Barbecue season is upon us, and so are thoughts of dining and entertaining al fresco. Having a beautiful outdoor space to impress your guests is a must.
You will want them to see your landscaped patio and pathways, and appreciate the textures and colours of the warm stone. But what if you have been neglecting your patio and path maintenance?
Thankfully, we have some top tips so your guests, or nosy neighbours, can admire your Indian sandstone paving.
Start with a good sweep
Temporarily clear the area of all furniture, toys and pot plants. Then, using a hard-bristled brush, get rid of fallen leaves, bird droppings and loose debris. Regular brushing is recommended for basic paving maintenance.
Weed out the unwanted foliage
Life thrives in the strangest of places, especially in cracks between paving slabs. Moss, weeds and the occasional wild flower might have found themselves a home on your patio.
Hand pulling the weeds and moss is a first step, although for more stubborn greenery, weedkiller might be required. Be careful of pets and children when using chemical weedkillers.
Soap, water and scrubbing
Once the weeding is done, a little eco-friendly washing up liquid in warm water and a brush will rid the stone of all but the most stubborn of stains.
A hard-bristle brush and some elbow grease might be needed if the patio hasn’t had much attention recently.
Remove stubborn stains
White vinegar mixed with water in a 1:1 ratio is also recommended for cleaning some patios.
Be careful only to use it on difficult areas such as oil or food-based staining. If used in other areas, it may discolour the sandstone, one of the main reasons Indian sandstone is prized.
Indian sandstone can be eroded by acidic chemicals, so use this method very sparingly and avoid damaging plants with vinegar, too. Remember to rinse off the vinegar with clean water.
Pressure washing
For more hard-to-shift grime, and as an excellent time saver, power hosing can rid your patio of dirt.
However, a note of caution, because the sandstone is a sedimentary rock, it can be prone to damage under high or focused settings on a pressure washer. To prevent damage, use a lower setting and a wider spray.
Another issue with power hosing is the impact on the jointing sand or cement, which may need replacing if the power hosing is too vigorous. The materials between the slabs are vital to maintain the integrity of the path or patio and stop the stone from shifting too much.
Reseal the sandstone
Patio sealant can prevent damage to your Indian sandstone and make it last for much longer. It is particularly useful for paths and patios that see heavy foot traffic or a lot of plant debris.
In addition to increasing longevity, sealing the sandstone slabs helps to keep the jointing materials in place and reduces the need for repairs. Usually, resealing is only needed every three years unless there is a lot of wear and tear.
Once your patio is resealed and your potted plants replaced in their positions, your patio is ready for guests. Time to set up the sunshades, dust off the garden furniture and light the barbecue.
