Stone Cleaning - some options... 

Greenleaf Contractors offer a stone cleaning service across the UK. We clean stone with a variety of methods or options, from superheated steam (DOFF type techniques) moving up (in aggressiveness) to our sand jet machine, through sandblasting or grit blasting, and up to high pressure water should you desire it. We can simply clean dirty stone, or strip paint from it. Post treatment we can seal the surface to prevent discolouration in the future. We typically work in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, but regularly travel to London, Derby, Newcastle and Scotland.
Samples of our work are shown in this picture gallery and In the photos below you can choose between dirty stone and painted stone via the menu on the top left of the picture box.

  • Dirty Stone
 
 
stone cleaning, sand blasting, grit blasting, JOS, DOFF, yorkshire, lincolnshire, uk

A data sheet on our stone cleaning services, a suitable summary for printing is available in PDF format, Stone Cleaning Datasheet

Greenleaf Contractors specialise in using a variable pressure sand jetting system that has been used nationwide for property restoration, including gaining approval for and subsequently working on many Listed Buildings. The system, in our trained hands, causes minimal damage to an underlying surface and is flexible enough to tackle most property restoration cleaning tasks.ystem, in our trained hands, causes minimal damage to an underlying surface and is flexible enough to tackle most property restoration cleaning tasks.

Sand Jet Cleaning

The low pressure sand jet can clean stone without injecting large quantities of water into the surface, and with minimal surface damage, at the same time, the 'damp' system also captures dirt, paint and abrasive, preventing the health and safety risks associated with dry blasting. It is a safe way of removing lead paints from surfaces - for the lead paint is captured in the sludge and can be disposed of as a hazardrous waste

stone cleaning; sandstone in west yorkshire partially cleaned with the sand jet

Another advantage of the system we use is that it also uses far less abrasive than traditional techniques, making expensive abrasives cost effective, but more significantly reducing waste - and when removing lead paint this can be a very significant cost saving. Abrasive does not need to be recycled, preventing cross contamination between jobs, and apart from in specialist cases, is not a major part of the running costs.

Dry Blasting

For some internal tasks, damp blasting can be awkward - for the sticky / sludgy nature of the end product from the sand jet does typically need a hose or pressure washer to clean up. We have therefore developed a low pressure and low consumption dry blast pot that can be used to gently clean stone. The dry waste is relatively easy to sweep up - although dust will get everywhere in the room being cleaned. Occasionally though, we are asked to 'Sand Blast' internal walls to give the impression that the walls have been Sand Blasted - on more than one occasion we have had to come back to a site as we have cleaned a wall without damage, but the designer or architect wanted a "damaged effect" - but hasn't passed that message on - assuming that all sand blasting is equal!

stone cleaning; York stone paving slabs cleaned in a listed mill with traditional dry sand blasting

Key Benefits

  • The low pressures mean that the sand jet systems are gentle enough to clean delicate surfaces, yet powerful enough to strip multiple layers of paint in one pass.
  • The sand jet is not a chemical process so no noxious or harmful slurries or fumes are generated.
  • As the sand jet uses only minimal amounts of water and abrasive the system is regularly used indoors.
  • Far less mess than other systems, the low pressures mean that secondary mess (dust being blown out of floorboards etc.) is also minimised.
  • Cleaning to the requirements of BS 8221-1&2 :2000 the British Standard Code of Practice for Cleaning Surfaces
  • Quick efficient Graffiti Removal. No interference with other work in area.