Last updated on December 20th, 2022
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Technology has made patio grout compounds a cinch to use as many of them don’t even have any cement in them at all. I look at the grout products for which you just need to use a broom and a trowel.
But for those who appreciate doing things the traditional way, I’ve also covered a cement-based patio grout as well as one that comes in a small canister for repairs rather than in a large tub for installing a patio.
I look at the pros and cons of the best patio jointing products as well as their features that can help to decide where and when to use them. I give our recommendations for each one.
My Buyer’s Guide looks at the different types of patio grouts you have to choose from.
Best Pick
Runner-up
Best Patio Grout Compounds reviews
1. Sika FastFix All Weather Self-Setting Paving Jointing Compound
Best Pick
Sika FastFix All-Weather Self-Setting Paving and Jointing Compound is a resin grout suitable for your patio. There is no cement in this product and it looks like sand. It comes in a variety of grey and brown colours to match or contrast with your patio stones: Deep Grey, Charcoal, Flint, Dark Buff and Stone.
Apply these grout granules by brushing/sweeping them onto the patio and making sure that they fall into the gaps between the bricks or blocks. You don’t have to bend down with this product. This product has a reasonable working time (six to 12 hours), but you still might like to enrol someone else to sweep the granules off the patio squares before they set. There’s nothing to mix with this item, just use the grout straight from the tub. You can even apply it in the rain.
And speaking of water, once the grout is dry it’s permeable to rain and run-off water, so you won’t get any pooling on your patio. However, the cured, hard grout can withstand the pressure from the stream from your pressure water and stops any weeds from coming up from underneath it. It also doesn’t shrink or crack if you fill the gaps between the stones in well.
However, and this is so with all the patio grouts we look at, there’s a minimum size gap that this grout is suitable for. In this case, the spaces between the stones must be at least 5mm wide and at least 2cm deep. That’s not actually very big, but check how your patio floor is laid anyway before you buy any grout.
Pros
- Self-setting, resin paving jointing compound suitable for flagstones, paving blocks and other hard patio stone surfaces.
- Brush on directly from the tub in any weather, even in the rain.
- Covers 20m2.
- Comes in a variety of natural colours.
- Dries hard yet remains permeable to water and not to weeds
- Store and use unused quantity.
- Doesn’t shrink or crack.
- For spaces wider than 5mm and at least 2cm deep.
- Weather resistant from 5°C to 25°C.
- Starts to set in six to 12 hours; fully set in five days.
- Instructions for use are on sales website.
Cons
- Doesn’t cover as large an area as stated.
Our recommendation
Sika FastFix All-Weather Self-Setting Paving and Jointing Compound is an easy to apply (by sweeping it into the gaps) resin grout that dries hard in a matter of hours. It avoids puddling on your patio by letting water seep down through it but stops unsightly vegetation from growing by preventing weeds from coming through. And don’t worry about pressure washing your patio, but do try to avoid directing a strong spray on the grout.
We’ve made the Sika FastFix All-Weather Self-Setting Paving and Jointing Compound our Best Pick of patio grouts for these reasons and for the thousands of positive online reviews it’s received.
2. Bostik 30812549 Patio Grout
Runner-up
The Bostik 30812549 Patio Grout is another resin-based patio grout but this one has a short drying time of two to five hours. This is good if you need to get your patio back into use quickly, say for a party that evening, but it does mean that you have to work quickly on your grouting task.
The manufacturer lists concrete, stone, clay slabs, slate and terracotta among the suitable materials for this grout – pretty much any stone natural surface on your patio floor. As the drying time is so important with this product, here are all the details: working time is two to five hours; the surface sets in six to 36 hours; and the grout is fully cured in between 10 to 48 hours. Of course, these times are affected by how warm and dry the weather is and how thickly you apply the grout.
As a resin product, you apply the sand-like granules by sweeping them over the patio, making sure they go into the gaps between the bricks or stones. You then need to compact them down with a trowel or other specialist tool. It’s important to quickly remove the granules that end up on the stones themselves before they harden. Enrolling someone else to do this for you as you spread them out on the rest of the patio is the best way to finish in time.
Once you’ve opened the bag of grout, you do need to use it up in just a few hours as it hardens in the bag.
You have a choice of natural and grey colours.
Pros
- Easy to use mortar for filling gaps between stones or blocks on your patio.
- Dries hard to withstand your pressure washer and any weed growth from below.
- Size of suitable gaps to fill is 5mm to 3cm wide and more than 2.5cm deep.
- Sweep compound into the gaps and use a trowel to compact it down.
- Dries to the touch in two to five hours and is fully cured in 10 hours to 48 hours.
- Covers an area from 2m2 to 4.32 m2 depending on the size of the slabs and the width and depth of the gaps between them.
Cons
- Must all be used within a few (unspecified) hours of opening the bag.
- Colours not true to the sales photos.
Our recommendation
The Bostik 30812549 Patio Grout is a resin-based grout that’s good to use when you need to get your patio back into service quickly. The fast drying time does that, but it does mean that you have to work quickly when applying the grout granules by brushing them on and removing the excess. You must use the whole of the bag of grout in one task as it doesn’t store at all – it all just hardens. But if you need to have a quick solution to your patio problem, this is the grout to consider.
3. EASYJoint Premium Sweep-In Paving Grout
The EASYJoint Premium Sweep-In Paving Grout is yet another resin-based patio grout. This brand is highly popular in online sales as we found it for sale by quite a few online sellers. It’s different to the other resin patio grouts we discuss as this one must be kept wet – it’s a slurry formulation.
Quite a few online reviewers remark that the key to success with this patio grout is to use lots of water, more than you would first think. Open the grout tub and you will find a slurry, a wet mixture of the granules and water.
The application method is Wash-and-Sweep, as firstly you will need to fully saturate the patio, especially right down into all the gaps between the stones. The manufacturer recommends using a garden hose or other water sprayer to make sure that the wet mixture reaches the bottom of the gaps. Once the gaps are full, turn the hose onto the patio stones off wash off the excess grout.
For a smooth look to the grout, once all the water has drained away, go over the gaps with a flat tool to smooth everything out.
As long as you put at least 5cm of water on top of the left-over grout in the tub, it keeps for about a year.
As this is quite an involved method of applying group, check out the How-to video on YouTube for step-by-step instructions.
This EASYJoint Premium Sweep-In Paving Grout comes in Basalt, Buff Sand, Jet Black and Mushroom at assorted prices.
Pros
- Self-setting, wet-and-sweep-in, patio grout that comes in a variety of colours.
- Apply in any weather (including rain) directly from the tub as a slurry.
- Need gaps wider than 3mm and deeper than 2.5cm to be successful.
- Apply by sweeping and washing the grout compound into the spaces between wet stones.
- Dries hard but is permeable to rain and other water.
- Store unused compound in the tub for a year.
Cons
- Need to keep compound wet while using it.
- No clear information as to how far one tub of this grout goes.
Our recommendation
The photo for EASYJoint Premium Sweep-In Paving Grout appears on a number of web pages for different sellers, each with its own positive reviews. This is another resin-based patio grout but comes mixed in slurry (water plus granules) rather than just sand-like granules. You must apply this grout to a really wet surface and water is key to making this grout work well. That being said, as long as the left-over product is stored in its tub under 5cm of water, it lasts for up to one year.
4. Bostik Cementone General Purpose Mortar, 10kg
The Bostik Cementone General Purpose Mortar is a standard cement mortar for those who like to go old school/traditional in their stonework. This product is a pre-mix of sand and cement in the correct proportions. You just have to add the right amount of water, and you’re told how much to add to the tub. Mix it all up and you’re done.
Maths does come in if you only want to use part of the pre-mix. For example, if you only want to use half the mix, scoop out what you need into a bucket and add half the amount of water. And so on. It’s a lot easier than buying sand and cement separately and working out the right ratio of those two materials for the kind and strength of cement that you need.
That said, buying this Bostik Cementone mix does work out to be expensive if you plan on using it to install a new patio. It’s best used for small areas and repairs. As long as you seal the tub well, you can store the mix in a cool place indefinitely.
After adding water and mixing well, apply the cement with a trowel to the gaps in your patio. You’re not constrained to a minimum size of gap as you are with the resin patio grouts; as long as you can get the cement in the gap, you are good to go.
This isn’t a rapid setting product so you have plenty of time to smooth out the group in the spaces and to wipe off any excess grout that has got onto the bricks/blocks of the patio. This outdoors grout takes 12 hours to set and up to 72 hours to cure.
If you don’t like the grey colour that this grout comes in, check out Bond-It Builders Complete BDH060R Powdered Cement Dye (1 Kg). This dye for cement and concrete comes in brick red, yellow, black and russet brown.
Pros
- Traditional cement mortar that is suitable for laying blocks and bricks and repairing the gaps between them.
- Premixed blend; just add water in the tub and stir.
- Apply with trowel or other suitable tool.
- Sets hard after 12 hours; is cured within 72 hours.
- Can store unused mortar in the tub.
Our recommendation
If you prefer a cement grout and don’t have too large an area to cover, the Bostik Cementone General Purpose Mortar, 10kg, is a good choice. Available in grey (but check out cement dyes for creating other colours). This is a pre-mixed cement to which you add water, stir and apply. Storing unused cement grout is as simple as sealing the tub well.
This is a good alternative to the resin-based patio grouts we have reviewed above.
5. Fischer Express Mortar Cement
The Fischer Express Mortar Cement is a patio cement for those who just need to fill in a few crumbled grout bits between some stones or bricks in their patio. This express mortar cement comes in a 310mL tube with a skeleton gun (included) for dispersal of the product. The light grey colour fits in with most kinds of stones and bricks on patio floors.
The mortar cement in the tube comes ready to use. Just squeeze/spray it out and apply through the nozzle. You can use this cement in any weather conditions, even wet weather and also put it on damp surfaces. After waiting for the mortar to cure, you can cover the grey colour with paint to make the group fit seamlessly into your stone colour.
Some online reviewers remark that it’s near impossible to spray all the contents out of the canister, especially the bottom third. Others say that they cut the container open and get at the mortar cement that way.
This mortar cement is pretty weatherproof – it stands up to temperatures between -30°C and +75°C and that covers all UK weather normally. This product stores well down to -15°C, especially if you cover the nozzle with adhesive tape to seal it.
Pros
- Product fixes mortar on outdoor patios and walkways.
- Use straight from the tube and with a standard skeleton gun.
- Mortar cement can be applied in any weather and to damp surfaces.
- Size of product makes it useful for small repairs rather than new installation of stone surfaces.
- Paint after the mortar cures if you want.
- Suitable for indoors as well as outdoors.
Cons
- Difficult to squeeze out all the product.
- Colour not representative of what the sales blurb says.
Our recommendation
If you have just a few spaces on your patio floor to re-grout, this is a worthwhile purchase. You may have to cut the tube open to get at the last dregs of the cement, but you can use it in all weather and on damp surfaces. This definitely saves you from spending money on a large tub of grout when you just need a little.
Buyer’s Guide for Patio Grout
There aren’t many decisions to make when buying a patio grout compound. The main one is to decide what type of compound you prefer. Most of the patio grouts on the market now are made of resin rather than cement which gives them some advantages, not least of which is how you apply it. My Buyer’s Guide gives you the high points of two of the main types of outdoor grouts are.
Single-part Polymeric grout
This is simply a patio grout that doesn’t contain any form of cement at all. It’s made of resin and comes in a form that looks like grains of sand. It is single-part as you apply it directly from the tub as it’s ready mixed.
Two-part polymeric grout comes with the dry granules separate from the bottle of liquid resin which you then mix together yourself. Most of the grouts we review are of the single-part polymeric type.
While you apply all these single-part polymeric outdoors grouts by brushing (yes, sweeping) them over your patio, there are some differences. Some products require the patio stones to be very wet and others like just a little dampness. Some let you just brush the sand-like granules into the gaps between the blocks and others prefer that you tamp them down quite a bit.
And the drying time is also different and key. A longer drying time means that you do have to wait to use the patio but it also lets you have extra time to get all the extra granules off the patio stones themselves. The products with short drying times really call for two people to do the grouting job; one to apply the product and the other to brush the excess off the stones before it hardens and requires a chisel to remove.
Make sure you’ve prepared your grouting area completely (power washing, moss removal etc.) before your start the grouting job and plan it all out carefully beforehand. Most of these types of grout state that you can even apply them in wet weather – useful in the UK summertime.
The grout dries hard enough to withstand your pressure washer and any weeds trying to get through from underneath, yet remains permeable enough to let water pass through it without pooling up.
One last thing to note is that single-part polymeric grout usually comes in a variety of brown, grey and black colours to match or contrast with your patio surface.
Traditional mortar
Traditional mortar uses a sand and cement mix that you apply by hand with a trowel. This does involve kneeling down on the patio and being careful to wipe up any excess that gets onto the bricks/flagstones/tiles. This form of grout is quite picky about the conditions in which you apply it – you need a dry day (that is not overly hot) and a weather forecast that doesn’t predict rain for the next few days.
Traditional mortar mixes are available and the product we review in this category is one of these. This is where the sand and cement are pre-mixed in the correct ratio and you just add water and stir.
This is useful where you aren’t sure of your maths in working out the ratio for yourself or you have only a small area to grout. It’s not really cost-effective for installing a complete patio; you are better off buying a bag of sand and one bag of cement and mixing them yourself.
Cement mortar mixes come in a limited variety of colours. However, I did find a dye compound you can use for cement. Take a look at Bond-It Builders Complete Powdered Cement Dye (1 Kg) that come in brick red, yellow, black and russet brown.
Final Conclusion
Whatever patio grouting compound you choose, please read the instructions carefully and follow them fully. Some of our recommended products need to be used within a certain (usually short) time of opening the container while others can be stored for various periods. In many cases, having at least two people doing the grouting job makes the work go more efficiently and quickly. And try and buy all the grout that you need from the same batch, as online reviewers report differences in the actual colour of the grout that is marked as the same colour.
Our Best Pick is the Sika FastFix All-Weather Self-Setting Paving and Jointing Compound, 14kg. This is a resin grout that you can use in all weather directly from the tub.
Our Runner-up is the Bostik 30812549 Patio Grout, Easy To Use, 6kg. This is a quick-drying compound so you only have a small window of time in which to get your grouting job done.
To prepare your patio for grouting, pressure wash it to clean it and then scoop out any old and loose grout. You may also want to read our Best Moss Killer for Driveways review for cleaning any moss off your patio.
Last update on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
