Using romex sealant and colour enhancer - Experience

[essex_uk]

I though I would share my experience of using Romex Sealant and Colour Enhancer with you folk.

Our front drive was laid with Black limestone pavers 3 years ago come Sept '15. Its south facing so gets the worst of the weather & I've NEVER cleaned it in that time, until recently.

I would have included photos of the before, after first coat and final result, but can not see how to do this - ADMIN!!! Help. But would say that the results are as detailed in your 'Curse of Black Limestone pavers'.

I followed the instructions as detailed on the tin. I scrubbed the drive using a nylon head broom, washing up liquid and hot water TWICE during the preceding week and a final dry sweep just before using the Romex. I had previously used my power washer on a few of the same pavers in my garden and it left streaks, so not a good idea.

The only supplier of Romex Sealant and Colour Enhancer in the UK is
Cowley

[r896neo]

Can you tell me more about the romex range please?

[London Stone Paving]

Essex. If you email me some pictures I will post them on the site for you.

[Tony McC]

I would have included photos of the before, after first coat and final result, but can not see how to do this - ADMIN!!! Help

The instructions are on the noticeboard

[higgness]

I have read it twice, are you happy or not?
With the results?

[essex_uk]

Ok
Tried uploading photos via Flicker still wont load so now taking up Londonstones kind offer.

[London Stone Paving]

Pictures on behalf of Essex

[higgness]

In my limited experience, I have never seen a colour enhancer work 2 or 3 years after the black Indian limestone has been laid.
If asked when buying, I would always tell a customer that it will fade, you have to seal within weeks, if you want to keep it black.
Look at the trials Tony did, none were perfect.

As an aside here, Tony how do they look now?

[RAPressureWashing]

Sorry to say, but from the sealed photos the surface wasn't clean enough and prepared properly before sealing, after 3 years the surface really should have been re-honed prior to sealing.Was this cleaned with a pressure washer with a wide fan nozzle? as there looks like a lot of lance marks on the surface to me, and once you seal over these they stand out like a sore thumb.

[essex_uk]

Thanks for putting the photos up (Steve) @ London stone.
As you can see the results are great.

The pavers were from Brett and laid by Woods Paving (http://woodspaving.co.uk/)

[essex_uk]

Sorry to say, but from the sealed photos the surface wasn't clean enough and prepared properly before sealing, after 3 years the surface really should have been re-honed prior to sealing.Was this cleaned with a pressure washer with a wide fan nozzle? as there looks like a lot of lance marks on the surface to me, and once you seal over these they stand out like a sore thumb.

There are NO lance marks in these photos, as I said earlier I had used a power washer on the same pavers in my back garden and this is were I learned NOT to use the power washer. There may be the odd tyre mark though.
Paving Experts page 'The curse of Black limestone' says to clean them with nothing more then hot soapy water and that's what I did - twice.

I still have some left over from the 10Ltr tin I bought.

[RAPressureWashing]

Sorry to say, but from the sealed photos the surface wasn't clean enough and prepared properly before sealing, after 3 years the surface really should have been re-honed prior to sealing.Was this cleaned with a pressure washer with a wide fan nozzle? as there looks like a lot of lance marks on the surface to me, and once you seal over these they stand out like a sore thumb.

There are NO lance marks in these photos, as I said earlier I had used a power washer on the same pavers in my back garden and this is were I learned NOT to use the power washer. There may be the odd tyre mark though.
Paving Experts page 'The curse of Black limestone' says to clean them with nothing more then hot soapy water and that's what I did - twice.

I still have some left over from the 10Ltr tin I bought.

I'm afraid hot soapy water is never going to get the paving clean enough, it needs a high alkaline cleaner to really get it clean this would have also got rid of the tyre marks that are now sealed into the paving.

[essex_uk]

Sorry to say, but from the sealed photos the surface wasn't clean enough and prepared properly before sealing, after 3 years the surface really should have been re-honed prior to sealing.Was this cleaned with a pressure washer with a wide fan nozzle? as there looks like a lot of lance marks on the surface to me, and once you seal over these they stand out like a sore thumb.

There are NO lance marks in these photos, as I said earlier I had used a power washer on the same pavers in my back garden and this is were I learned NOT to use the power washer. There may be the odd tyre mark though.
Paving Experts page 'The curse of Black limestone' says to clean them with nothing more then hot soapy water and that's what I did - twice.

I still have some left over from the 10Ltr tin I bought.

I'm afraid hot soapy water is never going to get the paving clean enough, it needs a high alkaline cleaner to really get it clean this would have also got rid of the tyre marks that are now sealed into the paving.

Thanks for the information.

I wish 'The Curse of the Black Limestone' page had mentioned using an alkaline cleaner to remove tyre marks etc, but without web sites like this and being able to pass on ones experiences, I would not have 'recovered' the black colour that I now have.

So thank you 'Paving Expert' you now have a customer here who's happy to recommend your site to other amateurs.

[Tony McC]

As an aside here, Tony how do they look now?

Pretty much as they were when I did the "9 months later" photies.

I might dig them out and do another update, but from memory the two leading contenders are still very much leading.