How to Protect Sandstone Flagging in Cold Months?

As you probably know, sandstones have been commonly used for decorative artworks and housewares for thousands of years. It is known as one of the most long-lasting and refined materials around, so if you have a garden bench, wall fountain, paving or maybe barbeque made of it, it is important to know how to protect it during cold months. 

Sandstone comes in many colours, but the most common ones are brown, black, yellow, red, grey, tan, pink and white. This variety of colours gives numerous options to embellish your exterior, and if you already have a sandstone patio, let’s take a look at how to protect it in cold months. 

Sandstone looks truly gorgeous, but many people have trouble protecting it during cold winter months. There are several ways to solve this problem, and if you are not sure how you can always choose professional sandstone landscapers to help you.

1. Clean Your Patio

Now that you already have this nice entrance to the courtyard, you want to keep it nice and clean. It’s not just about visually appealing, cleaning has an important role in sandstone flagging protection.

First, make sure to clean your pavement. Any rain, frost or ice can damage sandstone, so before taking further care, sweep the patio. This should be done to prevent algae, fungus or mould from forming. These little threats can jeopardise your sandstone when spring comes. There are multiple products for algae removal on the market, so choose the best one for you and begin.

Sandstone needs to be washed under the pressure, to assure it is completely clean, and even the smallest particles of rubbish are cleared away. If you don’t do this step properly, it can damage your pavement, or remove sealers.

2. Re-Seal the Sandstone

When you are done with pressure washing, it is important to leave it to dry for one day, at least, and when it’s completely dry, it should be re-sealed. Recomendable time for that is once in 3 years. 

Your sandstone flagging will be protected from general dirt, water-based staining, erosion from the cold weather, and chipping as well, by an impregnating sealer.

Any area filled with water can be a risk to damage the sandstone, so prevention is the most important. If the water fills in the cracks in your patio, it can freeze during winter, and it is a bigger danger to the nice pathways, and besides that, it can be very slippery. That’s why it is so important to do all the steps previously from sweeping, washing and resealing, and your sandstone will be protected.

Oil stains are a common problem in courtyards, and they are extremely hard to clean, besides the fact, there are many products on the market for this trouble. So, the best solution is prevention. You can choose some sealers that can give your sandstone a nice finish, but also protect it from oil, water, stain and grease. 

3. Be Careful with the shovel

During the snowy winter, we all need to roll up our sleeves and take a shovel from time to time, and it can damage our sandstone flagging severely. Recommended would be to use a shovel with a rubber or plastic head. This will greatly reduce the chance to harm your patio, and you will be able to clean the snow, yet.

4. Avoid Rock Salt 

This may remove the ice in the winter, but it causes more harm than good. It can seep into cracks and freeze, which we want to avoid. In general, it is not recommendable to use any salts mixed with rainwater at all. Instead of those rubber anti-slip mats, they will give you the grip that you need to get where you want in your yard. Don’t forget to move them regularly to prevent any build-up of dirt algae underneath.

Get Ready for Cold Days

Now when you know all these tips and tricks, you are ready for cold weather. Rain, snow, no matter what, this guide will help you protect your sandstone flagging. Just as you probably know by now, think in advance and don’t wait until the last moment.
But, if you still haven’t finished everything that needs to be done to make your sandstone flagging stay unharmed during the cold winter, or have some doubts, we will be more than happy to help you.