Travertine cleaning and sealing in South Coogee

On the houses that look over Lurline Bay, travertine pool decks and terraces carry a double salt load. The pool splashes salt or chlorine onto the coping, and onshore wind adds spray off the ocean. As both dry, crystals grow inside the stone, and the edges along the waterline slowly turn rough. At the same time, open holes collect sand and grit, and shaded corners grow a thin grey film. Spotted early, these are cleaning and sealing jobs. Left for years, they become honing or replacement jobs, which cost more, take longer and mean lifting stone that could have stayed down for many more summers.

Travertine is a calcium-based stone, and acid etches it, so acidic pool and patio cleaners have no place on it. Our technicians use alkaline cleaners formulated for limestone and travertine, worked into the surface and the holes with a soft brush on a slow machine, then rinsed with little force. With the pool sheeted over, bunds and a wet vacuum keep run-off out of both the water and the garden beds. Early in the visit we show you any etched or eroded areas so you know which marks a clean will remove and which need a further step, such as honing with diamond pads.

When the stone has fully dried, any voids get a tinted filler that blends with the travertine, and the surface is sealed with a penetrating product rated for salt exposure. It goes on in thin coats and any excess is wiped off, so nothing remains as a slippery film. The surface keeps its texture and grip. We confirm how long to keep the area free of water and furniture, and write down the product, date and areas. In an exposed spot like this, test the coping with a few drops of water each summer; once water soaks in rather than beads, resealing is due.