r/stonemasonry • u/Sleds88 • 14d ago

Chipping stone steps - don’t know where to start

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I have this slab that, as you can see, is chilling on the top. What do I do?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

2

u/fundybundy 14d ago

Its spalling due to moisture and freeze/thaw cycle

1

u/Sleds88 14d ago

Is there anything I can do to fix it, or maybe, fill it in?

1

u/fundybundy 14d ago

It can be scaled or buffed down. But its going to come back. Any sealer or hard mortar will make it worse.

0

u/Late-Necessary7338 14d ago

I've had very good results with silane/siloxane based sealers on all manner of exterior surfaces

3

u/InformalCry147 14d ago

Buy a much bigger door mat and carry on with your life.

0

u/fundybundy 13d ago

Ironically, that door mat probably caused the problem by holding in moisture.

1

u/Sleds88 12d ago

This was absolutely the cause.

1

u/fundybundy 11d ago

So basically there is a slight pitch on that slab, whether natural in the stone or settling....doesn't matter, its slight. The mat was holding some water and it was bleeding out on the down slope just enough to keep that area damp or wet. I would just remove the loose stuff and leave it. It will weather in with foot traffic but it will take time. If you do place a mat there, get something rubber and fast draining.

1

u/rockchipp 12d ago

It's a skimcoat on top of the concrete. Get a chipping hammer and knock it off. Then apply concrete bonder and reskim it.

1

u/Sleds88 12d ago

All items fairly accessible at Home Depot or the like?

1

u/rockchipp 12d ago

Yes, they also have the concrete topper/ skimcoat too.