Best product foe sealing indian sandstone

[mark555]

As the thread says, can someone recommend what sealer to use for indian sandstone. Am i correct to presume that sealing it is the right thing to do.

Mant thanks. Mark

[Pablo]

Lithofin or Larsen Acriseal might be pushing it to get it done this year though due to the temperature and humidity etc. If it's new paving best leave it until any chance of efflourence has gone which means next year.

[mark555]

Thanks, i had not thought of effourence!

[mark555]

I have also been recommeneded K-seal Total. Any thought?

[lutonlagerlout]

never heard of it ,but as pablo correctly says,its getting a bit late for sealing
LLL

[RAPressureWashing]

Mark
I would leave the paving sealing till next year, then come spring next year give it a really good clean, allow to dry out then seal.
Sealing after late September can be pushing it as temps are lower and surfaces stay damper longer all what you don't want when sealing.

[richie_jones]

I don`t think you`ll suffer from Efflorescence in indian sandstone ......

[mark555]

Hi there - with this mild weather I was thinking of sealing on thursday (it is said to be 17 degrees and sunny) - will this be OK??? Or must I really wait until next year. Thanks Mark

[worldofpaving]

Mark, as long as it is absolutely dry, and I mean completely dry, then you will be ok. Avoid first thing in the morning or approaching dusk due to the dew point.

I don't know which type of product you are using but even if it is water based, don't be suckered into the belief that water is not a problem because the sealer has water in it - what the sealer has in it is water that has been modified by additives and it's not the same.

Also, if the pores of the paving are full of water then the sealer won't be able to displace the water that is already there and even if you got no adverse reaction chemically you would not achieve the optimal mechanical bond that you are looking to achieve.

Lastly, if in doubt, do an out of the way test piece and check it 24 hours later.

Good luck!

[rimexboy]

Hi
you do not have to seal it at all...

why not just leave it and get the best of both worlds...
the paving looks fab when dry and when its a rainy day the colours look fantastic...

i was in the same situation it seams you are in... and as suggested to me at the time.... "why seal a natraul product"

many will tell you other things so this is just my 2 pence worth

[lutonlagerlout]

I agree with rimex ,why bother?
most natural stuff carries on looking great for many years with no sealants at all
LLL

[Suggers]

Yet again agree with rimex & LLL - next-door-neighbours has now been down about 5yrs - looks about 50yrs - fabulooosa...
Sod any sealing sucker... more trouble than it's worth :p

[worldofpaving]

Why seal a natural product?

Because they vary in porosity and some are darker and quite impermeable and age beautifully as mentioned in earlier posts, other lighter, less dense stones can be stained by bird shit (pigmented after eating plums or unpigmented), red wine stains, cooking spills from bbq's etc - if your stone will absorb water it will absorb stains and one persons view of "character / shabby chic" is another persons "ruined" - as ever, it's in the eye of the beholder.

Of course, you don't have to go for a paint like sealer - there are many excellent stain stops available that do work and do not change the natural look of the paving when dry.

[lutonlagerlout]

its a matter of personal taste WoP, when i see yorkstone thats been down 300 years i like that look, whereas others would say it looks old and dirty
but structurally, paving doesn't need sealing (as far as i know)
its purely cosmetic
LLL

[lutonlagerlout]

having said that i used lithofin mn stainstop on my patio ,mainly because of proximity or the bar and BBQ also lot of small kids about grrrrr
LLL :;):