Why You Should Be Cleaning Up Fallen Autumn Leaves
With winter upon us, it’s time to turn our attention to the question of what to do with leaves that only a couple of weeks ago formed part of nature’s display of rich autumnal colour but now lay across the gardens floor as an unwanted nuisance! While it may be common to leave them to blown in the wind for a while only to become the first gardening tasks of spring, this short article will look at why sweeping this problem under the carpet may be bad news for those wishing to keep their natural stone paving well maintained.
A common misconception for non-members of the gardening fraternity is that lawns are damaged by rotting leaves however this is surprisingly not the case if dealt with correctly! While it’s true that leaving them flat on the grass will reduce supplies of oxygen and ultra violet light, mowing the fallen leaves into the grass provides valuable nutrients to the soil and enhances its fertility!
Unfortunately, natural stone receives no such benefits from this annual bounty.
Ignoring fallen leaves on stone work will lead to an increased risk of damage to the stone, the jointing and may also lead to difficulty trying to remove stains resulting from the growth of mosses and lichens. As the vegetation breaks down, the same nutrients that feed the soil will provide nourishment for a range of organic life then may (if left untreated) affect the structural and aesthetic performance of the stone. To avoid this happening, it is good practice to remove leaves from your stone work as they fall or remove them from contact at the first available opportunity. For those already falling victim to stone damage or staining, all is not lost. Heritage Masonry are able assist in the task cleaning and restoring damaged stone by using a range of cleaning techniques and products to remedy the situation. Using products such as Dry Treat to impregnate will not only reduce the time spent cleaning stone but will reduce the prolong newly installed look of a patio or pathway. The use of an impregnator on natural stone paving offers many benefits to the customer however the product selected must fulfil a minimum list of criteria for it to be considered for use. The molecules in Dry Treat are 400x smaller than competing products meaning is soaks deeper into the pore structure and bonds permanently by chemical reaction without affecting the stones slip resistance. When used as part of a new installation it will prevent staining from raising up through the substrate and appearing as efflorescence or picture framing. As registered applicators, Heritage Masonry can offer the products full 15-year warranty!
If you’re suffering from stone damage and wish to request a consultation, please feel free to get in touch with us by emailing:
or by phone:
01756 636393
