[nberger]

Hi Everyone,

I have a stone patio with the following problems:
1- It has had a lot of dirt/grime/gunk in the stone. The stone is also somewhat pitted, likely because the previous owner didn't seal it.
2- After 7 hours over 2 days I've been able to remove a lot of it using a bleach solution a commercial stone patio cleaning product, pressure washer and a broom to push the dirty water down the patio stairs out to the yard. This has proven extremely difficult and unsatisfactory. It is far, far better than before though. I'd like to seal it, but until it's entirely clean I don't think it makes sense to. I plan to do this and have the equipment already.
3- I think much of the stonework needs repointing. I'm not sure as a newbie if I'll be able to do this in a quality manner. Considering hiring someone or just leaving it.
4- The grout/sand/dirt between the stones is iffy- some places it is just a mostly empty gap, others full and others it has come up and created a mess on the stones.

Thoughts? The patio was a selling point for us on the house and it's frustrating to this now it is a problem. Should I try repointing myself? How can I totally get rid of dirt? Do I need to get some kind of filler for between the stones?

See Photos Below:

https://imgur.com/a/yaxejYZ

 

[stadry]

sorry to disappoint you but that's NOT stone - its concrete,,, everyone else calls 'em 'pavers' but YOU :wink2:
pressure washer ( 4gpm's @ 4,000psi & tgurbo nozzle ), seal w.sher-wms paver sealer, sweep polymeric sand into jnts til full & sprinkle w/water to 'set' the sand,,, no idea why the pits
VOILA ! ! !

 

[3onthetree]

Pressure washing should take care of the pavers and joints. You can stick to the premixed marketed products for cleaning - those will be diluted enough to not cause harm. You can pressure wash more than once. I do not believe the pavers are "pitted" caused by any problems, that is just how those are manufactured to look like that.

No grout with pavers. Just coarse or polymeric sand. The step's pavers are attached with adhesive. You do have a low spot at the sliding door, and if there are others that will lead to continual dirty areas on the patio. Removing the pavers and adding sand to rid the low spots can be done, but you should check the entire patio slope first, or just pressure wash each year. Another slope problem could be if it drains toward the walls, so with no scuppers or weeps then your mortared wall will start to deteriorate with freeze thaw. Pavers do not need a sealer.

The wall is mortared as that is stone, not concrete pavers. They were going for the dryfit look, so if you are talking "repointing" the gaps there, that is just for aesthetics. The top, however, will probably deteriorate over time if not sloped with a wash.