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Looking for something to use in the garden a couple of time a year and let the father in law use too. Got a pretty big patio with other stone work that usually takes a full day to do. Thinking about the £120 - £150 mark. Don't particularly want to rent one.
I know you don't want to rent one, but using a couple of times a year suggests renting might be a better option at £30 a pop.
Apologies for the usual 'suggest the opposite of what you ask default STW answer'
For that money I would be looking at a Nilfisk so it had a metal pump, something like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/nilfisk-compact-c-130-2-8-pccar-130bar-pressure-washer-1-8kw-230v/6948j
I've just bought a Nilfisk like that one up there but with the 2.1kw motor, very impressed up to now.
Karcher Outlet. I got one like this: https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5122
The patio cleaner thing works surprisingly well.
How much power do you need for the stones? I have the mobiwasher generic thing that a couple of companies do [aquapro, sealey] and it's nice and powerful for the bike.
If you really need to blast fk out of the patio to clean it then probably not powerful enough.
Sorry for the hijack but I've just moved to a house with a patio- Ive got to wash [i]stones[/i] now?
What would happen if I don't?
Green and slippy, I expect. Like a lightly oiled Kermit.
Life just keeps getting better eh?
Does anyone do their block paving with one?
Mine's full of crud, but I'm wary of ruining it by lifting the edges and getting water into the sand underneath.
I just use a narrow wire brush on a long handle to brush the crud out and then brush some fine sand back in.
Definitely DON'T do block paving with a pressure washer - the sand in the gaps gets washed out and then the whole thing is prone to becoming destabilised. A stiff decking broom, a bit of elbow grease and a normal hose is all you need. Alternatively, use a stiff broom and kiln dried sand in dry weather.
Ditto some of the above who have suggested Nilfisk. I've had one for a few years now and it's been brilliant. Metal internals too, which apparently Karcher have moved away from.
Nilfisk outlet sometimes have some good recon units too.
Worth a look.
Does anyone do their block paving with one?
The first time I did it, I did that and it made a godalmighty mess.
Now...
I just use a narrow wire brush on a long handle to brush the crud out and then brush some fine sand back in.
I bought mine from the Karscher Outlet too - came with the patio lance, standard lance and power lance. I wouldn't hire because if you own it, you will find other uses for it - I wash cars with mine (ie, quick washdowns in the winter), cleaned outdoor toys/furniture, jetted a blocked drain etc etc.
Nilfisk used to be known as Alto in this country. I used to sell those in the shop I worked in. Decent quality and I bought quite an expensive one but eventually needed a part and I couldn't get hold of it so had to bin it - annoying when I'd only had it about 3 years and hadn't used it much.
I since bought a very cheap Karcher unit and have had it for many years now, it still runs perfectly. We never used to get any faulty Karcher units back at all, used to sell quite a few and they seemed trouble free. Spares easy to find too, not that I've needed any.
Don't buy a Bosch one, my shop sold them for about a year and I think we got most of them back faulty. Soon binned them in favour of Karcher.
Tip - never run one dry. Connect hose up and squeeze trigger until water comes through properly before switching the pressure washer on. They rely on water to cool and/or lubricate them to varying extents so if water isn't running through when you have it switched on it accelerates the wear. When finished turn power off THEN water and pull trigger until no water comes through. Also don't store them where water might freeze inside them as it can expand and crack some internal parts. Also try not to drag the pressure hose around your house or walls - the hose vibrates slightly and any bit of it pulled against a rough surface will wear VERY QUICKLY and a split in the hose will happen.
All the above was taught to me by various customer support folk at the manufacturers and extensive use of the machines to clean the garden centre I worked in.
Wow, thanks robdob. Any particular model at that price point?
Does anyone do their block paving with one?
Most years, no real problems.
From this
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via this
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to this
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3894/32746898672_10a47c6604.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3894/32746898672_10a47c6604.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/RTJq6f ]Cleaning patio[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Did also try Stoner's Polyurethene coating, but doesn't seem to make a lot of difference, can't say it's any cleaner 6 months on...
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2351/32085771513_e88ae6061d.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2351/32085771513_e88ae6061d.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/QTiY28 ]Cleaning patio[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr