Grey granite tile stains - Looks like damp

[MARKJERVIS]

Hi,

I laid the grey granite stones from nustone about 8 weeks ago. I used a permable base and a solid cement base. I used Mattstone LTP H20 sealer after laying. The slabs look awlful and have like a wet look all around the edges. Does anyone have any suggestions to improve the look?

http://postimg.org/image/91h3cc45n/

http://postimg.org/image/hvu89aiet/

http://postimg.org/image/tm85qob79/

[lutonlagerlout]

I used a permable base and a solid cement base.

so which one was it permeable or solid cement

because you cannot have both


what you have there is picture framing, it will fade with time

the granite has wicked cement from the pointing

LLL

[MARKJERVIS]

I used a permable base and a solid cement base.

so which one was it permeable or solid cement

because you cannot have both


what you have there is picture framing, it will fade with time

the granite has wicked cement from the pointing

LLL

Hi,

I laid using a sand a cement mix on top of the existing paving.

You say it is from the pointing but these dark marks appeared before pointing but after sealing. I used easyjoint after sealing.

Could it be something to do with the sealer? I spoke to LTP. They gave me a sample of stain remover and power stripper. When I applied the samples to one of the tiles the appearance improves slighty but the lines arestill there.

Thanks for your help

[RAPressureWashing]

How long a gap/time between laying & sealing?

[MARKJERVIS]

About 2 weeks....

I used LTP Mattstone H2O sealer as it is breathable.

[RAPressureWashing]

Okay, after laying paving and then wanting to seal I'd as a rule would say leave it at least 4 weeks before sealing, from the photos, it could be what LLL says or you might still have moisture trying to escape and now you have sealed you are seeing the moisture trying to get out but can't get past the sealer. You could remove the all sealer using LTP's products then leave the paving for a couple of months, so it can settle down, then if you really need to seal say late summer, why though are you sealing granite? as IMO other then keeping it clean there is no real need, plus granite is hard to get sealer into on exterior paving unlike say a kitchen work surface as they as usually polished so a totally different approach.

[lutonlagerlout]

laying on top of existing paving is rarely a good idea
http://www.pavingexpert.com/faq_layover01.htm

never a good idea to seal so soon
LLL

[MARKJERVIS]

Reason I sealed was EasyJoint recommended sealing the tiles before pointing to ensure there would be no stains.

LTP H20 is breathable so I thought the whole point is that moisture can escape?

[London Stone Paving]

Doesn't look to bad to me. Retaining a bit of moisture perhaps. I wouldn't worry about it. Give it a coupe of months to settle down and the marks should go.

Was the stone bone dry before sealing?

[MARKJERVIS]

Thanks! The stones were dry before sealing.

[London Stone Paving]

In that case the moisture must have come from the mortar bed and then you have sealed it in. Not ideal but if the sealant is an impregnator (breathable) then it will escape over time. As I said in my previous post it doesn't look too bad and will fade out.

FYI in my experience one of the biggest causes of picture framing is when wet mortar from the bedding layer is pushed up through the joints as you are tamping the slabs down. When this happens the mortar that gets pushed up through the joints carries a lot of water which then soaks in to the sides of the slabs causing picture framing.

Is this scenario a possibility?

[MARKJERVIS]

I would say that is very much so a likely scenario....

The sealer is breathable. I just thought it would have happened a lot quicker than it has

[London Stone Paving]

Give it time. Having laid it yourself you are going to be hyper critical of the finish but nobody will ever study it as closely as you are doing now. Couple of months it will settle and you will forget it ever happened

[marcos1970]

Mark, a liberal dosage of Lithofin Bero has removed virtually all my horrendous mortar leaching stains after a year of despairing what to do...
Hope this is of help...