I’ve been told that since I have a relatively large area of stone to acid wash and seal I can just go to a hardware store buy the acid and dilute it myself rather than buying the prediluted stuff.
I’m reluctant to acid wash the stone because I bought special weather edged stone due to it’s wonderfully bright colors and I’m afraid it’s going to greatly dim some of that brillance. However I left it exposed to the weather for a full year and there still is a great deal of film on the stone. Once wet it looks positively brillant and extremely colorful however it doesn’t rain all of the time.to see pictures of what I’m speaking about please go to 94941.7
Edited 7/22/2008 9:57 am ET by frenchy
Replies
It'll be fine.
Use the concentrate (cheeper) and dilute yourself. The shave monkeys to do this in the clinical lab business, so's it's within your level of expertise.
Just remember, Acid goes into water, NEVER the other way around.
Start with a 5% solution (1 part acid to 19 parts water). Increase if insufficient. Keep a garden hose close by in case it starts to react too much. The water will stop the problem quickly.
Then a nice sealer over the stone will be perfect. Research your sealer well. Some give a wet appearance, some don't. Personally, the wet appearance looks better - depending upon the stone.
Welcome back Frenchy I was worried about you! If I were you I would try to find a product that is dedicated for stone washing , the stuff I use " Vanotrol 100 " has an acid base but also a strong detergent that works real well .
Welcome back. Come talk with us!
Depending on the type of rock, if it were acid treated and then sealed, there could be water trapped behind the sealer which would blister as the moisture tried to get out. There is also the chance that the sealer would discolour with age.
Wet stone looks good but be careful if you try to get that permanent wet look by, in effect, varnishing the stone.
First, he needs to try his plan on a hidden or spare stone.
But what would shellac do to the stone?
Folks around here haven't used muriatic acid for masonry wash in years. It's not environmentally friendly, hard on the landscaping and exposes the user to nasty fumes. The masonry washes these days are biodegradable, much less hazardous to the user and parts of the house. There are many brands available, here are just a few.
http://www.dumondchemicals.com/html/safeneasy.htm
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
hammer1
Actually I need to change the PH of my soil slightly. (That area need a higher acid PH since I planted a lot of Mugo Pines in it) To prevent damage to the grass I will turn on my sprinkler system and flood the area with water while I scrub the stones.. should only slightly increase acid level..
Your soil should be between PH 5.0 and PH 6.0. If you need to raise the present PH, that means it needs to be less acidic. In that case, add ground limestone. If the PH is too high, add sulphur. Washing you walls with muriatic acid isn't going to improve your soil PH.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Too strong for walls frenchy, good to see you back.
Can you join us in the tavern for a beer?
Edited 7/23/2008 4:07 pm ET by frammer52
I'd be concerned about using acid around the windows and wood trim. How does the window company want you to protect their product during masonry cleaning and will they honor a warranty claim if they can prove that you used acid for the cleaning?
We always spec a detergent based cleaner for masonry. Prosoco is one brand that has a variety of products to meet your needs.
http://www.prosoco.com/
They also have some general information about cleaning and maintaining masonry.
http://www.prosoco.com/helpfulliterature.asp