Coloring Sandstone Patio

[CurlyDave]

I re-set a sandstone patio and tightened up the spacing condiderably.

This meant that I had to get some new stone, and what matched the sample I took to the stoneyard doesn't match at all, now that I have it set. Much too light.

Is there a way to stain or color sandstone like concrete can be stained?

 

[Egon]

Just did a quick google and there seems to be lots of information.

I am quite ignorant on the subject.

 

[CurlyDave]

Lots of information on coloring concrete, but all of the references to sandstone refer to making concrete a color called sandstone, not the material sandstone.

I read a lot of the material anyway, and I will probably give the concrete stain a try. Fortunately I need to make it more reddish-brown which is iron oxide, a fairly cheap material.

I have lots of leftover scraps to experiment with.

 

[jenkinsph]

Please keep us informed Dave, I am thinking the problem is getting lasting adhesion may be the larger issue.

 

[aggiehortguy91]

It's too late now for my suggestion, but this is how I've done it in the past. Spread a bunch of your stones out and select by color and shape as you go along. Building a sandstone patio requires as much artistic inspiration as it does engineering and planning. Scattering the new stones within the old ones would help you to match colors closer and break up color changes. That is how we managed projects that required stones from multiple pallets.

Your idea of staining may work fine, but it will probably be a "temporary" thing. Like jenkinsph said, adhesion will be an issue since sandstone is soft and wears fairly quickly. On the other hand, that wear may work to your advantage in softening the coloring. Definately worth a try if the mismatch bothers you, let us know how it goes.

 

[SPIKER]

I am not sure what easiest way to change the color is I get mine straight out of my gully/wash/creek. If there is a heavy rain it floods and washes out the gravel right down to the bedrock. (which is sandstone primarily.) I added a bunch of pics to my photo-bucket page that shows the 2 I did this fall. I got laid off so had too much free time and no money so I did these. patios
Projects pictures by WPSPIKER - Photobucket
I can easily add to them (which is the plan.) next year when it warms up again and hopefully we have a few good gully washers to clear out some of the stone/gravel/sand that covers the bedrock most of the year. It is LOTS of hard work, (well at least for me as I can only work at it for a while till my back gives out.) to get about one tractor bucket full of rocks, maybe 500lbs worth.per bucket. most of the time they are in the 1~3sq ft range as far as sizes a few are larger but I have to really DIG and PRY to get them to come loose and pop out. they often crack & break so to get some really BIG ones it very rare most of them are 1~1.5" thick varying a lot up to 3" and often separate like .5~.75" which are too thin to work well... I managed to pry some out this year by removing the top soil along an exposed drop down into the creek and pulled them loose without going down into the wash. used the tractor backhoe to dig topsoil/dirt off from the edge/bank back and pried them towards the creek to get them free.

Color on mine are light blue to tan with rust colored streaks and rust colored root patterns running through them. see

this rock is in the patio to the left of the dog if you look at pics above next to the wall.

Bigger problem for me seems to be the green growing moss gets on/in them and I'm afraid to bleach it as it might lighten the stone?


Mark

 

[PA hayseed]

Lots of information on coloring concrete, but all of the references to sandstone refer to making concrete a color called sandstone, not the material sandstone.

I read a lot of the material anyway, and I will probably give the concrete stain a try. Fortunately I need to make it more reddish-brown which is iron oxide, a fairly cheap material.

I have lots of leftover scraps to experiment with.

I have read prior posts of yours and you seem to your DD, so I am assuming that you will take into account shadowing/light when picking out your stain. I would go for the pints of stain. The other thing is that the sandstone is porous, so it may take quite a bit to color it, and I would suspect it may fade quickly. I would think any pigments would work, coupled with any type of masonry sealer. The sealer won't really seal sandstone surfaces unless you use a ton of it. I dumped a half gallon, slowly over a sandstone step of mine, just to see if it would seal up. It is as sealed as swiss cheese.

Good luck. Please post about your results.