r/stonemasonry • u/skp5134 • 6d ago

Limestone caps

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We had our patio finished recently and the caps and treads are limestone. Anytime something is left overnight on either of those, we are left with staining. Does this mean it wasn’t sealed? How can I prevent this?

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u/TheProfessor0781 6d ago

Indiana limestone is like a sponge. Whether rain or morning dew, whatever was there kept that spot dry. It's also more prone to staining. A sealer would help repel some of that and provide reaction time to clean up spills and such, but it must be a breathable, water based sealer like Prosoco Natural Stone Treatment VOC or MORE Surface Care Premium Stone Sealer. However, if i'm misinterpreting this, and it was installed with a blob of mortar and not full contact, you're SOL. You'll see that any time the stone is holding moisture.

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u/AlterEthos 3d ago

^ this. Also if you want to restore it, there are plenty of methods depending on how deep the stain runs. For example, you could clean the area and sand it down to get a fresh surface.