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Getting cement off sandstone

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  • 11-06-2018 1:29pm
    #1
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Managed to make a bit of a mess laying paving in my garden and am now trying to get the bits of cement off without doing any damage.

    I've gone over the stones with a powerwasher and while it did get a lot up, there's some bits that refuse to budge (probably not the most powerful of powerwashers, but it's all I have access to).

    Can anyone recommend an alternative approach? Is there anything I can put onto the stones that will lift the cement without doing damage? Don't mind if I have to go at them with a scrub etc - as long as I'm not wasting my time!

    Cheers.


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    #2
    standardg60
    Registered Users Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭standardg60


    Personally i'm not aware of any product which will soften hardened cement. You could go at it with a scraper and wire brush but sandstone is quite soft so it may end up even more unsightly.

    Your best bet is maybe a few hard frosts will get under it and loosen most of it away over the winter.


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    #3
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,072 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    There are chemicals that claim to dissolve cement, but since sandstone basically the same stuff (sand bonded with calcium carbonate) if it does work it'll also break down the sandstone.

    I'd guess mechanical removal (some kind of grinder/polisher) is the best bet.


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    #4
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    standardg60 wrote: »
    Personally i'm not aware of any product which will soften hardened cement. You could go at it with a scraper and wire brush but sandstone is quite soft so it may end up even more unsightly.

    Your best bet is maybe a few hard frosts will get under it and loosen most of it away over the winter.

    Thanks - it's not the worst thing in the world (certainly better than what was there before) so I suppose I'll just have to be patient!
    Lumen wrote: »
    There are chemicals that claim to dissolve cement, but since sandstone basically the same stuff (sand bonded with calcium carbonate) if it does work it'll also break down the sandstone.

    I'd guess mechanical removal (some kind of grinder/polisher) is the best bet.

    Thanks - the slabs are uneven so don't know if a grinder or the like will work with it.


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