Indian Stone Paving, also known as Indian Sandstone or Indian Slabbing, is a popular choice for driveways, patios, and many other outdoor surfaces. This is due to its versatility, durability, and the unique look it brings to its surroundings. The upkeep of Indian Stone is also fairly simple, which is a big selling point.
Given the proper care and attention, your Indian Stone paving will continue to add to your property for years to come. Therefore, it is best that you understand what maintenance is needed to keep Indian Stone looking presentable, as well as the best ways to clean it, including what not to do to avoid unwanted damage and potentially expensive repairs.
What is Indian Stone?
Indian Stone is loved by many due to its natural beauty. It is known for its rich colours of beige, brown, grey, green, and even pink, with each slab containing its unique veining and patterns. The sedimentary rock it’s comprised of has a relatively soft composition, making it ideal for driveways, patios, outdoor dining areas, and pathways.
How Does the Indian Stone Age?
All outdoor materials age and become weathered over time, requiring general maintenance to ensure they remain in good working order. Regular footfall can cause Indian Stone to become discoloured over time, and continuous exposure to the elements means that moss and debris will build up, requiring tougher cleaning to remove. However, Indian Stone, along with being easy to maintain, can last for decades if you look after it.
A Professional Surfacing Company’s Top Tips for Indian Stone Paving Maintenance
Indian Stone is simple to maintain, but you must do it—otherwise, prolonged neglect could compromise the look and functionality of your paving. To keep your Indian Stone paving in top condition, we recommend:
- Regularly sweeping to prevent a build-up of dirt and debris.
- Scraping between slabs to remove weeds.
- Replacing jointing sand that has become dislodged.
- Applying a sealer to protect from stains and enhance colour and re-seal every 1 to 2 years depending on foot traffic and exposure.
- Avoiding the use of harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaning tools.
The Safest Way to Clean Indian Stone and How to Do It
For most common dirt and grime that builds up on Indian Stone, a simple stiff brush and warm soapy water will suffice. Follow the steps below to properly clean Indian Stone using this method:
- Make sure there is enough soap in the mixture to become frothy.
- Remove furniture and sweep the area beforehand.
- Pour the solution onto the slabs to be cleaned and leave it to sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Using a stiff brush, scrub the stone, paying attention to the corners, gaps, and borders. Use a wire brush on lichen buildup.
- Rinse the area with clean water, and if the dirt is a little more stubborn, repeat the above steps.
In some instances, you may need to use a bleach solution to remove more stubborn dirt, moss, and algae. If this is the case, household bleach will do the trick. You can follow all of the above steps, but when it comes to making up your mixture, make sure you dilute with equal parts water, and at the end, wait an extra 15 minutes before rinsing.
Pressure Washers and Indian Stone
If used correctly, a pressure washer can be an excellent way to clean Indian Stone paving, particularly if you have large areas to treat. Precautions need to be taken, however, to find the right setting and hold it at the right angle to avoid damage. As mentioned previously, Indian Stone is relatively soft, so a powerful pressure washer could potentially erode some of the stone along with the contaminants. Ensure that you choose a low setting and hold the jet stream diagonally to the surface of the stone rather than parallel.
Precautions to Take when Cleaning Indian Stone
Avoid using harsh chemicals and cleaning products on your Indian Stone driveway or patio, or anything that contains iron. Using cleaning products that contain iron can lead to rust, which will further discolour your paving. Plus, harsher chemicals that promise to remove fungus can potentially discolour the stone permanently.
Premier Surfacing: Your Specialists in Indian Stone Paving for Driveways and Patios
If you’re considering Indian Stone for your driveway or patio, then Premier Surfacing has the knowledge and expertise to not only fit a beautiful outdoor surface but also provide you with the know-how on how to keep it looking beautiful for years to come.
We are a surfacing company that takes pride in offering Indian Stone and Slabbing Services that can transform your outdoor space, serving areas from Stoke-on-Trent to Market Drayton and many other areas within Staffordshire and Shropshire.
If you would like to speak to a specialist surfacing company about Indian Stone, or any other type of outdoor surface, then contact us today, and let’s chat about your project.
