Why Sandstone Pavers Are Not A Good Option For Around Your Pool

Choosing the right flooring around your pool is critical as the area is a major safety hazard. This is especially true if you have kids using the pool. Ideally, the flooring should be slip-proof and resistant to water damage. For all these and many other reasons, sandstone pavers are one of the worst choices for flooring around your pool. Don't believe us? Read ahead for a detailed list of why despite its popularity, sandstone is a bad choice for the area around your pool.

Sandstone is Susceptible to Water Damage

The beachy aesthetic of sandstone might make it seem like an excellent design decision for around the pool flooring. But the reality is sandstone is extremely porous, which means the chemicals and acid from pool water will destroy it pretty quickly. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock and is made up of sand and calcite. When the rock is exposed to acid, it dissolves the calcium in the material, thereby weakening it. What this basically means is that sandstone will get damaged when it's kept in close contact with water. Damage will include moulding, staining and in some cases, even warping of the material.

Sandstone is Susceptible to Scratches

Most people, when they think of sandstone, think of durability. While it's true that sandstone is an extremely durable material, it's also a relatively soft rock. What this means is that it's not a good flooring choice for areas with heavy footfall like the pool. Pool chairs, high heels, shoes or objects dropping on the floor can all make sandstone filled with scratches.

Sandstone Easily Stains

The high porosity of sandstone means that it easily absorbs liquid materials leading to stains. This is something you can't avoid around the pool. Aside from pool water, the area surrounding the pool will be exposed to cleaning liquids and chemicals and likely drinks. As the pool area is also a high footfall area, it's easy to miss staining, in which case the stains will become permanent.

Sandstone is Slippery

Believe it or not - not all sandstone is slip-resistant. In fact, polished sandstone can be extremely slippery when wet. This makes it an especially bad choice to use around a pool where safety is of paramount importance. The structural damage caused by salt or acid can also make sandstone a precarious choice for pool side flooring.

Will sealing make sandstone salt safe?

Great question and one that most people get wrong. It's a common misconception that sealing sandstone will make it salt safe. In actuality, sealing sandstone will not make any difference to the stone's molecular composition. All that a sealant does is reduce the porosity of a stone and make it resistant to stains.

What flooring to use instead of sandstone?

Don't know what flooring to use in place of sandstone around your pool? We've got some answers. Read on for some excellent options.
Concrete: Concrete is low maintenance and a popular alternative to sandstone for flooring around your pool. Concrete is extremely versatile, with choices including poured concrete decks, stamped concrete or stone finish concrete. It's also cost-effective, low maintenance and durable, making it ideal for an around the pool flooring choice. Properly sealed concrete also provides excellent resistance against water. ​

Marble Pavers: Marble is a hard wearing stone that is also beautiful to look at. Aside from durability, marble is also a cooling stone which means it's gentle on the feet during scorching summers.

Wood: Natural wood varieties such as pine, cedar and teak are some options that lend an elegant touch to pool deck flooring. Each kind of wood comes with its own budget considerations and pros. For example, teak is resistant to mould and mildew, which makes it a great option around water. Natural wood, however, requires maintenance and yearly waterproofing, so if you want the look, you can go for wood-composite decking. Wood composite decking has the same look as real wood but is treated with preservatives making it more resistant to rotting caused by water damage.

Granite: Granite provides slip resistance and is also an extremely dense stone making it great for pool decks. Granite also hides stains well due to its speckled finish. Being low-porous, it also helps to resist water damage.

Porcelain tile: Porcelain tile is extremely resistant to intense water, with a water absorption rate of 0.5 per cent or less. This makes it an excellent choice for pool deck areas that are perpetually damp and exposed to water. 

Synthetic: Synthetic materials made out of recycled plastic is a great option in terms of durability. Decks made of this material can withstand weather conditions and exposure to sun, water and other elements. 

Bluestone: Just like granite, bluestone is salt-resistant, making it ideal for installation around a pool. 

Final Thoughts

Sandstone may be a popular choice. But in the long term, it's one of the worst options for flooring around a pool. But if you want the look of sandstone without the material defects, porcelain pavers provide a great alternative. Porcelain pavers look natural, never permanently stain and have a long life. Additionally, high-quality porcelain pavers are extremely dense, making them highly durable and come with commercial-grade slip resistance. Ultimately function should be the prime consideration when choosing a material to install around your pool, second only to price.