Your Ultimate Guide to Sandstone Pressure Cleaning

As your professional sandstone pressure cleaner on the Gold Coast we know that there are a lot of different methods, products and tools out in the market place, depending on the types of staining and treatments your sandstone has had and also whether it is walls of floor surfacing. This blog will hopefully save you some homework when it comes to cleaning your sandstone floor surfacing.

So exactly what is Sandstone?

Before pressure cleaning sandstone its important to understand what it is. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.

It is THE MOST commonly found and well know sedimentary rock in the WORLD. Due to the impurities of sandstone it has created a wide range of colours from yellows, oranges and browns! (Important to note that no matter how much you pressure clean your sandstone it may never look like your neighbours!)

Benefits of Australian Sandstone? Now we know what it is – why do we use it!

Australian sandstone remains one of the very few building products which increased in value over time! Its a stunning natural stone, probably my favourite behind bluestone, that last a lifetime and like a good wine it only gets better with time.

Sandstone is extremely resilient – it is the ideal material to withstand the harsh climate of our country. Hundred year old buildings created from this natural stone have stood the test of time – Sydney University comes to mind!

Prep work for Pressure Cleaning Sandstone!

Depending if your stone is brand new or has had a few birthdays it will need different types of treatments! It is extremely important to bring the surface up clean enough to maximise the penetration of the sealer, this level of cleanliness achieved in this process is the NUMBER 1 BIGGEST MISTAKE people make when DIY’ing. But dont make another mistake by over pressure cleaning – keep a very close eye that no damage is being done to the stone as each piece of stone has its own characteristics.

If your Sandstone surface is over three years old and never been sealed allow enough time and cleaner for 2 pressure cleans, this will allow for effective removal of any contaminants off the surface allowing for the penetrative sealer to get as deep as possible in turn lasting longer as it is deeper in the sandstone.

Ideally the stone has been cared for right from the get go, if you know or feel that it hasn’t, Astute Asset Management can assess your Sandstone and advise the best course of actions with a free assessment and quote.

Call us anytime on 07 5609 6698 for your FREE professional Sandstone Pressure Cleaning quote.

Lets begin Sandstone Pressure Cleaning!

Once you have all the tools, equipment and products on hand sweep off any loose matter that is sitting on the surface. An blower is great for this! Using the right cleaner for the staining, apply the clear at the right ratio as per the instructions (Hot water works best for organic stain cleaning).

The BIGGEST TIP I can give here is to let the cleaner sit on the surface as long as possible (without letting it dry out) as most cleaners work best when given 10-30 mins to bite into the staining. This also ensures that over pressure is prevented as the cleaner has done all the heavy removal and the pressure cleaner can run as soft as needed to protect again damage.

If you feel it needs a second clean follow the above steps after allowing the surface to completely dry out, puddles of water sitting on the surface can effect the ratio of the cleaner & can show up in the end finish.

What to know when sealing your Sandstone?

Not often, but it does happen, the sandstone could have been sealed with the wrong sealer – lets face it there are so many on the market its hard to know which one to choose right? Well not for us – here at Astute Asset Management we keep in ming the natural PH and softness of the stone combines with our experience, knowledge and training we can offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee to make sure your job will be stripped, cleaned and even resealed in the sealer for your sandstone.

We do not recommend sealing the surface yourself as there are too many variants to cover, here is our licence applicator explainer video.

How to Protect your Sandstone from Graffiti 

Sandstone Retaining Wall

You have made a smart investment by using sandstone  as its the natural stone that lasts a lifetime! BUT one thing it cannot protect itself again is vandalism – specifically Graffiti. Thats why we offer Anti-Graffiti coatings to suit your sandstone. We are often asked about the advantages and disadvantages of permanent graffiti coating Vs semi sacrificial anti-graffiti coasting – and here it is

• While permeant anti-graffiti coasting sound like a good idea on porous surfaces, they generally do not last as a long term solution. over several years of installation permanent coasting tend to visually degrade due to several causes;
  • UV Lights degradation
  • Rising Damp (water trapped)
  • Incorrect preparation / application
• The combination of the above elements effect leaves the wall looking
  • Tired
  • Blisetered
  • ofter yellowish
  • and frequently the bonding breaks between substrate and the permanent coating – “highly likely with sandstone”
• Depending on the environment where works are to be carried out,  High Risk – food prep, kids play areas or Low Risk – Footpaths,  building facade,  we determine the type of cleaners to be used.
  High risk area product for cleaning should be DAS approved (food grade quality). These approved products should be:
  • Non-Flammable,
  • Non-Toxic,
  • Non-Corrosive,
  • Non-Hazardous,
  • Non-Acidic,
  • Biodegradable,
  • Low Odor,
  • Safest Alternative,
  • High Performance,
  • Economical Application,
  • Hygienic,
  • Gentle on surfaces and Easy to use.
• For more information on our Graffiti Management services click here

Call us anytime on 07 5609 6698 for your FREE professional Sandstone Pressure Cleaning quote.

Click here for the best Sandstone Cleaners on the Gold Coast

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