Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains, including quartz, calcite, gypsum or various iron compounds. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone has a granular texture and may be found in almost any color, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow, red, gray, pink, and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colors of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.
Many older buildings have durable Sandstone flooring. This is the chalky porous type typical of most French and Spanish Sandstone. Etched by acids, including soft drinks. Absorbs oils and other liquids and is more easily stained than marble. Composed of Calcite and some Magnesium. Common colors are black, gray, white, yellow and brown. Has a smooth granular surface. Varies in hardness. Should be sealed with a penetrating sealer to prevent staining and reduce soiling. Should only be cleaned with neutral pH detergents. Because it is soft, it should never be cleaned at pressures above 800 PSI and then only if the grout is in good condition.
Professional regular maintenance will be required to maintain its honed or polished appearance. Sandstone looks best with a honed or low/medium sheen appearance however some people insist on a high shine finish. Sandstone will never have the gloss of marble or granite. Some low calcite Sandstone can be extremely difficult to polish and therefore vitrification would be required. Vitrification however can give the stone an unnatural plastic appearance if repeated too often.Sandstone can be highly porous - a tablespoon of water on a Sandstone surface will be absorbed in seconds, although it does vary in porosity from piece to piece. Porosity is also affected by its finish - highly polished Sandstone is a little harder to penetrate than Sandstone with a honed (matt) finish.
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Due to its high porosity it is particularly important for Sandstone to be sealed with a high quality impregnating sealer which will not affect its slip resistance or look. Sandstone is used both outdoors and indoors, and our impregnating sealers will seal Sandstone equally well in either.
Sandstone can be difficult to maintain if a proper maintenance cycle is not put in place from the point of installation. As it is usually not polished, the problem of scratching is not as big an issue as it is with marble, however if proper barrier matting is not introduced even a honed surface will lose its attractiveness. The most important factor to consider with the maintenance of Sandstone is the possibility of staining.
Sandstone's calcite composition makes it susceptible to acid attack from spilt food and drink. Its high porosity can also mean oil will permeate the surface and leave staining if it is not properly sealed with a penetrating / impregnating sealer.
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