Sandstone cleaning and sealing in Bilgola Plateau

Sandstone on a Bilgola Plateau property usually follows the slope. Retaining walls create level lawns and play areas, steps link the street to the front door, and edging lines driveways that drop steeply from the road. Paved areas off the living rooms catch leaves from garden trees and the nearby reserves. Over a few years, shaded walls go green and black, steps darken and grow slippery, and paving collects brown tannin rings. On east-facing homes with ocean views, some stone may also show a fine salt film. Our technicians look at each surface, identify what is on it, and trial cleaners on small areas before the full clean is quoted.

A sandstone-compatible biocide goes onto the mould, algae and lichen first and stays there long enough to finish them off, which is what stops regrowth from the roots. The softened material is then brushed off and rinsed away gently. Leaf and gum-nut stains are spot-treated, with a poultice for the stubborn ones. Where a retaining wall shows white streaking, we clean it off and show you the wet patches that point to the water's source. Driveway edging stained by soil or tyre marks is handled separately. All rinse water is bunded and vacuumed up, rather than washed down the driveway into the street gutter.

For most Bilgola Plateau homes, sealing makes sense on paving, steps and driveway edging, where a breathable penetrating sealer helps stone resist tannin and makes leaf clean-up easier. Retaining walls are normally left unsealed because they release moisture from the soil behind. On steep surfaces, we choose finishes that keep the stone's natural grip, and we never use high-gloss coatings. Sealer goes on only once stone is completely dry, which for shaded areas may take a few fine days. We show trial patches in natural and enhancing finishes, record the products used, and suggest a check of the busiest areas every year or two.