Hand Crafted Construction & Landscapes

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

We're thrilled to get our Stonewell Crescent project over the line today.

This project consists of 75m2 of 600 x 600 Bianco Cream Porcelain paving.

A 9m long block planter clad in Deserto Porcelain cladding and topped with Bianco Cream copings.

A 6ft high Venetian fence running the entire right hand length of the garden.

We've replaced all of the fence panels at the back and left side of the garden.

We've edged the porcelain with 100mm Spanish Gold decorative gravel and core edge.

The Porcelain has been grouted using Steintec Tuffjoint in cream.

The porcelain, cladding, copings and grout have been supplied by Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

All of the building materials including those used for the Venetian fence and everything from concrete blocks, sharp sand, cement and Aco drains have been supplied by Tippers Nuneaton

Plant hire was supplied by Hirelink Uk - Midlands Ltd

Waste Management - Skips and Grab Hire were supplied by MAC Contracting

Lastly Type 1 stone and Top Soil was supplied by Tim Gilbert

10/10/2026

We're thrilled to get our Stonewell Crescent project over the line today.

This project consists of 75m2 of 600 x 600 Bianco Cream Porcelain paving.

A 9m long block planter clad in Deserto Porcelain cladding and topped with Bianco Cream copings.

A 6ft high Venetian fence running the entire right hand length of the garden.

We've replaced all of the fence panels at the back and left side of the garden.

We've edged the porcelain with 100mm Spanish Gold decorative gravel and core edge.

The Porcelain has been grouted using Steintec Tuffjoint in cream.

The porcelain, cladding, copings and grout have been supplied by Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

All of the building materials including those used for the Venetian fence and everything from concrete blocks, sharp sand, cement and Aco drains have been supplied by Tippers Nuneaton

Plant hire was supplied by Hirelink Uk - Midlands Ltd

Waste Management - Skips and Grab Hire were supplied by MAC Contracting

Lastly Type 1 stone and Top Soil was supplied by Tim Gilbert

28/09/2026

Welcome back to our Stonewell Crescent Project.

Now that the porcelain has been delivered we're back to wrap this project up.

The client has chosen this lovely Bianco Cream 600 x 600 Porcelain from Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd that matches the Bianco Cream copings and complements the Deserto Porcelain cladding on the planter.

Whilst we've been away our client has planted their new planter and treated the Venetian fence with Osmo Oil.

This project is really coming together now, and we can't wait to show you the finished result.

27/09/2026

We were thrilled to get our latest project over the line on Friday.

Our Ashby Road Project features over 45m2 of Kandla Grey 600 x 900 porcelain paving and features an anthracite 200 x 900 border detail.

The project featured three Brick built steps and a recessed manhole cover.

We installed Aco drainage channels connected to the customers drain and Black Ice Gravel to all of the margin areas.

The porcelain was grouted using Steintec Tuffjoint in Anthracite.

Porcelain and grout supplied by Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

Building materials supplied by Tippers Tamworth

21/09/2026

Welcome to our Ashby Road Project.

This project features two Porcelain patio areas in the back garden, a porcelain pathway around the side and front of the property, and then a small area at the front of the property. 46m2 in total.

Sadly, our client had their patio completed in 2020 and unfortunately the original installation was wrong, with the contractor refusing to come back.

❌ Hardly any sub base, with some areas being laid directly onto soil.
❌ No fall. The paving was laid flat in areas and would pool with water.
❌ No drainage
❌ Original porcelain not primed, so wasn't stuck to the laying course causing lots of loose tiles.
❌ The wrong tiles used. Original tiles were only 10mm thick. Our client explained how slippy they would get, making them dangerous for both her and her family.
❌Steps built off the old patio

We've ripped the old installation out and have essentially had to complete a full dig out.
✔️ We've laid a new type 1 sub base and added a geotextile membrane and biaxial Geogrid where needed.
✔️ Introduced the correct falls in the sub base, which will all the porcelain to be laid to the correct falls.
✔️ Installed Aco drainage channels connected to the storm drains.
✔️Build new brick steps, built off a concrete foundation
✔️ Began laying the new porcelain tiles.

The client has chosen 600 x 900 Kandla Grey Porcelain with a 200 x 900 Anthracite border in the main area supplied by Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

All building materials supplied by Tippers Tamworth

We're looking forward to finishing this project and sharing the final result.

Don't fall victim to cowboys. Have the job done once and have it done right 💪

17/09/2026

Phase one of our Stonewell Crescent project is complete.

This project is a total garden transformation featuring 75m2 of porcelain paving, a porcelain clad block planter and some Venetian style fencing.

,✔️ 32 tonnes excavated and removed off site
✔️ 20 tonnes of type 1 stone installed for the paving sub base.
✔️ 17 meters of Venetian fencing installed.
✔️ 9 meter block planter build, filled with top soil, porcelain cladding installed and Bianco Cream porcelain planks installed for copings.

We're returning once the Bianco cream porcelain is delivered and ready to install.

Porcelain, Cladding, Copings and grout supplied by Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

Building Materials supplied by Tippers Nuneaton

Type 1 and top soil supplied by Tim Gilbert

Plant hire supplied by Hirelink Uk - Midlands Ltd

Grab wagons and Skips supplied by Mac Contracting

22/08/2026

Let's talk jointing/grouting...

I've recently begun using Steintec Tuffjoint dry apply grout and have completed 5 jobs to date, both a mixture of riven sandstone and porcelain.

In the past I've used slurry grouts such as flowpoint, which can be tricky to use in warm conditions due to it drying on the slabs/tile before you've had chance to clean it off. Using products like this worry me as things often can and do go wrong.

I've always preferred to use traditional exterior grout such as Grout 3000, Fuga Pave and Fugabella. However to apply these grouts you are on your hands and knees applying with a grout float and you can only realistically cover a certain meterage per day. Also clean up requires an extra visit to apply a haze remover.

Tuffjoint is a dry apply grout. It's cement based and is a type 25 mortar so has the strength required to stand the test of time. It's not to be confused with single part resin based grouts such as easy joint.

To apply you use a neoprene squeegee and sometimes a soft brush depending on the surface. The key is to remove as much product off the surface as this will make your clean up very easy. I find I can remove 95% of the grout off the surface before cleaning. An important point to note is that the grout isn't activated until you introduce water, so you can take your time applying the product unlike all of the other products out there.

To begin cleaning you can use the mist setting on a hose or a pump sprayer to wet the joints. Once water begins to pool the joint has received sufficient water. Once all of the joints have pooled you can remove surplus water from the patio using your squeegee.

To clean off you use a wash boy and/or pedalo. Cleaning is really easy. I can honestly say that I've never had grout stick to the surface. An added bonus with tuffjoint is that I've never had to return and apply a grout haze remover.

After using the product I am honestly struggling to see any downsides.

✔️ Cement based grout
✔️ Easy Application - No time pressure
✔️ Easy cleaning - No need for haze remover
✔️ Can be used on all types of paving
✔️ Looks great in the joints

Going forward Hand Crafted Construction & Landscapes will be using Steintec Tuffjoint.

Available from Paving Stones Direct UK Ltd

24/07/2026

A nice little job to end the week with...

Our client wanted to remove the rear 900mm of their sandstone patio and install it at the front, creating a planting area at the rear in front of their Venetian fence.

✔️Excavation
✔️Non Woven membrane
✔️Type 1 sub base
✔️Full mortar beds
✔️Priming slurry

We also installed a lovely 100mm corten core edge to create the separation between the new planting area and patio.

Lastly, we ground out the existing jointing which had failed and installed some anthracite Steintec tuff joint which will last for 20 plus years.

The patio area looks like it's always been there, and the new planting area is ready for the client to plant some red robin trees later in the year.

21/07/2026

We recently returned to our Bolehall project to complete the retaining wall, steps and porcelain patio area.

The garden wall and steps are built using a golden buff brick and finished with a once weathered concrete coping that match the copings used on the extension paraphet walls.

The porcelain used is 600x900 Silver Slate

Our clients are progressing nicely with the interior of their new extension, but due to a lack of access into the back garden had asked us to complete the patio as they were mindful of all of the materials having to come through the house and extension.

The patio itself was a tricky part of the project due to it's relatively small size of around 25m2 and the fact we needed to install 3 recessed manhole lids meaning that there were lots of cutting of the porcelain. However, I'm sure you'll agree that the end result really sets off the extension we built and gives the clients a beautiful patio area to enjoy.

Our clients can now concentrate on finishing the interior of their extension, before we return to complete the driveway.

✔️ Extension, steel install & knock through
✔️Retaining garden wall and steps
✔️Aco drains
✔️Porcelain patio

All building materials and Porcelain supplied by Tippers Tamworth