I know this has been covered before on the forum, but cant find again.
Want to know best way to clean sandwash? and can it be sealed even a few years after being laid? Also, is there a cheaper, better way of paving around the house, other than filling the garden with pebbles.
acid wash works well, get some hydrochloric acid (same stuff used in pools), the shop next to jotun paint shop on phetkasem road(just up from the palace) sells it. mix with water, apply and leave for 5-10 mins then scrub with hard brush and water.
comes up a treat.
or pressure wash it but this tends to loosen some of the stones so not recommended.
as far as your pebbles go......well what are you trying to achieve?
"All the otters don't understand me"
"We might make you bother"
I recommend the acid to be got from either GDL or Siam Pools. Or better still the factory in Chaam ( I do not know exactly where ) The shop next to Jotum waters the acid down and it is not very strong.
The cost for 5 Gallon is around 200 Baht.
I use it neat and scrub quickly hosing as I go. Too slow and the sandwash will burn and lighten.
Beware of spilling any acid onto grass - wet it well and rinse quickly.
I have tried the sealant ( ici ) but either it was not applied correctly or it only works for 1 year.
As Split says natural and acid clean every couple of years.
Not cheaper, but I will never use sandwash again. Instead I will use stamped concrete. One of the lessons I learned from building here that I'll never do again is sandwash.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
^ I agree I hate the stuff but per m2 it is more than half the cost of stamped concrete which can still suffer cracking and difficulty patching should any repair be required.
I would and have used paving bricks. The cost is still less than quotes I was given for stamped concrete ( why I do not know ) and are easily relaid if bedded on sand making repairs invisible.
I agree with you HHF.
Sandwash looks great when it's new, but just after a couple of months you regret you even asked for it.
My advise is, use tiles instead.
Just choose the not so slippery ones in your driveway and everywhere else where you'd take a walk when it's raining.
We have Sandwash on our outside drive and balconies. It has never been sealed and has become very dirty. Any idea how much per square metre I should be paying to have it cleaned and sealed?
Many thanks
Ken
PS Anybody also know what is the going rate for painting per sq metre?
Be extra careful with the acid, wear gloves and eye protection just in case of a splash when opening and pouring. Work with a strong brush on a broom handle to scrub it. They do sometimes dilute the bottles, I've had some that was very weak.
