How to remove acrylic sealer from sandstone patio?

OJ1 · Post: # 103918Post **OJ1** Thu May 14, 2015 10:24 pm

Hi Roger

I have just had a new light beige sandstone patio laid which was sealed with Thompson's One Coat Patio and Block Paving Seal (acrylic sealer)
It actually looked very nice until the builder cleaned the back wall of the house with brick acid and washed it across the patio
The brick acid removed large patches of the sealant over most of the patio which now looks terrible!
Can you recommend a product to remove the remaining sealant without damaging the sandstone?
And what would be a better sealant to use afterwards?
Thanks a lot for your help

RAPressureWashing · Fri May 15, 2015 7:04 am

Hi OJ

Only just seen this, I'll type a full reply this evening for you, as it's a bit long winded and running a bit late this morning.

Leannebooth91 · Fri May 15, 2015 10:06 pm

I have a black limestone patio and I sealed this with a patio and block paving sealer also I sealed it as it was meant to be a lovely day but it rained and all the sealant has dried patchy and now my new limestone flags look awful!! I know this is OJ's post but as it was a similar situation and I also need to know how to remove it I though I could tag it on and await your response.. I hope you can help as I don't know where to turn- I tried power washing this and it hasn't budged. Thank you in advance!

RAPressureWashing · Sat May 16, 2015 10:52 am

Oh dear, Thompson's patio sealer again!!!!
Totally the wrong product for natural stone, don't care what it says on the tin, it's cheap rubbish.
Anyway this is do-able but will be messy.
You need to use either Auqa-Mix sealing & coatings remover or Mira strip, this will start to remove the failed sealer, you might need to do this twice depends how thick a coating you have put on. After getting the sealer off re clean the surface using a alkaline cleaner, a product called Extreme will clean the surface well. Allow to dry and I do mean bone dry, don't rush this bit, then you can seal using a good quality product, so for the sandstone you have a choice, Aqua-Mix, Miracle, Lithofin all impregnating sealers which is what you want to use on natural stone not the acrylic rubbish. For the Black Limestone you are going to need a colour enhancing & impregnating sealer so my choices for this would be Aqua-Mix enrich & seal or Miracle 511 seal & enhance.
So with the stripper I take it you both be using a pressure washer? you will need to cover/mask up anything that you don't want the stopper to touch IE painted fence's, doors etc as this will be very messy once the old sealer starts to come off as it is really only a glorified glue. The extreme cleaner will give the surface a deep clean but again keep any of the covering you have used in place. We would use floor buffing/cleaners to do this type of work, but not sure you would have access to one. As with all natural stone be careful you don't etch the surface with the pressure washer IE getting to close to the surface with the lance, let the speed of the water do the work for you.
For the above mentioned products you can source them here (expect the Lithofin) http://www.tilinglogistics.co.uk
Lithofin can be bought at most decent tiling places or you can buy on line from here https://www.extensive.co.uk
Let me know if you need anymore help.

OJ1 · Post: # 103946Post **OJ1** Sun May 17, 2015 9:53 am

Hi Roger
Thank you for your very detailed and helpful post
Maybe the brick acid accident was a blessing in disguise!
Looks like removing the Thompsons sealer would be beyond my abilities
Maybe that's why Ronseal said they can't recommend anything to remove it when I contacted them last week
I think you're local so will check out your website and give you a bell
Thanks again

Leannebooth91 · Sun May 17, 2015 10:37 am

Thank you roger I will give it a go! I really appreciate your help and advice on this matter I wish you were local so I could get you in to do it by I'm all the way in yorkshire. Thank you again and I am sorry for the intrusion on your post OJ!

Thank you

kunmun23 · Post: # 114215Post **kunmun23** Sun Jul 23, 2017 12:01 pm

Hi Roger,

Wish I had seen this thread and another one on the Thomson rubbish before. I too have had a disaster. Jet washed my patio and asked a handyman to repoint and apply Thomson One Coat sealer (went by the Screwfix reviews and didn't see this thread till I had the disaster). The result :

1. Rain water just stays on top of slabs. Even after a light shower at night, I cannot use the patio. Earlier the water used to seep through the stone/pointing and disappear leaving the patio naturally dry. Come winters and it would become dangerously slippery ice.

2. The handyman has not done a great job leaving spots unsealed which distinctly look ugly.

I read your recommendations on stripping and resealing. My issue is I am having guests over in three days and need to get this sorted ASAP. I shall email/contact you to get some help.

Post: # 114218Post **Tony McC** Sun Jul 23, 2017 12:23 pm

Three days would be near impossible, unless we have a heatwave in the next day or two!

If you strip the Patio Ruiner on Day 1 and then start the washing down process to ensure you've rinsed away all of the aggressive stripper, then we normally suggest a minimum of 3 days to ensure the paving is thoroughly dry before applying a quality sealant. If we get that heatwave, it might be OK to seal after one day, but if there is any moisture remaining at all, it will spoil the new sealant, so is it worth rushing?

You could strip the Patio Ruiner and then leave the paving un-sealed until after your guests have gone, and then give it a thorough cleaning, 3 days to dry, and then seal....but would that be acceptable?

RAPressureWashing · Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:12 pm

Tony McC wrote:Three days would be near impossible, unless we have a heatwave in the next day or two!

If you strip the Patio Ruiner on Day 1 and then start the washing down process to ensure you've rinsed away all of the aggressive stripper, then we normally suggest a minimum of 3 days to ensure the paving is thoroughly dry before applying a quality sealant. If we get that heatwave, it might be OK to seal after one day, but if there is any moisture remaining at all, it will spoil the new sealant, so is it worth rushing?

You could strip the Patio Ruiner and then leave the paving un-sealed until after your guests have gone, and then give it a thorough cleaning, 3 days to dry, and then seal....but would that be acceptable?

Tony
Have spoken via email to this enquiry, seen photos etc, unfortunately at that short notice no a chance of undertaking this, most probably a minimum 2 day strip to remove the crap sealer.

viral4584 · Post: # 115971Post **viral4584** Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:28 am

Hi There,

I've read your comments on patio being ruined by Thompson and I wish i would have read this before buying the crap thing - but its late now and my newly laid patio is ruined by it.
Its the oil based wet finish sealer which has screwed the whole patio. Can you please suggest which product i need to use to get rid of it? as jet wash is not helping at all.... Appreciate your response on this.....

Thanks
V

RAPressureWashing · Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:06 pm

Further to when I first posted the replies back in 2015, both the products we used to use are no longer available in the UK, the technic we use now, is really not ideal for a home-owner to try, it's a strong stripping agent and a low pressure high heat machine, which most won't have access to.