Sandstone Sealing Bendigo

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized minerals or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar, one of the most common minerals in the Earth's crust as well as calcite, gypsum or various iron compounds. Like sand, sandstone has a granular texture and may be found in almost any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colours of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.

Sandstone is available in tiles, slabs and blocks, in finishes ranging from natural and calibrated, to honed, polished and flamed. Sandstone is a very versatile material, applicable for most types applications, including wall and flooring.

Sandstone flooring is porous and prone to scratching, staining and fracturing. Sandstone also needs to be allowed to breath instead of being covered by synthetic sealers or urethane. Tile Cleaners® experienced technicians offer the best solutions to protect your sandstone by using highly penetrating impregnating sealers.

The primary cause for polished stone floors becoming dull is foot traffic. Prolonged foot traffic grinds and packs in dust, sand, and grit. Although the scratching that occurs is very fine, it eventually covers the majority of the surface and over time dulls the finish to the point where it loses its reflective properties. To make your stone surfaces smooth and reflective, we employ the use of high speed polishers.

All natural stone is porous to different degrees. To protect your sandstone an impregnating sealer should be applied which is similar to a topical sealer but doesn't create a film on top of the stone, instead it sits within the stones pores. The idea of using sealers on stone surface is to prevent water from penetrating the porous structure of sandstone, which eventually leads to stains, cracks, weathering, and deterioration. Sealing your tiles and/or grout helps prevent & reduce staining by providing a barrier against stain carrying substances.

Professional regular maintenance will be required to maintain the honed or polished appearance of sandstone. Sandstone looks best with a honed or low/medium sheen appearance however many people also insist on a high shine finish. Some low calcite sandstone can be extremely difficult to polish and therefore vitrification would be required, vitrification however can give the stone an unnatural plastic appearance when repeated too often.

• Pros
• Durable
• Easy to clean
• less expensive than marble and granite
• moisture-resistant

• Cons
• Feels cold and hard under-foot
• It requires sealing
• It reacts to acid

We provide specialised sealing, cleaning and restoration solutions for all Sandstone surfaces

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, call 1300 771 201 today or use our online enquiry form

Sandstone can be highly porous - although porosity will vary from piece to piece a tablespoon of water on a sandstone surface will be absorbed in seconds. Porosity is also affected by the finish - highly polished sandstone is a little harder to penetrate than surfaces with a honed(matte) finish.

To provide the best possible protection from oil and water-based stains; to maintain the look and slip resistance of your sandstone and to prevent damaging moisture from being trapped within the stone, it is recommended to seal your sandstone with a high quality, invisible, fully breathable impregnating sealer.

Sandstone's calcite composition makes it susceptible to acid attack from spilt food and drink. Its high porosity can also mean oil will permeate the surface and leave stains when not properly sealed with a penetrating/impregnating sealer.

Sealing your sandstone will keep most stains suspended at the surface, sealing is the first important step towards protecting your sandstone against stains.

Two main sealing options exist for sandstone tiles

• Deep Penetrating Impregnating Sealer

(Transparent Finish/Colour Enhancing Finish)

• Topical Sealer

(Gloss/Satin/Matte Finish)

A deep penetrating impregnating sealer protects sandstone and grout from water and oil based stains by chemically reacting with the surface pores using nano-technology, creating a breathable protective barrier. An impregnating sealer protects the sandstone surface and grout from absorbing stains while also resulting in cleaning and maintenance becoming much easier. Australia's Deepshield™ range of impregnating water based sealer's, offer long term benefits lasting for up to 10 years while Deepshield™ Gold, based on the latest fluoro-bond technology lasts for up to 15 years.

A penetrating impregnating transparent sealer enters the pores of your sandstone and, once cured will not change the look of the tile or stone whereas a penetrating colour enhancing sealer is designed to enhance and enrich the natural look of stone surfaces.

Bendigo's Tile Cleaners® technicians are the experts at applying all types of sealer and will ensure your sandstone looks its absolute best. Our technicians can apply a topical sealer when especially required to create a high gloss, satin sheen or matte finish to your surfaces. Topical sealer is also helpful in situations where your old solvent based sealer can not be completely removed or when required to hide certain types of damage. Topical sealer's usually have a life expectancy of around 3 years.

1. Any surface to be sealed should be clean and looking just as you want it before it is sealed - it may be impossible to remove stains after sealing without once again having to strip the sealer. Acidic cleaners should not be used on sandstone as they will cause damage.
2. Sandstone must have no other coating such as wax or a topical sealer before it's sealed, so any such coating must be removed before sealing.
3. Floor must be thoroughly dry before applying any sealer.

Our cleaning and sealing services restore your sandstone tiles & grout to their best possible condition, and protect them for years to come

We cover all Bendigo suburbs

It is very difficult to seal sandstone against acid attack. Sandstone and other calcite based stone such as marble and travertine are prone to acid etching. Sandstone is immediately 'etched' (eaten/corroded) by any acidic material on contact - including lemon juice, cola, wine and champagne. For this reason the honed(matte) look is popular, as it doesn't show etch marks as much as polished sandstone. In any case, acidic substances should be cleaned as soon as possible.

Sandstone can be difficult to maintain if a proper maintenance cycle is not put in place from the point of installation. As it is usually not polished, the problem of scratching is not as big an issue as it is with marble, however if proper barrier matting is not introduced even a honed surface will lose its attractiveness. The most important factor to consider with the maintenance of sandstone is the possibility of staining.

Do’s:

• Clean spill right away
• Seal Sandstone floors since it's natural stone
• Place a mat at each doorway
• Use a Microfiber mop to clean floors
• Clean floors regularly

Don’ts:

• Never use bleach, ammonia or vinegar to clean Sandstone floors
• Don’t use cleaners that are acidic
• Never use an abrasive cleaner or scouring pad.

We provide specialised cleaning, stripping & sealing solutions for sandstone floors.

Our equipment can handle both domestic and commercial jobs

• Building Cleaning
• After Building, Renovation Clean
• Insurance Companies
• Side Walks
• Store Fronts
• Power Wash Awnings and Signs
• Gum and Tough Stain Removal
• Strip Malls
• Units/Condominiums
• Town Houses

We provide specialised cleaning, stripping & sealing solutions for all sandstone floor and wall tiles

Our equipment handles both residential and commercial cleaning jobs, leaving your sandstone spotless and hygienic

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, please Call 1300 771 201 or use our online enquiry form

We cover all Bendigo suburbs