Patio Cleaning
Patios need a gentler hand than a driveway, and the joints matter as much as the slab.
Indian sandstone, limestone, porcelain and old riven concrete all behave differently under pressure. Sandstone in particular holds moisture, greens up fast in a Norfolk winter and will pit if somebody hits it too hard from too close.
The other half of a patio job is the pointing. Blasting out failed jointing compound and leaving it open is what causes the next problem, so we tell you honestly if the joints need redoing before we start rather than after.
When you need it
- Sandstone that has gone dark green over winter
- Slabs slippery enough to be a genuine hazard
- Weed and moss growing out of the joints
- Pointing that is crumbling or already missing
How we do it
Indian sandstone, limestone, porcelain, riven concrete and reclaimed York all behave differently. Sandstone holds moisture and pits if hit too hard; porcelain is hard-wearing but shows lance marks on the surface film.
We look at the pointing before we start. If jointing compound has already failed, washing will open it up — better you know that beforehand and can decide, than find out afterwards.
Algae gets a pre-treatment. The clean is then run at a pressure matched to the stone, working across the slab rather than into the joint.
Steps, thresholds, edging courses and the joint between patio and house get finished by hand.
Furniture and pots come off before and go back after. We do not clean around your table.
Patio Cleaning questions
Will cleaning damage Indian sandstone?
Not at the right pressure. Sandstone is porous and soft — too close or too hard and you get pitting and a permanently rougher surface. It is the most common damage we see on patios other people have done.
My pointing is crumbling. Can you still clean it?
We can, but washing will take out anything already loose, and you will need it re-pointed afterwards. We would rather tell you that before we start than hand you a surprise.
Do you re-point patios?
Cleaning is what we do. If your joints need redoing we will tell you plainly, so you can get it done rather than discover it after the wash.
Can porcelain be cleaned the same way?
Porcelain is much harder and takes a straightforward clean, but it marks if the lance is held too close. It also shows any unevenness in the wash, so it wants a steady pass.
How often should a patio be done?
Around here, every one to two years for most patios. A north-facing or tree-shaded patio on the coast greens up faster and is closer to annual.
Where we do it
Patio Cleaning across 20 towns and villages, worked from Great Yarmouth.