Brett polished fossil mint sandstone - Will i regret choosing a light slab

[Mannburt]

I've bought a pack of Brett polished fossil Mint sandstone slabs, I need 4 more packs but wanted to check they look right first...a third of the pack are too yellow for my liking so I will just have to put them to one side until I can think what to do with them. I've placed them on ground and put pavetuf sealant on them and am waiting to see if the sealant will live up to its promises, as I don't think I can live with a cream patio that's stained with mud etc. My landscaper is coming in 2 weeks to start the patio and I still need to find "the right" composite decking to put with it, gulp! Has anyone used these slabs, will I regret it? I just want a nice modern look patio like I see in the magazines, but don't want to be having to pressure wash it constantly ??? hellllllllpppp please

[lemoncurd1702]

It's a natural product and each paving stone will be different, that's the beauty of it.

It's always best to have a sample or better still is to see an area laid with the product in mind.

Don't understand the mud stains. A photo would help.

[Mannburt]

Thanks lemon curd, what I'm mainly trying to say is, has anyone used Brett polished sandstone fossil mint slabs and regret it as they look dirty and stained all the time. I'm just worried it's too light And will get really dirty if the sealant doesn't do the job it claims to on the packaging. I'd rather lose the money I've spent on this one pack and choose something different now, than buy another 4 packs of the same slab and be left with looking at them constantly stained.

[lutonlagerlout]

if you have issues with natural variation in stone I would suggest a concrete product or maybe a monotone stone flag
I.E. Kandla grey or beige sandstone from london stone
LLL

[London Stone Paving]

I personally think you have got the wrong expectations of both the stone and sealant.

When buying any light flooring material whether stone for outside or even carpet or tiles for inside you have to expect that marks are going to show up. If your a bit OCD about these things (not a criticism btw, I am ) then you will end up being out there regularly sweeping and cleaning to keep the stone looking pristine. If you don't mind doing this then go ahead with a light coloured stone. Alternatively if your not too OCD then just let the stone weather a bit and any dirt or marks will be much less noticeable.

Re the sealant, its not a force field that will repel all objects. Even properly sealed the stone will still get dirty and it will still mark. What the sealant will do though is make the stone much easier to maintain

Any more questions just ask

Steve

[Mannburt]

Thanks very much for your help, I'm not mega OCD but just worried the slab is going to be hard work, some of the corners have chipped/crumbled away from shifting them around which was my other worry. Someone earlier suggested a londonstone beige sandstone, forgive my ignorance but are all sandstone products the same quality, Im wondering if the Brett ones are a bit on the delicate side and there might be a tougher version out there?

[PavingSuperstore]

Brett is a good brand of paving and no, not all sandstones are the same. There are many, many importers of poor quality natural stone that's not suitable for use in the UK, but Brett doesn't fall into that category.
Fossil mint is a softer and more porous sandstone than some of the slightly darker colours, so it's good that you have sealed the paving, although with Pavetuf, it's normally recommended that you use it after laying the paving - two coats, wet on wet. This will help it stay clean, but it will still need periodic jet-washing.

The crux of the matter is whether you like the colour and whether it goes with the colours and the style of the outside of your property. Being a light colour, it will lift the level of lightness in the area. Bear in mind that when natural sandstone is in the crate or inspected individually, it never looks as nice as when it's laid and pointed - you will see variations in colour and slight imperfections which are in fact all normal with a natural stone. Sandstone has a soft blend of colours, so rather than isolating those out that you don't like, this gentle shade variation becomes far easier on the eye when mixed. Also, if you plan to have planting and pots etc on the patio when finished, this will prevent you looking at just the paving on its own.

Fossil mint is a popular colour of sandstone, but undoubtedly will need a little more care than some of the slightly darker shades, although not so much that you should avoid it altogether.

[lutonlagerlout]

we did 160m2 of mint 2 years ago and the guy loves it
but he has to jetwash it every 6 months
LLL

[Mannburt]

I can live with jet washing it every 6 months, thanks very much for your help! Anyone a decking expert next

[PavingSuperstore]

Might be able to help via our landscaping guys - what's the question?

[Mannburt]

Thanks, I've many composite decking samples ranging from cheap to expensive but they seem to scratch quite easily, I don't fancy proper wood decking though as have enough jobs in the garden already:) I want to lay it with the flat smoother sided showing rather than the grooved. Has anyone used a good composite that they would recommend. Wish I'd discovered this forum sooner

[London Stone Paving]

A lot of the landscapers we work with are using Millboard. I've seen it in the flesh on quite a few projects and it looks very authentic

Millboard

[PavingSuperstore]

Haven't used the composite, but have seen some very good examples, although I'm not sure how they weather. We have used Eucalyptus decking and this offers a very nice finish. Wouldn't touch the usual softwood decking with a barge pole, but hardwood is a different animal.

[seanandruby]

...Not my cup of tea at all. With the 'disappearing screw' surely it would have to be ripped out if it had to be taken apart, rather than just unscrewed ???