
After considering multiple options for the Jointing project, Barney Wotman, Technical Advisor at Resapol Southampton, recommended Steintec’s tufftop, alongside Weiss Install Protect and the rental of a Pergo 880 Grout Cleaner. Steintec are a manufacturer of high-performance mortars and materials for the construction of modular pavements, they currently lead the market with a range of products for paving construction and have established a reputation, over decades, as the preferred brand for performance and longevity.
Steintec tufftop is a high performance, highly elastic, free flowing bonding mortar that contains no polymer or resin additives and requires only the addition of water. It is renowned for its durability, strength, and flexibility, making it an ideal choice for jointing the Yorkstone paving slabs. It offers excellent bond strength, crack resistance, and weather resistance, ensuring long-lasting results. The material comes in a range of colour options, the beige version of tufftop was selected for this project to achieve an aesthetically pleasing result.
Weiss Install Protect is a pre-construction protection impregnator for paving elements, once applied it offers short to medium protection to pores, thus allowing the grout to flow into the joint quickly and easily. The Pergo 880 Grout Cleaner is a sponge belted grout cleaning machine, the belt is driven through a water bucket and squeeze rollers before passing across the freshly grouted paving; it works to sponge off any excess material ensuring a clean and complete finish.
When compared to alternative jointing solutions, the Steintec tufftop system offered a couple of key advantages:
- Ease of Use – The formulation requires only the addition of water, eliminating the need for complex mixing, reducing labour and saving time during application. The material also has optimal viscosity, providing excellent workability during application; Reds Builders found the product highly convenient and easy to work with, enabling efficient completion of the project.
- Superior Performance – The robust composition of Steintec Tufftop ensures long-term durability and resilience against heavy foot traffic, temperature variations, and water ingress; Reds Builders appreciated the product’s reliability and consistency, leading to successful long-lasting results for their project.
Once the materials and grout cleaner were approved, they were promptly delivered to the project site in Old Portsmouth, as a high priority. This allowed Reds Builders to start the project as soon as possible; the ease of application facilitated efficient completion, ensuring the project was finished in time for the King’s Coronation.
Paul Lewis, Business Development Manager & Senior Estimator at Reds Builders, expressed his satisfaction with Resapol Southampton and the chosen materials:
“Resapol Southampton’s service was second to none, they always come up with a solution that works great! The products and equipment were easy to use, so much so that we are planning to use the same materials for an upcoming project in July.”
