Protecting your Yorkshire Stone Patio from the Winter Weather

With the winter now upon us, it is important to think about how best to protect your Yorkstone patio or drive from the elements.

While one of the key properties of Yorkstone flags is a durability that means they can last for more than 100 years in outdoor settings, there are some useful steps you can take to keep the natural stone looking good throughout the winter months.

The most important thing to do is to try to keep the flagstones clean, as a build up of dirt, weeds, moss and leaves looks unsightly and can also make the surface of your drive, path or patio very slippery.

• Brushing – the simplest action you can take is to regularly sweep the stone with a wire bristle brush. Not only will this get rid of the top layer of dirt, debris and lichen, it will also help to stop weeds taking root.
• Washing – regular cleaning using a standard soap based product and water (either hot or cold) and a stiff bristle brush will lift the grime off the stone. Do not be tempted to use an acid-based cleaner – not only are they more expensive than soap, they can damage the Yorkstone.

Those two jobs should be enough to keep your natural stone looking good, but there are some other measures you may wish to consider.

• Weedkiller – if you prefer to take a proactive approach, you could treat your drive or patio with one of the weed prevention products available from garden centres, which should stop weeds developing for a few months. Read the information on the packaging carefully and choose one that is designed for garden and paving use.
• Moss killer – moss is unsightly and makes paving surfaces slippery, so most people want to get rid of it. However, you need to be careful about which products you use, as many moss killers contain ferrous sulphate, which can discolour stone. Sweeping the moss off and then cleaning the area with a water and household bleach solution is a safer way to deal with the problem.
• Power washing – many households now own a power washer and they can be useful for cleaning large areas of stone. However, they can have a detrimental effect to the surface of the stone if used too often.

One other tip you will often read is to use a sealant on Yorkstone flags, but it is not always necessary and is difficult for DIYers to do well (and even more difficult to undo if you don’t like the results). You may wish to think about using a sealant if you have a shaded patio or drive that rarely gets dry during the winter or if you have experienced ongoing problems with algae, but it is sensible to use a professional to recommend the most suitable product and apply it.

For help finding the right Yorkstone flags for your garden or driveway, please call Abacus Stone Sales on 07711 997 026 or contact us via email.