Filling Control Joints

[ECI]

Hi everybody hope you guys have been busy. I have ,but not
paying jobs mostly getting a show room at home inside and
out done. Had to tear out and replace lots of crete.
I am fixing a patio that a local contractor poured with integral
color and the customer doesn't like the color. I have satined
it to her liking and she wants the control joints filled.

My question would be what does everybody use to fill the control
joints that will accept stain and look good. Trevor gave me some
product names but I can't locate them in my area. Thanks

[NS'Creter]

Hey buddy! I know that I told ya about Sika Flex from SIKA and you can't source it...well I was going through my Sherwin Williams product catalog and found a flexible caulk listed. I've never heard of it and have no idea of it's performance but it may be worth a look.

[ECI]

I don't know about anybody else but when I call companies that have been in business for long time and ask questions about there products and applications I seem to ask the question for the first time in their history and no one knows. I guess I expect
them to be the expert and they are not. There has been only one
person I have talked to as a vendor that I have not stumped yet
and she always has a solution or knows the correct answer to the question I have asked her. Some questions where not even about her product but of the industry as a whole. I would like to thank Lindy for her endless knowledge she offers at no charge!!!!

[alexwright]

You can use Sika Flex or Deco-Seal and as for color, if you can't find one that will take a stain then what you can do is put a good flexible filler and you can put silica sand on top while still wet or for color which is what you are trying to do, you could use a colored release on it. As a matter of fact I just ran into a friends biz card today at a local supplier and I did'nt know it was his until someone mentioned his name anyhow, I called and talked to him, he has started a biz that deals in just that. He offers numerous colored powders than are very fine and made just for this. I'll get his info from my truck tomorrow and post it. He's a distributor here in San Diego (Solana Beach).

[Lindy]

NP1 urethane grout by Sonniborn works very well for this (I have successfully used it indoors and outdoors for more years than I can remember). Most commercial Sherwin Williams stock it. Available in numerous colors. I have never had a problem getting it locally in Waco (from my Sherwin Williams), but have been told by contractors in some other parts of the country that there SW doesn't stock it; however, they stock an equal to "urethane grout" (can't remember the name of this substitute, believe it has some sort of number/name). The point is that "urethane grout" that comes in a regular caulking tube (NP1 by Sonniborn, Sika's, etc.) are flexible, non-shrinking, waterproof, and will not biodegrade (make sure you seal the surface before filling the joints so that you can wipe/clean any of that you get on the decorative surface.

Many times you will find Sika-Flex or NP1 urethane grout (in caulking tubes) at RV accessory and repair item retail locations since they are used on RV's to seal around windows and other rooftop fixtures.

Note: if you go to SW, make sure to bring evidence that you are a business/contractor, in order for them to set you up in there computer system as such ... if you do this they will sell you materials/accessories/paint equipment/etc at a substantially lower contractor price (instead of like John Q. Public walk in the door retail price). Example: when I purchase NP1 Sonniborn from them I pay $4.00 per tube since I am set up in their computer as contractor; however, if I just walked in, picked up a few tubes, and went to the counter to pay for it like John Q. Public they would charge me $6.00 per tube.

Lindy

[alexwright]

Sorry I have'nt got the info up here yet, been distracted. Will get it though, I keep seeing in my truck but distracted when I get out of truck and remember when inside and on computer and late by that time to go outside in cold and making noise. I think its called Magic Mastic or something. Will post soon.

[NS'Creter]

Quick Crete also has products for this purpose. I actually forgot to mention them because I've never used them. I have seen the result of some of their other products and have sampled a couple myself and was so unimpressed that I've never tried anything else from them. I find their integral colors to be pure junk.

[alexwright]

I just went out to my truck and can't find it but I know it's in there. I had an emergency yesterday and grabbed all of my paperwork in my messy truck and obviously stuffed them some where. Will find tomorrow.