Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized minerals or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar, one of the most common minerals in the Earth's crust as well as calcite, gypsum or various iron compounds. Like sand, sandstone has a granular texture and may be found in almost any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colours of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.
Sandstone is available in tiles, slabs and blocks, in finishes ranging from natural and calibrated, to honed, polished and flamed. Sandstone is a very versatile material, applicable for most types applications, including wall and flooring.
Sandstone flooring is porous and prone to scratching, staining and fracturing. Sandstone also needs to be allowed to breath instead of being covered by synthetic sealers or urethane. Tile Cleaners® experienced technicians offer the best solutions to protect your sandstone by using highly penetrating impregnating sealers.
The primary cause for polished stone floors becoming dull is foot traffic. Prolonged foot traffic grinds and packs in dust, sand, and grit. Although the scratching that occurs is very fine, it eventually covers the majority of the surface and over time dulls the finish to the point where it loses its reflective properties. To make your stone surfaces smooth and reflective, we employ the use of high speed polishers.
All natural stone is porous to different degrees. To protect your sandstone an impregnating sealer should be applied which is similar to a topical sealer but doesn't create a film on top of the stone, instead it sits within the stones pores. The idea of using sealers on stone surface is to prevent water from penetrating the porous structure of sandstone, which eventually leads to stains, cracks, weathering, and deterioration. Sealing your tiles and/or grout helps prevent & reduce staining by providing a barrier against stain carrying substances.
Professional regular maintenance will be required to maintain the honed or polished appearance of sandstone. Sandstone looks best with a honed or low/medium sheen appearance however many people also insist on a high shine finish. 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 when repeated too often.
- Pros
- Durable
- Easy to clean
- less expensive than marble and granite
- moisture-resistant
- Cons
- Feels cold and hard under-foot
- It requires sealing
- It reacts to acid
We provide specialised sealing, cleaning and restoration solutions for all Sandstone surfaces
To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, call 1300 771 201 today or use our online enquiry form