Saga black sandstone turned green with algae

[johncallaghan1977@gmail.c]

Hi, I laid 30m2 is saga black sandstone at the end of August 2019 and I got a call from my customer today so I went to look and it was completely green with algae. It does wipe of easy and I can clean it easy but I was wandering g if anyone could advise me of the best algae preventing sealant that’s about that I could use to seal paving after I clean it. Any advice would be fantastic, thank you everyone

[Tony McC]

There's page after page after page of sealant advice on the main website, starting here plus a whole series of trials for various popular sealants.

However, no sealant will keep algae completely at bay, and you'll still need to clean it every year, whereas a top-notch biocide treatment, such as Wet and Forget, keeps it clean permanently, with just one or two watering-can applications per year. I've been using it on my heavily-shaded driveway for the last 5 years and while the charmless, gormless git next door persists with wasting a couple of hours every 6 months or so power-washing his half of the drive, my half remains completely algae-free, crisp and clean, and the power washer is covered in cobwebs in the back corner of the shed.....

[digerjones]

What about all the oil stains off them auld bikes.

[Tony McC]

Modern Hinckley Triumph - no oil leaks!

(.....excpet for the occasional dribble from a leaky front fork seal which I keep meaning to fix)

[digerjones]

Ha. Not like my bsa.

[Tony McC]

All part of the charm, Dylan!

If I had the time, I'd love to have a 60s or 70s bike again, just to nurse and cherish. I'd have to fit a lecky start - I can't manage kick starts these days, not with my glass spine - but the sheer pleasure of thrundling along a country lane on a Sunday morning on a Beezer, an AJS or even an old Matchless like I used to have when I was 14.....there's just nothing like that!

[mattg]

Are these biocide treatments all equal or do some work better than others ??
Wet & forget is about £20 for 2 litres whereas Doff is currently in Aldi at £1.99 for 2 litres.
Or am I just being dense & they are completely different products...

[Tony McC]

I haven't done a direct comparison test but W&F never lets me down whereas the Doff is more than a bit temperamental.

Costco yesterday - in amongst the hordes fighting to get their allocation of bog roll - they were doing 5 litres W&F, enough for 300m², for 18 quid plus VAT

[mattg]

Thank's Tony, when you say "more than a bit temperamental" do you mean detrimental to the paving (sandstone) or just not removing the algae very well ?
Ashamed to say I didn't wait for an answer & now have a load of potentially duff Doff sitting at home...

[Tony McC]

I find it doesn't always work 100% every time and on every substrate, wheras W&F (so far) has an unblemished record.