Painting patio slabs...

The_stingemeister

...with heavy lichen on them! Was googling something else and painting discoloured patio slabs came up. What a brilliant solution, my garden is completely let down by them. However, they are riddled with lichen. so would the paint hide it, or even kill it? I have tried the backbreaking job of scrubbing them, first with detergent then a trial with just two slabs with bleach (I know you're not suppose to). The lichen has come back on one of slabs, and started on the other (did it over 12 months ago). I'm guessing painting them would probably mask the lichen quite well. But would it seep through eventually? Would be happy enough if it looked decent for 4+ years.

-taff

Maybe this will be of some help

https://www.pavingexpert.com/maintain_03

I wouldn't think painitng over a living thing is going to kill it unless you paint it with something designed to kill it.

Mojisola

Might as well learn to love your lichen - it's evidence that you live in a clean air area and will keep coming back.

Alfrescodave

Have you tried pressure washing them? Hire one to see how effective it is and if that works then buy one.

stragglebod

You need to kill it with sodium hypochlorite (household bleach is basically diluted SH). You might be able to get it from a pool supplies company. If they also sell snooker cues, you've got the wrong pool supplies company

The_stingemeister

Alfrescodave said:

Have you tried pressure washing them? Hire one to see how effective it is and if that works then buy one.

If bleach and a wire brush won't work then pressure washing won't.

The_stingemeister

stragglebod said:

You need to kill it with sodium hypochlorite (household bleach is basically diluted SH). You might be able to get it from a pool supplies company. If they also sell snooker cues, you've got the wrong pool supplies company

The bleach sort of worked, but then the lichen came back. Although the slabs still didn't look great...a washed out look to them. Maybe if treated regularly the lichen could be kept at bay, but for me it's a once every 5 year job (not every few months).

Davesnave

I'm liking my lichen and wouldn't particularly care to blast it with chemicals, but does painting slabs work permanently, or do they need a repaint every so often? I want to change mine from yellowish Bath stone colour to grey, but that seems not to be an option with the colour charts I've seen so far....

Sorry to thread hitch, but it doesn't seem worth a new one.