Black Limestone Water Marks After Sealing - Tile Advice

[Sparkydarren]

Black limestone water marks after sealing

I've been reading this forum for a couple of years now and learnt a lot from the posts on here so thanks for everyone's efforts in helping pass on advice.

This is the first post I've made and there are a number of articles on this already but I need some more advice. I am trying to darken a year old black limestone patio and paths which has lightened over the past 12 months. Originally I used Thompson Limestone Seal in a small test area which gave terrible water bloom after raining. I then used LTP Colour Intensifier and Stainblock in another test area. Despite a good weather forcast this got wet and the water bloom is quite severe.

Talking to LTP they explain that at least 3 dry days are essential for the product to work. The manual also says its important not to apply it in direct sunlight. Is this true?

I am assuming that LTP is a superior product to the Thompsons but if I can protect the surface from rain for 3 days will the LTP Colour Intensifier and Stainblock avoid the water bloom when it rains? Does anyone have any experience either way with this product?

I have read about the LTP Stone Oil but have seen that some users report a stickiness after its use. Does anyone have any experience with this? And can anyone give me any advice on whether my plan to use the colour intensifier product with 3 dry days is the way to go?

Thanks in advance for everyone's help - this forum is really appreciated.

 

[Lithofin BOB]

The whitening can occur from moisture ( rain) being left on the surface of the freshly curing impregnator, this can turn the excess white and will need to be removed .

If you have a spare tile, get this dry, impregnate as instructions, buff fully dry, leave for three days and place outside , see how this test reacts to you test on the stones you have outside

Did you leave a wet look to the impregnator when applied and let it dry in when you treated the stones pictured?

, if you did remove the excess and this is water simply evaporating and leaving a mineral salt residue, there Is not a great deal apart from towel dry the area after each rainfall!!!! That's black limestone for ya.

Applying in direct sunlight can advance dry products causing application marks , or generally make it more difficult to apply, key to this , work in smaller controlled sections ,if you have to apply at these times. I seal mine late afternoon , dampness and morning dew removed ,stones have cooled down and the products will generally be fine.

The stone oil is tricky with stickiness when incorrectly applied , probably again people not removing excess.
You must buff fully dry to remove the excess product, I use old white towels

Ltp is the more professional product as i see itmand the guys on the tech line will I'm sure help you at any stage, keep talking to them

 

[Sparkydarren]

Thanks Bob, that's all useful advice.

When I applied the LTP Colour Intensifier and Stainblock it was very sparingly and I deliberately made sure to absorb up and any wet residue. It dried to an almost perfect finish but overnight it rained and the rainwater sat on the flag overnight. The LTP probably had only been down about 8 hours by that point. I had hoped that the marks were just dried residue but they won't clean off so I suspect the rain water has impregnated into the LTP before it has had time to cure.

Does anyone else have any experience with using LTP Colour Intensifier and Stainblock outside? Is this the right product to use?