Sealing your sandstone patio will keep it intact, free of salt efflorescence and looking great even after a harsh Irish winter! About Sandstone: Sandstone is a sedimentary rock. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow, red, gray, pink, and mint green.
Sealing Sandstone To maintain the look, breathe-ability and slip resistance of the sandstone, it is important to use a high quality, invisible impregnating sealer. Typical topical sealers sold in DIY stores will trap moisture in the stone which can lead the stone to become very dirty looking and damage it in time. Fossil Mint is popular but prone to algae; Buff, Camel and Golden Sand many stones are known by a variety of names chosen for marketing purposes are all on the "At Risk" listing, so may need a sealant, especially in more vulnerable locations.
The Kota limestones tend to be fairly resilient, whether they are Blue, Brown or Yellow. They are dense and only slightly porous, so it takes a lot longer for vegetation to get a grip on them. Granites, too, are usually resilient, but there is one notable exception: the amazingly popular Silver Grey, which is becoming less common due to reserves running out, but there's still plenty of it in the stoneyards of the nation.
This is a surprisingly porous stone — not something many people expect from a granite — and it shows water marking quite easily. This has the effect of darkening the stone, but it doesn't happen uniformly: not all of the stone darkens, just weirdly-shaped patches on some stones and not others, resulting in an overall blotchy look. Granites aren't the easiest of stones to seal, so, when choosing a sealant, make sure it's suitable for crystalline stone, not solely for sedimentary sandstones and limestones.
Slates and Quartizites tend to laugh at the thought of a sealant. These stones are tough, dense and practically impermeable. This makes them fairly resistant to most contaminants, whether its vegetation-based weeds or human-introduced stains.
However, if these are being used in a vulnerable location, then a good quality sealant, suitable for use with the stone in question, can help keep the cleaning to a minimum. Porcelain should need no sealant.
Your maintenance schedule should also include all nearby gutters and downspouts, as this prevents flooding. Cleaning If you live in a wet climate or in an area with high humidity, mold and algae growth are a real possibility.
You should remove these and other organic stains as soon as you notice them using either chlorine and water or a chlorine-based cleaner. Never pressure wash your sandstone pavers , as this can damage the stone.
Moisture present in the ground can be wicked or drawn up into sandstone by capillary action. If natural vapour transmission is not allowed to take place, moisture gets trapped and can cause chemical and physical changes within the stone. This action of decay can take the form of pitting, spalling, flaking and oxidation. Topical sealers produce a physical barrier over the sandstone surface which also results in a darkening, yellowing or glossy coating.
Surface sealers topical usually don't last as long, can make the floors slippery and need to be completely removed the next time sealing is required. Salts and efflorescence may also build-up under the non-breathable surface, causing the coating to appear cloudy. In addition, periodic professional maintenance such as cleaning, polishing and repairs are definitely recommended.
The easiest way to measure the strength of the seal is to apply a teaspoon of water to the surface and see if the colour beneath the water darkens after a few minutes. If the sandstone darkens, that means that moisture has penetrated, and a fresh coat should be applied. The longevity can vary depending on the type of stone, tile or grout, the location and what type of wear the surface is exposed to. To keep your sandstone looking new, it is recommended cleaning each week using a pH neutral cleaner to remove any dirt or grime.
Strong detergents strong acid or alkali may affect the sealer. Mild detergents and pH neutral substances are strongly recommended. It is not a surface coating and will not crack, peel, yellow or discolour at any time.
Whatever suits you best!
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