Bluestone is a deep blue-gray natural stone, which is quarried in New York & Pennsylvania consisting of a mixture of sand compound & quartz particles. Bluestone is a highly porous stone that allows surface stains to penetrate deep into the stone. It will accumulate organic stains from dirt, bird droppings, and mildew in a very short period of time. Efflorescence is also a problem frequently experienced.
It is important to clean & seal Bluestone if you want it to look good for an extended period of time. To maintain the natural look & slip resistance it is important to use ONLY a high quality, invisible impregnating sealer known as Surface Saver Sealer.
Unfortunately there are many inexperienced applicators out there that don’t understand the chemistry of sealers & apply the wrong types to Bluestone. Application of an improper sealer often results in costly outcomes & sometimes cannot be fixed at all. This is why it’s important to hire a professional applicator.
Home improvement stores simply do not carry the right types of sealer for Bluestone. Many of the products sold at these stores are silicone-based film forming sealants. They are the worst sealers you can ever put on Bluestone when you live in a climate such as Michigan which experiences freezing temperatures.
Never apply a wet look film forming sealer to Bluestone. Film forming sealants build a surface film that will turn cloudy in a short period of time. The film blocks water vapor from escaping. If water vapor is trapped at the surface of the Bluestone & cannot escape, it will suffer spalling, flaking & surface deterioration. Bluestone is expensive so avoiding replacement of damaged stone is crucial.
The best way to maintain exterior Bluestone in Michigan is to apply a penetrating, impregnating product known as Surface Saver Sealer. It contains a blend of silanes & siloxanes, which form an invisible barrier to block the capillaries in Bluestone & mortar joints. This causes external moisture to repel rather than enter the surface. Since the passageways are not entirely blocked, they allow water vapor from within to escape. Sealing will make cleaning & removing stains much easier while protecting the integrity of the Bluestone.
Request an estimate at surfacerestoration.com/contact or 248-475-0004
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