Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 12:25 pm
With many types of flagstone, there's no need whatsoever for a sealant, but some people like to use one. With many types of flagstone, it's best to allow some time to ensure any problems, such as efflorescence, reflective staining, etc, are not going to happen *before* applying a sealant.Acecross wrote:....should have been sealed before pointing. This is not what I was told or indeed what people seem to suggest on this forum. I understood it was better to leave it to effloresce etc and seal after several months......
But with some flagstones, and the honed sandstones are classic example, the surface structure is so vulnerable to staining that pre-sealing is, in practical terms, a necessity.
For my money, if a flagstone can't cope with and recover from a bit of staining, then it's no bloody use. If a flagstone needs relatively expensive protective measures to be taken to render it fit for purpose, then I'd be looking around for a more robust alternative, but such is the craze for these honed sandstones that no-one wants to listen to grumpy old cynical Tony - just as they didn't listen when I warned about Travertine.
Does responsibility lie with the supplier who could pre-seal or, at the very least, pre-warn clients about the temperamental nature of this type of flag, or does it ie with the installer, who, as an alleged professional paving contractor, should use their experience to pre-seal and/or pre-warn their customer?
Hard to say, but you can bet your bottom dollar the supplier says it's down to the installer, and the installer blames the supplier!