Travertine cleaning and sealing in Tamarama

Travertine in Tamarama typically appears on terraces and pool surrounds that look down the valley to the beach. The pattern of wear is consistent: salt film and white scale first, then dark coping near the pool where the stone is staying wet, then holes losing their filler, and finally pitting along the waterline and on the most exposed corners. Sunscreen and food oils add marks around outdoor seating and barbecues. On houses with travertine stairs between levels, the treads wear unevenly and the nosings chip. Each stage is easier and cheaper to deal with than the next, so an early inspection is worthwhile even when the damage looks minor.

Our cleaning here relies on alkaline, acid-free products suited to limestone, applied and scrubbed in with a soft rotary head before a gentle rinse. Acidic cleaners and pool-shop descalers are never used, because they etch the stone. Before any agitation, sand blown up from the beach is swept and vacuumed off so it doesn't scratch the surface. The pool is protected, run-off is recovered at each level, and nothing is rinsed down the slope. Where we find etching or salt damage, we explain whether honing, filling or replacement of individual pieces would help, so you can decide on the scope with a clear picture of costs and likely results.

Sealing follows once the stone is fully dry, which in a sea-facing valley may mean waiting for a run of fine weather. Open holes are packed with a tinted filler, and a salt-resistant impregnator is applied on a still day, worked into the surface and the surplus wiped off before it can dry. The terrace keeps its natural grip. We give you cure times for the terrace and pool, record the product, and suggest that the most exposed areas be checked twice a year, resealing when water stops beading. A fresh-water rinse after windy days and pool parties also helps the sealer last longer on this coast.