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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:50 pm
by rodking
Hi, used your website as advice to construct a clay block driveway about eighteen months ago which I was really proud of only to make a fatal mistake at the end by sealing it a few months later with a solvent based sealer obtained from a diy store in order to protect and give the finished surface a bit of a sheen. Looked great for a couple of weeks then a dull whitish film started to appear. Sought advice from a company chemist who advised trying toluene. Again looked great for a few weeks but then whitish discolouration reappeared. Can you please advise how I can rectify the problem?
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:02 am
by matt h
speak to our pressure washing friend at RandA.This bloom is common place when you use shite sealers. You'll need to get rid of the sealer, and start from scratch ,problem with clay is it retains moisture and so you'll need a long dry spell before you reseal in my humble opinion 
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:52 am
by RAPressureWashing
Only just seen this post, Rod what sealer did you use?
Matt is right it will have to come off, once I know what you have put on the pavers I'll be able to tell you what to use to remove it.
I wouldn't even think of resealing till the temps go up a bit, so be looking at April onwards in my opinion.
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:48 pm
by rodking
Hi Matt and Roger, Thanks for your prompt reply,
The sealer I used was Wickes paving and patio seal. I then power washed it once (water only, no additives), and then applied xylene (sorry, not toluene as previously mentioned), but with little effect.
I take your point about leaving it till a dry period and will leave applying any sealer until summer. Is there one you recommend which I can use on clay pavers ideally one which will leave a sheen. (If you have the address of a local supplier in the bristol area that would be great)
I won't even apply a sealer if you think I should not.
Cheers, Rod
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:22 pm
by surreyhillslandscapes.com
I've always used Resiblock sealer, you should only need 1 coat for clay paving, it's not cheap but it's good stuff, as the boys say above, would be best to wait for a dry warmish spell of weather first...
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:03 pm
by RAPressureWashing
rodking wrote:Hi Matt and Roger, Thanks for your prompt reply,
The sealer I used was Wickes paving and patio seal. I then power washed it once (water only, no additives), and then applied xylene (sorry, not toluene as previously mentioned), but with little effect.
I take your point about leaving it till a dry period and will leave applying any sealer until summer. Is there one you recommend which I can use on clay pavers ideally one which will leave a sheen. (If you have the address of a local supplier in the bristol area that would be great)
I won't even apply a sealer if you think I should not.
Cheers, Rod
Hello Rod,
As Surrey Land Scapes has said Resiblock would be the sealer of choice for me also. But before you even think about re-sealing you will have to get the Wickes c**p off first. Two approaches, First a caustic strip will do this, but not nice to use if you don't know what you are doing. The second approach and most proberly the safest if you are going to do this work yourself would be Tensids "Ezee strip" it is a toxic chemical but pretty safe to use if you use common sense and follow the guide lines. Here is their website, www.tensid.com, if you give them a call speak to either Jo or Richard, they should if you ask send you a sample/tester pot of Ezee strip try it in a small out the way area if you can, This product should remove the Wickes sealer, might take two applications. if this works let me know how big the area that needs stripping and I'll work out how much of the Ezee strip you will need. If you were closer I'd come and have a look at it for you.
Stripping the old sealer off can be done at any time of the year, but as far as the reseal goes best leaving it till the summer, when hopefully it is dry and warm 10-15 C minimum over night etc and a bone dry surface to work with.
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:24 pm
by rodking
Hi guys,
Many thanks for your advice, much appreciated. will contact tensids and take it from there.
Happy New Year!
Rod
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:06 pm
by Tony McC
Normally, i would have suggested Resiblock, but they have been really unhelpful on a small project where their sealant has buggered up, and I'm on the point of withdrawing any endorsement of them.
Basically, back in September their MD admitted to me that the problems being endured by a client on a private driveway were due to a dodgy batch of their sealant and that they'd get it all put right for her, at not cost to the contractor.
We're now into January, the client is threatening to sue the blameless contractor, and Resiblock are still effing about.
No matter how good a product may be, if the customer support is not there, then you might as well use an equivalent product that's half the price. Until Resiblock get their act together and do the decent thing, they won't be getting any more recommendations from me or this website.