Mysterious stains on marble patio pavers keep coming back. Help!
Estimated Reading Time: 1 MinutesQ. Help! I have mysterious stains on my new marble patio pavers at our home in South Florida. Our stone was set in sand over concrete less than two weeks ago. We noticed red-brown stains after it rained. I’m frustrated because I can remove the discoloration when I clean it with various products - Dawn, hydrogen peroxide, Iron Out, mold and mildew remover, bleach water, etc., but the stain keeps coming back within a few hours.
A. Without seeing it in person, no professional can diagnose the problem with absolute certainty. Based on what you have described, the staining you are seeing is likely the result of iron oxidation. In other words, the iron in the stone is rusting.
Many natural stones contain iron that, when exposed to moisture, will oxidize. Florida is notorious for humidity and afternoon thunderstorms. Unfortunately, with natural stone, it is impossible to tell prior to installation which tiles will contain more iron than others. Your installation may need to be replaced by a type of stone more appropriate for the environment, that is, unless the discoloration has some cause other than iron oxidation.
Before you have your stone replaced, have a stone restoration PRO come take a look. To find a vetted PRO in your area, visit www.surfacecarepros.com and click on Find a PRO.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Fred Hueston is the Chief Technical Director at SurfaceCarePROS.com and Director at StoneForensics.com. He is also the author of Stone and Tile Restoration: The Manual, a comprehensive online manual for stone and tile restoration contractors. [Learn more about Fred.]