SANDSTONE
sandstone cleaning
Sandstone is a quartz based sedimentary stone, which makes it more acid resistant than limestone. It is ideal as a flooring material, and it is very forgiving to maintain, and will hold up to a lot of abuse.
Sandstone Grinding
Grinding is an attractive option for floors. The process of grinding will make the surface easy to clean because the grout joints will be even with the sandstone and the grout will stay much cleaner.
Sandstone grinding is much more affordable than other stones that we grind, because of the natural texture it is much more forgiving.
Sandstone Cleaning
Our expertise includes interior and exterior sandstone cleaning, and both applications require different techniques. The exterior sandstone cleaning chemical will remove all embedded biological staining (mold, mildew, lichens) where the spores must first be killed, then blasted away with high powered equipment. Of course we take special care of surrounding surfaces and foliage.
With interior sandstone cleaning pressure cleaning is still required to remove embedded organic soiling, and the cleaning effluent then vacuumed and discharged without any over-spray or mess. This will properly neutralize the sandstone, in preparation for sealing.
Sandstone Sealing
It is vital to seal the sandstone at the beginning with a high quality impregnating sealer which will properly breathe. I have a technique where we will use a few types of sealer to effectively cover all the elements that will be thrown at it. The most damaging element is water which can carry salts into the stone and create an environment that will break down the natural binders of the sandstone; meaning it will start to decompose. We can replace these minerals and re-bind the sandstone, but at times the process can be deep in the stone where treatments will not reach and could re-occur over time. However, our process will certainly slow the process and enhance the look.
Some sandstones are better than others of course and do hold up very well. Material selection is important, but if a specific colour is desired only found in a certain variety, then a good sealing will do the trick and ensure the maximum longevity.
Sandstone Repair
We also have a process for repairing areas of exfoliation, artistically duplicating the colour as pictured. After patching we grind the area flat and use techniques to duplicate the sandstone texture.
Of course we also can grind to remove damaged material and flatten, as mentioned above, but if there are deep areas they will need to be filled so we don’t create a “bird bath”. This process of stone repair is unique and one of our specialties.