Black Limestone Paving Nightmare!!!!! Please help!!!!

[Unregistered]

Hello,

I have just laid black indian limestone in my garden. I am halfway through grouting it all but tested the jet washer on the finished bits to see how it came out. Unfortunaley the slabs don't look any different. There are sandy patches (even though i got all the excess cement off the slabs) all over the tile, and even the dust from when cutting the tiles appears to have absorbed into the slabs. The guy i bought it off supplied me with a sealer to put on after i grouted and cleaned the tiles and said everything will go black. However, after spraying water over the finished slabs, the tiles go black but all the marks still show through.

Please help!!! I don't know how to fix this.

Thanks.

 

[DHTiling]

They should have been sealed before grouting..

You might need to use a residue remover..

 

[Unregistered]

Wow, that was a quick reply!!
Any idea what residue remover to use?
Thanks

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[DHTiling]

I will go look.. some are not suitable for limestones

 

[DHTiling]

The residue that you have.. how bad is it... could realy do with a pic..

If you join then we can have a look and ten recommned son=mething to correct this..

 

[Cheeseboy7]

Hi, i've now registered and attached a picture. Unfortunately, couldn't load the original because file too big but took a picture of the original on my phone. Not the best quality but gives you an idea. The darker bit is water on the slabs.

Thanks

 

[DHTiling]

OOO not nice...

The dark is emphasising it i think.. Can you take some more tomorrow unless you have some daylight ones,,then they need resizing to no bigger than 2400x1200

 

[Scott]

How big an area is it?

 

[Cheeseboy7]

I've resized it! this one's better.

Area is 34m squared.

Thanks

 

[DHTiling]

Jesus..

Ok that is one badly stained area...


With it being Black limestone i was worried about etching it when recommending a cleaner.. but that is well stained..

were you not advised to seal first..?

 

[Cheeseboy7]

No. The guy sold me a sealer to put on after the slabs were laid a grouted. A sealer would have sorted it i assume. Is it fixable?

Thanks

 

[DHTiling]

Yes, the sealer should have gone first and would have prevented the grout clinging to the surface..

Ok.. some products to try...


NanoScrub®

Aqua Mix NanoScrub® is an abrasive cream cleaner designed to work where other cleaners won’t. It utilizes NanoSTG (nano-sized particles) to penetrate into small surface pores where it can effectively work to remove surface stains and residues. Effective for cleaning all stone and tile surfaces. Also removes factory applied waxes and floor finishes, coating sealers, light grout residue (including epoxy), rubber and pencil marks, light mineral deposits, ground-in dirt and most sealer residues. NanoScrub is nontoxic, non-flammable and non-acidic.

Uses:

Porcelain, ceramic, polished and unpolished natural stone (such as granite, limestone, marble, slate, and travertine), grout, quarry, saltillo, terra cotta, cement pavers, masonry surfaces, and other stone, tile and grout surfaces.


More Information


Price: £9.99 £11.74 Including VAT at 17.5%

Try this first..

and if no joy then this..

qua Mix Phosphoric Acid Substitute is a premixed acidic treatment designed to remove grout haze, mineral deposits, rust stains, mortar smears, and efflorescence. Effective for the removal of most hard water stains, lime deposits, and soap scum. Also removes cement grout and mortar residue from tile, concrete, and masonry. Etches concrete. No VOCs, No phosphates.

Aqua Mix No VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) formulas help provide better indoor and outdoor air quality compared to similar traditional products.

Uses:
Acid resistant natural stone (such as granite and slate), ceramic, porcelain, quarry, saltillo, terra cotta, and other acid resistant tile and stone.


More Information


Price: £6.35 £7.46 Including VAT at 17.5%


Please follow all the instructions and hopefully it can be saved... Black limestone is one you have to be careful with when grouting and the advice you got from the supplier was wrong.

Try those and let us know how you get on...

if they work pretty good then you can use another product to darken the end result and bring some colour back..

State-of-the-art Polycure technology

Aqua Mix - Enrich'N'Seal is a premium, no-sheen, enhanced-look penetrating sealer

Formulated to darken, enrich and highlight the character and beauty of unsealed natural stone.

It rejuvenates the colour and improves the appearance of worn and weathered stone.

- May used as a pre-grouting sealer
- Allows moisture-vapour transmission
- Effectively seals and darkens the colour of grout joints.


Use on unsealed natural stone such as:
- Marble
- Granite
- Slate
- Limestone
- Travertine
- Quartzite
- Sandstone

Effective for interior and exterior applications.

Warning - Once enhanced, stone cannot be restored to original color appearance

Coverage: 12 - 35 Sq M per coat per 946ml bottle (depends on material)

Expected life/wear: Up to 15 years


Data Sheet pdf

Price: £49.39 £58.03 Including VAT at 17.5%:welcome:

 

[Scott]

Gonna need a LOT of cleaner

 

[DHTiling]

Gonna need a LOT of cleaner

Certainly is... but hopefully we can help..that is some staining..

 

[Cheeseboy7]

Thanks for all the help.

When the slabs are all wet they don't look too bad at all. If i put the sealer on top (without using your suggested cleaners) will they stay black? I paid £50 for a couple of litres of white liquid (said to mix 50/50 with water) which the guy said will make the slabs go black. I don't know what it is becuase he put it in a couple of water bottles. He said the slabs would turn blue and then back to black once dry and not to worry. I don't think he was trying to pull a fast one becuase he got a reputable landscaping customer.

Cheers

 

[White Room]

Sbr has a blue tinge against black until it dries

 

[DHTiling]

Try the liquid in an inconspicuous area first..

Then see how it dries... that's all i can recommend on that really but worth a try..

 

[Cheeseboy7]

Thanks both for all your help/suggestions. Really, really appreciated. I'll report back on my results.

 

[DHTiling]

Please do as this adds to info for others to follow.

 

[Cheeseboy7]

Hi,

Spoke to the guy who sold me the slabs. He said he reckoned i'd get the stains out with a heavy duty pressure washer. He said that's what he uses. I reckon my pressure washer may not be strong enough.

What do you think? shall i try this before the cleaner?

Thanks

 

[Olz]

Ask him to lend you his, im not convinced, the products dave has suggested are the way to go in my opinion, I really hope you manage to get it sorted mate, it would be tragic if that was ruined after your hard work.

 

[nybor62]

is this the same guy who sold you the sealer ,to put on after you grouted,
sounds like he aint got a clue , take the advice dave as given you first , ok pal
and good luck

 

[Gazzatile]

Have you asked him to come and clean it for you as he gave you the wrong info save you having to do it all yourself

 

[PaulCollins]

hi there.

i have a similar issue, although nowhere near as badly stained.
going to try the products Dave suggested (how did you get on with those btw?)

also wondered if anyone could recommend a good sealer for black limestone - there are plenty on offer but i'm sure some are much better than others.

thanks..

 

[doug boardley]

hi there.

i have a similar issue, although nowhere near as badly stained.
going to try the products Dave suggested (how did you get on with those btw?)

also wondered if anyone could recommend a good sealer for black limestone - there are plenty on offer but i'm sure some are much better than others.

thanks..

LTP is the brand I use, check it out here
LTP Online

 

[Unregistered]

I really wish people would post the results.... You read all the suggestions but never find out the outcome!

 

[Heinrich]

Your going to need a ph neutral cleaner, you can get them from Amazon a stiff broom and don’t use mortar to fill the joints, use something called easy joint, it’s between £30-40 per tub, sets with water.
But all of this apart from the jointing needs to be done in a couple of weeks.
Wet the Slavs before laying them too as it helps stop muck from getting in.
But it’s just going to take a good scrub wit a PH NEUTRAL cleaner.

 

[Creighton280965]

As a stone practitioner, I suggest that limestone should not be sealed or cleaned with alkaline materials. You can refer to this article.