Patio
Indian Stone Sealer
This question was asked by
l have had a patio laid two years ago with Indian stone and didn’t realise how easily it stained. I am going to clean it this spring and would like to see if l can protect it with a sealer but not darken the colour if possible, could you please advise, approximately 85 square meters area,
As you are looking to keep the paving looking as it does when it is dry I would recommend the Water based Matt sealer (link below) this will have very little effect on the appearance but will offer a good amount of protection for the stone.
Water Based Sealer Matt (WB25)
Drew Palin
Slate sealer
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I want to seal my outside slate patio with a heavy duty high gloss sealer, which product would you recommend please?
You have a couple of options (links below) the Heavy duty sealer is the cheaper of the two and is easier to use but wont last as long, whereas the High gloss PU will last longer but you have to make sure that the paving is 100% dry and that you will have at least 5-6 hours of dry weather once it has been applied.
Drew Palin
Protecting stone from lichen and algae with sealer
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I have a terrace of indian sandstone which has developed terrible black spot lichen everywhere. I have pressure hosed off as much as possible but cant get it all off. If I could keep it like it is that would be ok even tho some spots remain.
Would your Stone and Slate Protector prevent the regrowth of the lichens and algae.
Yes applying sealer to the surface will stop the algae and lichen from being able to take hold on the paving (it may form on the surface but it will be easy to wash off/treat), if the algae does come back (if there are a lot of trees in you area) it can be treated with our moss and algae remover which you just spray on to the paving and leave to do its thing.
Drew Palin
Adseal for paved patio
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I have a paved patio which has stone or concrete slabs and in need of protection from stains and general annual growth. Can you advise what is the best product in your range to use?
If you are uncertain whether the flags are stone or concrete I would recommend using our Stone and Slate Protector (link below), this will be ok to use on either surface.
Stone and Slate Protector (SSP)
Drew Palin
AdSeal Stone and Slate Sealer
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Can you advise on when to use your AdSeal Stone and Slate Sealer on my newly as in two weeks old Indian stone patio . Some say leave till summer others say wait for a dry day ??
To apply the sealer you need the stone to be dry and the temperature to be above 5 degrees.
You will also want the weather to stay dry for a minimum of 2 hours after you finish applying the sealer.
Drew Palin
Resiblock gloss sealer
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We sealed our new patio with resiblock gloss sealer, the patio is grey Indian paving.
It is an absolute mess patchy and looks like we have painted old flags!! Will your stripper remove it I noticed an article where someone removed sealant using it
You will need to use the Easy strip 2000 (link below) to remove the Resiblock sealer.
https://www.advancedsealingsolutions.co.uk/EasyStrip-2000-Coating-Remover.html
Drew Palin
Indian Sandstone sealer
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I have just had a patio laid with sandstone slabs. Could you please tell me which is the best sealant and protector for these? Thank you.
I usually recommend the Stone and Slate sealer as this offers a matte finish with one coat or a satin to light gloss finish with 2 coats.
https://www.advancedsealingsolutions.co.uk/Stone-and-Slate-Protector.html
Drew Palin
Can I apply sealer if it is forecast to rain that day?
Clearly avoid rain if you can but, because rain can catch you unawares you should be using one of these two.
Adseal Block Paving & Imprinted Concrete Sealer SP
A solvent based sealer designed to be less susceptible to rain spotting than other sealers.
It’s all in the formula and with clever blending of a range of resins combined with years of practical experience, we have developed a formula that provides outstanding performance and has an exceptional ability to cope with rain spotting – we have many anecdotal reports of rain showers arriving either shortly after or just as sealing is finished and there being literally no sign of rain spotting – and if there is, then it’s easy to remove it.
Adseal eXtreme Water Based Sealer
The other option is using our water-based acrylic/PU hybrid Sealer with a unique recipe allowing it to be applied onto damp surfaces – such as just after a rain shower
Modern water based hybrids are very hard wearing and Eco friendly – safe, non hazardous, low odour, etc..
Again it’s all in the formula plus years of practical experience which has enabled us to develop a product that performs exceptionally well for use on damp surfaces
Colours with Concrete Advantages
WHEN IT COMES TO COLOURING CONCRETE SURFACES LIKE PATIOS AND DRIVEWAYS, NOT ALL PRODUCTS ARE CREATED EQUAL. MICHAEL PALIN, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT ADSEAL, EXPLAINS MORE.
With summer now upon us, many homeowners are looking at their driveways, patios and other paved areas with a view to realising improvements.
For some, it might be case of breathing new life into an old concrete surface where time, traffic and the good old British weather may have taken their toll.
For others, it could be a desire to realise something more creative such as a picture, a pattern or another design feature, possibly inspired by the numerous interior design and gardening programmes now on TV.
Whatever the motivation, there are different ways of achieving the same goal.
Paint. Best known but is it best suited?
Paint is a widely used solution for colouring or recolouring concrete surfaces in the UK. But just because it’s a common choice doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice.
Certainly paint has its attractions. It’s cost-effective for a start both in terms of product pricing and the labour costs needed to install it.
In fact, paints tend to be fairly low odour and fairly low in their use of hazardous chemicals meaning they can be applied by the untrained user.
Paint also comes in an enormous range of colours and those colours are usually predictable. Putting that another way, the colour you see in the tin is the colour you’ll end up with on your driveway, patio or paved area.
Paint does have its drawbacks however. These stem largely from the fact that paint doesn’t permeate the substrate it’s being applied to. Instead it adheres to its surface.
As a result, paint can be prone to cracking, peeling and flaking. It can also fade over time.
Plus, while paint can be used for some detailing type applications, there are other alternatives out there better suited to the task.
Related posts – Acid Etching and Chemical Stains, Water Based Colour Stains.
Taking the Acid Test
Paint may be the default choice for many looking to colour or recolour concrete but acid etching using chemical stains offers another, less well-known alternative.
Most stains used in acid etching are a mix of water, hydrochloric acid and acid-soluble metallic salts. They work by chemically reacting with the concrete.
First, the acid etches the surface allowing the metallic salts to penetrate more deeply. The stain then reacts and the resultant colour becomes a permanent, sub-surface part of the concrete.
As a result, acid based chemical stains offer some key advantages over paint such as the fact that they won’t crack, chip, peel or fade.
As for the drawbacks? Well, these stains come in a fairly limited colour palette typically restricted to earthy tones such as tans, browns and terra cottas.
The colours are also unpredictable. The colour you see in the tin can be different to the colour you end up with because the staining relies on chemical reactions. Colours can also be blotchy in their intensity.
Bigger issues stem from the use of hydrochloric acid. Acid based stains must be applied by trained professionals familiar with COSHH working practices. As such, while product costs for acid based stains are comparable to those of paint, labour costs are invariably higher.
Acid based chemical stains also give off unpleasant odours which can linger and they are messy.
After their application, the treated surface must be neutralized with a mild alkaline detergent. After that, the surface must be washed with liberal amounts of clean water.
Acid based chemical stains are also unsuitable for detailed work as the colour tends to weep into surrounding areas.
Related posts – Colours with Concrete Advantages, Water Based Colour Stains.
