Travertine cleaning and sealing in Coogee

Coogee travertine falls into two main groups. Apartment balconies and entries near the beach collect salt film, sand, sunscreen and spills, and often show etching where an acidic cleaner was used. Terraces and pools on cliff-edge homes take direct spray as well as pool water, which leads to scale, darkened coping, holes losing filler and eventually pitting along the most exposed edges. Both groups follow the same principle: no acid, ever, and a sealer chosen for salt. What changes is the logistics, because a balcony three floors up and a clifftop pool terrace need very different planning for access, water control and protecting neighbours.

Cleaning is done with non-acidic, carbonate-safe products, a gentle scrubbing machine and a soft rinse. Sand is cleared first so it doesn't scratch the surface during agitation. On balconies, run-off is recovered so nothing drips to the balcony below, drains are protected and water use is kept to a minimum. Around pools, the water is covered or boomed and the coping cleaned from the deck side. Etching is pointed out before work starts; it needs honing, which we can quote separately. If the holes have lost their filler, we record how many, because that affects both the cost and the time needed before sealing.

With the stone clean and fully dry, open holes are filled in a matching colour and a salt-rated impregnator is worked into the surface, with any surplus lifted off before it dries. The finish stays natural and non-slip, which matters on a wet balcony or pool deck. We give you cure times for light use, furniture and swimming, and record the product used. On balconies near the beach, check once a year with a few drops of water; on cliff-edge terraces facing the ocean, every six months is safer. A hose-down with fresh water after windy weather and before winter also helps the sealer last on this stretch of coast.