should I apply a stone sealer?

[Gilda66]

our pool build has just been completed and will ultimately be a salt water pool. we have a natural stone water fall and double blue stone coping around the edge of the pool and an aggregate concrete deck after that. my question is should I use some kind of sealer on the natural stone? I was thinking yes for two reasons 1. to bring out the color of the stone and 2. to protect it from the salt. I was considering going with a semi gloss type sealer, thoughts?

 

[keithw]

Well I gotta say that I sealed my flagstone desk when I first installed it and: A. It wasn't cheap. B. Within a week or so it looked like it did before I sealed it. I won't be sealing mine again. I did some research before sealing mine and got what I would consider to be the best rated stuff, Dupont StoneTech® Professional Enhancer Pro™ Sealer. It is pretty pricey ($145.00ish per gallon)

 

[MinerJason]

Salt damaging natural stone is a myth for the most part, but a sealer can help minimize mineral deposits, and also make cleaning the mineral deposits off a bit easier. Some sealers don't change the look at all, some change it drastically, so if you decide to use a sealer, test it out in an inconspicuous spot first to make sure you like the look before applying it everywhere. The more penetrating sealers will permanently change the look, so once it's done there's no turning back.

 

[ctrav]

My PB sealed mine when it was built but I won't be redoing it.

 

[Divin Dave]

There are lots of choices for sealers. Some change the appearance and others don't. There are glossy looks, wet looks, and somewhere in between. Some sealers and additives to make it not so slippery, etc.....

At the end of the days, it more of a personal preference. I agree with the comment above that it makes cleaning mineral deposits off easier too.

Me, I have an exposed aggregate deck I like love the wet look my sealer gives to it.

 

[Creativestyle]

What sealer do you have that creates the wet look I sealed my waterfall and weeping wall but I wanted it to darken some like the sealer that was used on my decking and coping, but it didn’t do it.

 

[Gilda66]

What sealer do you have that creates the wet look I sealed my waterfall and weeping wall but I wanted it to darken some like the sealer that was used on my decking and coping, but it didn’t do it.

what sealer did you use on your coping? and what type of stone is it?

 

[Creativestyle]

It was actually the decking sealer I just had them apply it to the flagstone too, it’s a rough flagstone, oddly enough the decking guy came today to check on it, and gave me a 5 gallon bucket of it. Don’t know if he was just being nice or wanted to stay because a friend had some models over doing a photo shoot with the pool lol. Either way I got free sealant.