A white powder that bleeds trough the cement, grout, bricks and concrete walls and floors. That white residue is called efflorescence. it is the lime and calcium that gets brought to the surface by way or evaporation as the stones dry the water rises to the top and so is the white powder from the cement within the paving stones and retaining walls.
The solution to remove it isn’t many, there are some products that could remove it but at the same time you could damage the finish on the stones. Best to let a professional decide how to and to what products to use.
There are many manufactures of sealers, from solvents to acrylic urethane. Epoxies, acrylic, and urethane sealers come in water-based versions and solvent-based versions, including combinations of both. The biggest difference between the two is the VOC content. The sheen and life of the product determines how often it lasts before needing to be reapplied. Solvent-based acrylics tend yellow overtime and don’t allow the concrete breathe. Epoxies are the strongest sealers, but are best used for smoother surfaces and more for indoor or warehouse floor application. The best sealers for paving stones are water-based urethane. They are algae and mold inhibitors, allow superior joint stabilization, they are environmentally safe, its UV Protection will not harm vegetation, and it is VOC Compliant in all 50 States. Well-trained Gappsi personnel can apply paving stone sealer products achieving the best results.
This driveway was constructed with a 10 inch RCA base and granite pavers were installed on one inch of fine sand. The paving stone sizes were 6”x 9”, with a flamed and tumbled texture finish. These granite pavers are 1-1/4” thick and can be used for pedestrian and vehicular trafficked areas. The joints in between the pavers were filled with polymeric sand, then compacted with a mechanical vibratory plate and sealed. To learn more about Gappsi products, please contact us at 631-543-1177 or visit our web site at www.gappsi.com
This fire pit was built with cinder block and veneered with Eldorado cultured stones. A U-Shaped sitting wall with two end columns were also installed around the fire pit. Blue stone double-sided rock faced coping were installed to complete the top of the fire pit, the walls, and columns. The columns also serve as pedestal for accent lighting, and the colors of the noce travertine for the pool patio and coping were a perfect contrast to make the fire pit area stand out.