Power Washing drive & patio.

ERICS_MUM

Both are laid with block paviors (sp ?) and are filthy after the winter, in fact they haven't been cleaned for a year.

Front drive is about 9 feet wide and the length of one and a half Toyota Avensis cars (sorry !).

Patio is 25 feet wide and tapers from 6 feet to 3 feet wide.

Anyway I've had a couple of quotes at £300 +/- and I supply the water obviously, which is metered.

I'm thinking of doing it myself, I've got an old washer which I used in the past on a concrete drive. I've got the time.

Is this wise ? What damage could I do (unknowingly) ? Is it really hard work that would "defeat" a middle aged woman ? How long do you think it would take if I worked steadily (and no tea breaks) ? I've got a bag of kiln-dried sand, how soon after washing should I apply it and what next ?

Sorry if these are silly questions ! I want to have a go to save a lot of money but not if it's a false economy.

Thanks as always

EM

adonis

Do it yourself with the power washer and a stiff broom, you can also buy patio cleaner for the washer,
You will also need to brush some fine sand in between the blocks after, don't pay that sort of money when you can do it yourself in an hour or two with a tea break,

See here

ERICS_MUM

thanks Adonis, just what I wanted to hear. Love your user name btw, do you look like him ?

adonis

I looked like him many years ago but not any more unfortunately, by the way I am always getting cold callers wanting to clean and seal my drive and it's not even that bad.

When you do it be careful you don't blast muck or grit over yours or the neighbours cars:)

ERICS_MUM

well, one of the most persistent caller has been a pair of Irish "travellers" who happened to be in the area and could 'fit me in' at a discount ! They turned up twice a day for 3 days.

shegar

Tell the 2 irish tinkers to **** off............Im a middle aged woman too, I do my huge drive which holds 5 cars and is block paved , its takes about 3 hours to do and always comes up very nice...........Ive got a Karcher brilliant machine to use .........

wallbash

savemoney wrote: »

If you use a product called 'patio magic' its around £8 or another product called 'Algon' These will kill any mold, algae and moss if you have it. Use a pressue washer could do some damage if your not careful. You can get attachments for driveways. If ou have block paving it may need to replenish the sand with kiln dried sand

http://www.brintonproducts.co.uk/
http://www.algonorganics.co.uk/

Have jet washed my drive for years never had any problems and have found any 'additives ' a waste of money . also found the attachments to my karcher useless.

I just don my over-trousers and wellies and jet wash away.
Yes to the kiln dried sand..... but thats just kids play sand and I see Tesco are selling bags for a £1 this week.

27col

You could buy a new Karcher for less than £100 and still come out at 1/3 of the "tinkers" price.

nobulljusttruth

STOP,

Do not let the travellers do anything.... nothing.

£300 is a bit steep, but the alternative of buying a Karcher is also not the best method.
These small washers are good for about a square meter, they run at around 5 ltrs per minute whereas a pro washer runs at 12-15 ltrs a minute which means that a pro can do the whole job in a few minutes and get the path really clean. The only issue is that once you have taken the surface off the paviors, you have to clean them every year.
There are some good coatings to seal them, but not for that price,
Sanding HAS TO BE DONE when the path is dry, and your travellers ain't gonna come back and do it properly. (may even ask for full payment straight away).


Most councils and contractors are going for dry cleaning which though keeps the 'used' look. Means no water and no resanding.

See cubbproducts.com and ask your local hire shop if they have one to rent.

Last offer..... get some path cleaner or moss treatment, wash it down ad brush with a stiff brush.

nickcc

Nilfisk with patio cleaner, about £100 from Amazon, or other supplier. No plant killing chemical needed and easy to use, tried the various cheaper Karcher cleaners and they have failed after 12 months.

mighty_mondo

I agree with all the comments so far - its definately somthing you are able to do yourself and you'll save a good few quid

Please make sure you use the a patio cleaner attachment though as the normal pressure washing jet eventually blasts away the sand holding the blocks in place and overtime your drive way blocks move & sink