What would you do? patio install

essex_grl

OK. So new patio put in 2 months back. Landscaper has been in business for 40 yrs and has worked for family. Sandstone laid, all great, until a few weeks in where white marks start to appear. They come back and tell me it's salt, it will wear off or to use a salt remover. Fine.. but there is no salt remover for sandstone and further research points me to it being reflective staining.

Do I get them back again? It's worse than it was when they viewed it before. It's now on 100% of the slabs. Picture only shows a small part of the patio. This cost us thousands to have laid.

Rosa_Damascena

Don't panic yet, it is indeed effluorescence.

essex_grl

Rosa_Damascena said:

Don't panic yet, it is indeed effluorescence.

Really?? How the hell do I get rid of it?

Jeepers_Creepers

Get rid of it? It's gorgeous.

You'll miss it when it's gone.

GDB2222

I like it, but I guess that sandstone is supposed to be yellowish, so you don't like it? 

If it's salt, does it wash off? 

essex_grl

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Get rid of it? It's gorgeous.

You'll miss it when it's gone.

Yep, get rid of it! I want the smooth plain grey I thought I was getting! Not this mottled mess.

essex_grl

GDB2222 said:

I like it, but I guess that sandstone is supposed to be yellowish, so you don't like it? 

If it's salt, does it wash off? 

Nope. Doesn't rinse off or scrub off or jet wash off.

FreeBear

essex_grl said:

GDB2222 said:

I like it, but I guess that sandstone is supposed to be yellowish, so you don't like it? 

If it's salt, does it wash off? 

Nope. Doesn't rinse off or scrub off or jet wash off.

If you have a discrete hidden area, try a drop of acid - I'd start with something mild like vinegar (acetic acid) first. Be careful with stronger acids sold as "patio cleaners" as they can often leave a brown rust stain that nothing will shift.

Quorden

It's efflorescence, occurs naturally in sandstone slabs and from memory trying to wash, jet it off only makes it worse as it's caused by some form of salt deposit after evaporation of moisture within the stone. 

Good news is that over time the evaporation should stop, the salt residue rubs off and you're momentarily left with how you want them, until the process starts all over again.

There are specific chemical cleaners out there for this, just google them, but be careful and test a patch first.

essex_grl

I tried vinegar, it didn't do anything. I did find one salt cleaner that might be safe on sandstone. I'll have to buy that and see what it does if anything.

I'm not convinced it is salt but staining from the mortar underneath not being in contact 100% of the way underneath.

Monsternextdoor

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Get rid of it? It's gorgeous.

You'll miss it when it's gone.

I agree it's absolutely beautiful.

Its funny how people want natural stone building materials and then when it behaves like it naturally should they complain that it is shoddy workmanship, forgetting that this stone has been made over millions of years and then quarried and cut for building projects.

Mother nature does not follow the rules of building.