Sandstone Driveways

[BOOKEMDANO]

HELLO

I wanted to ask your advice about the maintaining of sandstone driveways and the general up-keep of them through the changing seasons.

I had mine laid about 12 months ago now, and whilst it still holds it's natural beauty; certain areas, or patches have become quite dirty, what with the accumilation of the heavy rain. Coupled with Its inability to drain away the collected pockets of rain water (due to the poor gradiant level), i wanted to ask your advice on how you keep your sandstone driveways clean and trouble free?

1) What have you found the best method of cleaning the sandstone?

2) What chemical(s), or natural soloution do you use?

3) Lastly, i dont believe the workers laid down any protective 'wax' to help safe guard it's surface area. Is there something which i can buy to help give the sandstone some protection against the elements like a wax or coating of somekind?

I appreciate your time and your answers

[seaeagle]

HELLO

I wanted to ask your advice about the maintaining of sandstone driveways and the general up-keep of them through the changing seasons.

I had mine laid about 12 months ago now, and whilst it still holds it's natural beauty; certain areas, or patches have become quite dirty, what with the accumilation of the heavy rain. Coupled with Its inability to drain away the collected pockets of rain water (due to the poor gradiant level), i wanted to ask your advice on how you keep your sandstone driveways clean and trouble free?

1) What have you found the best method of cleaning the sandstone?

2) What chemical(s), or natural soloution do you use?

3) Lastly, i dont believe the workers laid down any protective 'wax' to help safe guard it's surface area. Is there something which i can buy to help give the sandstone some protection against the elements like a wax or coating of somekind?

I appreciate your time and your answers

In the normal population, with normal bucks, never EVER have I seen a sandstone driveway. You mean sandwash, yes?

[Rimmer]

I had sandstone slabs around the pool in my last house, it was a pain to keep clean, the stone and the grout needed jet washing every week to get the green mold and black ingrained dirt out. My wife was always out there scrubbing it as well.

We ended up using industrial strength Vixol bathroom cleaner on it in the end which seemed to work but what a job.

[trogers]

Wrong choice of finishing for a driveway. Sand stone, or even sand wash, is porous. Easily stained and impregnated by rubber tires and engine oil.

Polyurethane coating is not suitable as it will dry and crack under direct sunlight.

Should have used Kenzai paving tiles, or stamped concrete.

[MikeyIdea]

High waterbill and jet wash from very close in

[Heng]

Second the jet wash method. You can get a decent machine from Home Pro for 3-6k. I got a no name one for 2.5k that works fine.

Might also make sure they get the drainage right next time you build a driveway, or add some grate covered drainage trenches to fix the current one.... those are even more of a pain to clean though, hopefully you have help to take care of it.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Heng

[seaeagle]

Second the jet wash method. You can get a decent machine from Home Pro for 3-6k. I got a no name one for 2.5k that works fine.

Might also make sure they get the drainage right next time you build a driveway, or add some grate covered drainage trenches to fix the current one.... those are even more of a pain to clean though, hopefully you have help to take care of it.

Jetwash is only a short term cure, and exacerbates the problem. The waterjet power erodes the surface, and next time the discolouration gets worse, and then next time.....and then next time.

Best dig it up and lay tiles. And remember to put a slope in for natural drainage.

[Heng]

Have been jet washing for years, surely you can find a balance setting between getting out the algae off and blowing your pebbles loose?

[BOOKEMDANO]

Just as a matter of curiousness, i bought a litre of 'green liquid' that the woman assures me "will clean, will clean good, no problem".

Contained on the bottle are no indications of what this substance is: maybe for fear of somebody copying her magic green liquid. However, i believe it to be some kind of 'acid', sulphuric acid possibly?

It was bought in the lower ground level of Tesco (i'm sure many centre's across the land have these vendors). Eager to test it out i applied a small amount in a non-conspicuous area at first to test the out the Thai woman's proverbial exclamation.

It actually worked!

Tomorrow i will see if - the area i picked on - still remains.

Note to Seaeagle: i apoloigize, when i refered to my driveway being "sandstone", it is in fact, sandwash as you pointed out

[Peterpan]

Just as a matter of curiousness, i bought a litre of 'green liquid' that the woman assures me "will clean, will clean good, no problem".

Contained on the bottle are no indications of what this substance is: maybe for fear of somebody copying her magic green liquid. However, i believe it to be some kind of 'acid', sulphuric acid possibly?

It was bought in the lower ground level of Tesco (i'm sure many centre's across the land have these vendors). Eager to test it out i applied a small amount in a non-conspicuous area at first to test the out the Thai woman's proverbial exclamation.

It actually worked!

Tomorrow i will see if - the area i picked on - still remains.

Note to Seaeagle: i apoloigize, when i refered to my driveway being "sandstone", it is in fact, sandwash as you pointed out

I jet wash and then put diluted chlorine down, let it dry for half a day then get the hose pipe out and wash it down. Once every 6 months.