Maintaining Natural Stone Around Swimming Pool
Granites and bluestones, in particular, are extremely dense and hard-wearing, so are ideal for use around a pool that will be exposed to water, sun and a lot of use. However, some limestones and sandstones are also suitable.
Essentially, you want to ensure that your stone is sealed and kept clean. This will help in maintaining natural stone year upon year.
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Maintaining natural stone around your pool
Keeping your natural stone paving clean is just as important as cleaning the water of your pool. Here are a few steps to keep in mind when maintaining natural stone around your pool that will ensure longevity.
1. Sealing
We always advise sealing your stone following installation. In certain environments, it may be appropriate to dip seal (on all six sides of the stone tile) with a consolidator sealer. This would be highly recommended for pool coping. To best protect the stone, it is also recommended that re-sealing occur every 2-3 years to mitigate the water ingress into the stone.
2. Water level management
It is recommended to keep your pool water level around 10cm below the pool’s coping to avoid constant submersion or constant saturating and drying.
3. Removing debris
If your pool is located underneath any sort of foliage that may stain the stone, ensure it is cleaned and removed before it gets a chance to. A quick sweep every couple of days will be sufficient along with a gentle hose down.
Looking for general natural stone cleaning tips? Click here.
4. pH neutral cleaner
Use a pH neutral cleaner for regular cleaning and maintenance for the stone. Avoid using acids or strong alkali products to clean as these will reduce the effectiveness of the sealer and may damage the stone.
For more pool advice and care tips for maintaining natural stone, visit our Learning Library.