Flaking flagstones - please help

[Anonymous]

We have a Georgian terrace house with flagstones throughout the ground floor (sorry, but I don't know exactly what type of stone it is). Some of the pointing has crumbled away and the surface of the flags is flaking off in areas, revealing a rough grey undersurface. Sadly they look nothing like the shiny smooth flagstones you see in old pubs etc. What should I do? Apply beeswax? Linseed oil? I think a proprietory cleaner/sealant (HG) has been used in the past. Should I somehow strip this? I want them to look smooth and shiny but I'm guessing there is no damp course so surely they need to breathe. Help.

 

[Anonymous]

Try this.
First give the flags a good scrub with detergenty water (not too much) followed by a rinse with clean water (ditto). If that doesn't get them clean, repeat until they are.
Let the flags dry thoroughly.
Apply a first coat of 50/50 boiled linseed oil and white spirit.
Allow this to dry thoroughly.
Apply a second coat of 100% boiled linseed oil.
Allow to dry thoroughly.
Buff over with clean cotton cloths.
You might want to try this on a spare bit of stone, or on a small unobtrusive area of floor, just to be sure you like the effect before you go ahead and treat the whole floor.

 

[Anonymous]

Be sure you get all of the flaking bits off before you treat the floor, otherwise you'll be forever treating new, small areas.

 

[Anonymous]

If a sealer has been used in the past, it may take more than a detergent scrub to get rid of it - some manufacturers also make a remover, and ammonia is sometimes recommended.

The flaking nothing can be done about, although I have found that eventually the rougher under surface does start to smooth again with wear. I rather think that sealing stones with some sealants can help to make them flake but that's just my view not backed by scientific experimentation etc!

 

[Anonymous]

When we uncovered the flags in our hall we found that they were very flaky (cement render+red paint+plastic underlay had done their worst).
We were too exhausted to do anything more to them then, and too idle since but, just as Evelyn's suggested, normal traffic seems to have sorted things out and they now gleam very pleasantly. The surface isn't smooth, of course, but it doesn't bother us and actually gets compliments from visitors!