Kota Black Limestone patio.... (or should i go Kandla Grey Sandstone?)

[whoschuffed]

Hi all, will be getting a black limestone patio fitted in the coming weeks and I want to do everything possible to make sure I don't end up with something that looks awful once its laid (as i've seen a few posts online showing washed out, grey patios).

Should I be sealing the limestone before its been laid? What type of grouting/filler is best to use? I've seen various sites mentioning the use of a good sealer so that is top of my list.

I won't be laying it myself but i'm just wary that Black Limestone could end up looking pretty crap once its laid however if done correctly it should be fine. Is it difficult to achieve good finishes with it? Or should I just change the type of stone and go for something like Kandla Grey Sandstone instead?

 

[r896neo]

I would Definately go kandla grey. (i have at my own home). Its the best indian sandstone in my opinion as its one of the hardest. This makes it less riven than the softer ones and more importantly it is less prous so stays cleaner longer.

The other major issue is installation quality. Limestone of any sort can be very problematic in terms of cement staining. You can not use any type of acid near limestone so the inevitable pointing splashes and cement smudges can not be cleaned off easily.

If the contractor is neat and high quality then this is not an issue as he will keep it scrupulously clean as he goes cleaning off any smudges as they occur. because of the cement issue pointing is more commonly done with resins on limestone.

There is an excellent page on limestone sealers on the paving expert site. I would always seal paving 6-8 weeks after laying. Sealing beforehand can leave sealer on the edges of the paving and stop pointing adhereing to the stone

 

[whoschuffed]

Hi mate, thank for your reply. We've now had the patio laid yesterday. Are there any sealers that you would recommend for Kandla Grey stone? Going to look at doing it in 6-8 weeks like you said.

 

[r896neo]

Good sealer aren't cheap but will probably be effective for 5-10 years. Its not essential to do especially with riven kandla grey. It will make cleaner easier and it will stop marks from grease, oil etc. (I haven't and dont plan to seal my own as cleaning it twice a year is very easy and cheap with hypochlorite mix)

If you do want to then use a quality impregnator like dry treat or lithofin stain stop.