All Sandstone is highly porous - a tablespoon of water on natural sandstone surface may 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.
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.
We cover all Sunshine Coast suburbs and all Maleny area