Travertine cleaning and sealing in Bilgola Beach
Travertine pool surrounds in Bilgola Beach take salt from the ocean air and the pool at the same time. We clean them without acid and seal them for heavy salt exposure.
- Bilgola Beach 2107
- $20 million public liability
- Price on request
Pool terraces in Bilgola Beach are often carved out of the slope and finished in travertine, which suits the setting but faces tough conditions. Salt arrives on the onshore breeze, more salt splashes from the pool, and leaves and palm fronds fall onto the surface. Within a few seasons the coping can darken along the waterline, the natural holes open up and collect grit, and parts of the surface become rough as salt crystals break it up. On the shaded side of the terrace, algae may appear in holes that have lost their filler. Our technicians assess each of these issues and explain what cleaning, filling, honing and sealing can each achieve.
We clean travertine without acid, since its calcium carbonate dissolves in acid and turns dull and pitted. Alkaline, limestone-safe products are worked into the surface and holes with soft pads at low machine speed, then rinsed away gently. Organic stains from leaves and fronds get a poultice where needed. The pool is covered beforehand, skimmers are closed and nearby plants and timber are protected. Rinse water is collected with wet vacuums so it does not run into the pool, down the slope or toward the beach. Any etching from earlier acid use is pointed out, because it needs honing rather than cleaning.
Sealing comes once the travertine is clean and completely dry. We refill open holes with a filler matched to the stone's colour, then apply an impregnating sealer made for heavy salt exposure, building it up in light coats and removing the surplus so no film is left. The stone keeps its texture and grip around the pool. Because Bilgola terraces take salt from two sources, we suggest a water-drop test on the coping each spring and after a stormy season: if drops soak in and darken the stone rather than bead, the sealer has worn and should be renewed. The product name and application date go into your job record.
Frequently asked questions
Travertine questions we hear in Bilgola Beach.
Our travertine coping is rough and sandy near the pool. What is happening?
Salt from the pool and ocean air dries inside the stone and breaks up the surface. Cleaning, honing if needed, and a salt-rated sealer slow it down.
How often should travertine be resealed this close to the ocean?
Check it every year with a water-drop test. Exposed coping often needs resealing every one to three years, depending on the product and exposure.
Can you fill the holes that have opened up in our travertine?
Yes. Each void is cleaned out, packed with a filler tinted to suit your stone, and then sealed over.
Is it safe for our children and pets afterward?
We rinse thoroughly, recover run-off and tell you when the terrace and pool can be used again, usually once the sealer has cured.