How to refresh front sandstone wall?

[mmd22]

Hi everyone

Our 1947 house’s front was built with sandstone . House inside and structure is good but front of the house looks  it very old ( off course it is old house ) .I am not sure what profile sandstone is our house ? there are some small cracks .
My wife and kids does not like the front of the house .

It is now few different colours, the place under porch is looks white and outside looks very dull .

Lots of places sandstone has been broken up to wall level . We have seen lots of sandstone house but that looks level . 

Could I please ask that is there anything we could do so it looks bit modern  and fresh ?
what could we do to look fresh again like under porch part ?
 As lots of places it is falling a part and making level , is there any way I could cut them off and make them level like nice wall ? 
Is it going to hard to cut them off ? I have noticed with lots of places it is falling off some part of I want to wash them .
Or can I get someone to render the place after cutting the edges ? 
if I cut the edges of the sandstone, will I do any damage to the wall or structure ?

thank you in advance .

 Under the porch area 

 Dull looking place 

 sandstone falling and looks the wall level 

 

 

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @mmd22 

First up I would like to welcome you to the Bunnings Community Page Hopefully you will get some inspiration looking through peoples projects and taking a walk through peoples questions.

I am not sure if the wall is sandstone? Are you sure it is? It looks like a concrete relief pattern? They could be blocks that have the patterns as part of the blocks? If you can scratch a mark into the surface using a flat blade screwdriver somewhere not so easily seen it should mark the sandstone, If it dosnt mark it easily then maybe it isnt sandstone.

I see one crack in the mortar, I actually think the wall has stood the test of time if it is from 1947 (tho maybe if it is a concrete reliefe this was done later) Whicherver way I think its stood the test of time well.

Things you could do to make it like better/nicer

- High pressure water wash it (After making sure what it is made of, sandstone will come up nice but can be worn away if you are not sure how to use the water blaster)

- Outside lighting especially after cleaning teh stonework will give a nice highlight to the stand out parts.

-  Could you supply a further back view of the overall walls? Just to see what other ways there may be that could be changed tomake it look different.

Dave

[MitchellMc]

Hi @mmd22,

It's a very nice wall with a rustic look to it. That's not appealing to everyone, but it's important to understand that this isn't a wall falling apart but one designed to look like this.

I'd agree with @Dave-1 that the grout lines look suspicious, almost painted on, so this could be some type of faux cladding rather than sandstone blocks. It would be worth investigating what this wall actually is before proceeding with any plans. At this time, I think you'd see an improvement from cleaning with a high pressure washer and exterior chemical cleaners, as that would brighten the wall up. Moving forward, you could consider grinding the wall back and rendering, but that would be dependent on what the wall is constructed of. Perhaps it would be best to enlist the services of a builder to assess the wall and provide suggestions on how it could be over-coated.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[mmd22]

  

Hello @Dave-1

Thank you for your information .

I am not exactly sure what is it ? I thought it is Lime sandstone .

When I brought this house in the advertisement it was written " c1947 freestone ".

I have  used flat blade screwdriver some place and I think I can see the Mark . Please see the photos . 

I am not sure what is it . 

I have tried to grind a stone with chisel and hammer , it was not very hard  . I did  in 10 mins . Lots of white sand fell off .

Please have a look the photos 

Thank you gain 

  mark with flat head screwdriver 

  side view of the wall 

 after grinding 

[mmd22]

Hello @MitchellMc 

Thank you so much again for helpful information .

I am not sure what is it difference between Lime sand stone or free stone ? 

I read in the community that if it Lime sandstone , it is not effective to do rendering as moisture will come through some point .

If it is  Freestone , Is it okey to grinding the wall back and rendering ? 

As you mention should I try to show Stone Mason or Any builder would be able to confirm what sort materials they used ?

Thank you 

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @mmd22 

Thank you for the photos, and yeah it really looks like sandstone but I am still hesitant to call it that The grout and the too straight edge lines is what I am thinking of mostly. A stone mason may be able to help you out of a brick place (they might know of a design that is like yours) I can really see what you mean but "sections falling off" as it does look like it and I swear I have seen storework like yours but not sure where 😕

I would certinaly be interested in knowing what it is when you find out tho

And I still really like the look! I know you guys are not so happy with it but Id kill for that style of work and in such a good condition!

Dave

[mmd22]

Thank you @Dave-1 .

I will try to find out about the profile and will let you know.

To be honest , I do not know much about this stone .

Thank you 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @mmd22,

Limestone and sandstone, are naturally occurring products that were popular for cutting construction blocks from. Freestone is a manufactured cement-based product that is stamped to create the block look. It would be best to reach out to the manufacturer to find out more about your options.

Please be exceptionally careful grinding cement-based products and ensure you wear adequate PPE, including a face mask and safety glasses.

Mitchell