To seal, or not to seal

[PoshTwit]

Recently had some lovely sandstone paving laid and want to now give it a good clean before winter sets in to remove the stubborn cement marks, etc.

I've seen it recommended that it should be sealed after cleaning to help prevent staining, etc. How true is this?

Its natural stone, not a concrete product, so its lasted a few hundred thousand years without getting stained already...

Marketing fluff on the bottle aside, what benefits are there really to sealing stone?

Ta!

[PoshTwit]

Anyone?

[flyingjase]

I have just sealed my blasted sandstone patio. I can't really give too much insight as I have only just done it, except to say that it is definitely easier to clean now. When you get marks on the patio, they now come off with a simple hose down rather than full on pressure washing.

It cost me £300 to get someone else to do it (230 m2 of patio) so I felt that was worth the investment.

[PoshTwit]

Thanks!

Seems it is worthwhile then.

[Busa mav]

Having seen first hand how impossible it is to remove a mark from a natural stone indoors , I would definitely seal them.

A small felt tip mark was rubbed with a damp cloth and before I knew it the stain was 3 times the size and was now deep into the stone .

Waste paper bin is not allowed to move

[PoshTwit]

Must be a bit odd having a bin in the middle of the kitchen floor though...

Will be strictly enforcing rule of "no colouring" on patio for his 2-year-old-ness!

[Simpo Two]

We live in a funny world. I have a wooden 'worktop' which dents if you drop something on it. My neighbours have a Corian worktop which dents if you drop something on it, you have a stone patio you can't walk on for fear of getting it dirty... how did those mediaeval types cope eh?

[PoshTwit]

Its not a patio, its a Lanscaping "feature"!

Seriously though, I have been sweeping it every weekend since its been down - bit anal like that!

Know what you mean - as I said at the start, its managed the past few hundred thousand years ok

[herewego]

I'm sure it's never looked clean before though. I expect you should leave it to develop a natural weathered look.

[juice]

I wouldn't bother - just get one of these...Fantastic bits of kit.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-T-Racer-Clean...