Porcelain vs. Sandstone: The "No Scrub" Patio Read
Dorset is damp. Sandstone goes green. Porcelain stays clean. Here is why we stopped laying natural stone in shady gardens.
The Green Slime Problem
In Poole, we have a wet climate.
In winter, it rains for weeks.
If you have a natural stone patio, you know what happens next. It turns green.
Algae loves natural stone. Lichen loves it. Black Spot loves it.
Come spring, you don't just walk out and enjoy the sun. You spend the first weekend of April with a pressure washer, blasting off six months of slime.
It is messy. It ruins your shoes. And next year, you have to do it again.
Why Sandstone Fails
Sandstone is a sponge.
It is porous. It drinks water.
Because the stone holds moisture, it becomes a breeding ground for algae. The spores land, they find a damp home, and they grow.
"Black Spot" is the worst one. It digs its roots deep into the stone. You can pressure wash it all day. It won't move. You need heavy chemicals to shift it.
Also, sandstone is soft.
Every time you jet wash it, you blow the surface off. Over ten years, the slabs get rougher. They hold more dirt. It gets worse every year.
The Porcelain Fix
This is why we push Exterior Porcelain.
It isn't stone. It is a ceramic, fired at huge temperatures.
Ideally, it is glass.
Absorption: Zero. Water sits on the surface until it evaporates.
Stains: Red wine? BBQ grease? It wipes off.
Algae: The spores can't grip. They sit on top.
The Cleaning Difference
This is the real test.
Cleaning a sandstone patio takes a whole day. You need the heavy lance on the washer. You need chemicals. You get covered in mud.
Cleaning a porcelain patio takes twenty minutes.
You don't need high pressure. You just hose it down. Maybe use a soft brush with some soapy water.
The dirt lifts instantly. It looks brand new.
The "Fake" Look
Ten years ago, porcelain looked like cheap tiles.
Not anymore.
The new stuff is incredible. The prints are high-definition. It looks like stone. It feels like stone (it has an anti-slip texture).
You get the look of natural timber or limestone, but you don't get the rot or the rot.
Stop Scrubbing
Life is too short to pressure wash a patio.
We still lay natural stone for clients who want that "aged" look. But be ready for the maintenance.
For everyone else, we lay porcelain.
Stop by the office at 78 Alma Rd, Bournemouth BH9 1AN, UK, or call 07835 390845.
