A picture would help

Yes, of course. I am attaching.

Please back up with the camera and show an overall view.

Hi just wondering what happened with your project. We are considering the Borealis around our newly installed pool. However it is so new that I am getting mixed information in terms of coping around the pool etc so I was wondering what your end result was. Did you get rid of the spotting. any other issues. Thanks

Hi Lisa-

The Techo Bloc rep came to look at it and said it is normal- efflorescence caused by the stone continuing to cure. He said it will go away over time. We can speed up the process using an acidic cleaner (I found a natural one), but he does not recommend it. We are going to continue using the product as it is really a cool look. I can keep you posted if you like. The only other advice I can offer at this moment is that, in hindsight, I may have chosen one of the lighter shades (as opposed to the Smoked Pine) because it would not have been as visible on a ligter color.

Thanks good advice. I was trying to decide between colors and makes sense now for me to go with the lighter one so thanks for the help. would love to see bigger pic of your project showing more of the paver if you have it. Good luck and thanks again!!

Sure- we have only done partial steps so far until we resolved this issue. Once we continue, I will forward some photos.

Hi, wondering how your Borealis stones look now? I just installed them in early July and had the same result. The Techo Bloc rep. came by to look at them and told me that it would go away in 6 to 8 weeks. I'm just curious on how yours look now that a year has passed. Thanks, Joe

Hi Joe- I am glad you asked because I was planning to post an update. To be honest, they don't look much better after 1 year. Overall, they look like a weathered deck wood. The spots aren't as noticeable, but we never got the dark brown look that we were hoping for. We tried power washing them, but it did not make a difference. There are some acid washes that I read can be used, but we haven't tried them. Did you also install the darker brown color?

Hi, thanks for the response! Yes I did, actually I did a blend of Hazelnut Brandy and Smoked Pine (this is the darker brown one) and they both have the "weathered" look to them and spots on some. A representative from Techo-Block came to look at them and he said that this was efflorescence and will go away in 6 - 8 weeks. He also suggested to power wash the stones, and at the 8 week period to check in with him and he will come by with the special cleaner and clean them up for me. I did it (power wash) with minimal change to the appearance. So basically it is a wait and see, but they are a really nice and unique product and I don't want to go through with the removal (they are so darn heavy!) and I am just hoping that they will eventually look like the display in the store where I purchased them (which neglected to tell me that they sealed the stones before they put them out. I've attached a couple of photo's.

Thanks again!

Joe

Hi, we are planning to install this material in our pool deck. Since you've been using it for a while now, would you still recommend it? thanks

Hi there,

im wondering if anyone that was considering this for a pool surround went forward with the protect? I'm interested in using this product around our (to be installed) pool. I'm wondering if using the lighter color would make it "ok"? Or does everyone who has used it wish they had used something else? Any project photos would be so appreciated. This thread has been helpful so thank you!

My opinion is DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT! especially around a pool. I do not have it around a pool it is in my backyard patio area, but with just the rain that falls discolours the stones I can't imagine what chlorinated water would do. In my pictures above you can see the Techo-Bloc stones are not what they should look like I mixed the dark and the light together and the light colour started with a beige tone which has now turned to grey. I am extremely disappointing in the product, they say you get what you pay for but in this instance it does not hold true.

I agree.

In my experience, the white film has never gone away. The company was supposed to come out and power wash it with an acid based product, but the rep flaked out when I was trying to reach him. I also did not want to expose the planting around the perimeter to the acid. Sorry. Beautiful concept for the product, but I would not use it again.

Hi I also installed this product at my beach house around my pool. We used the hazelnut color and we placed the stones in a herringbone pattern. I love how it looks. Everyone that comes to my home thinks that it is wood. When we first started laying the stones i noticed that some were darker then others. Apparently I got a mix from 2 different stone lots. It was all hazelnut but because it is natural stone and was 2 different lots one lot was darker. It would have taken too long to get a new lot so we decided to do a herringbone pattern and we took time mixing the pavers so that it looked natural. I agree that there are spots and i have attached photos. I was really bothered in the beginning but quite honestly now they just seem to blend in. I also agree they are pricey and more fragile to work with then your average stone so make sure whomever is installing it knows what they are doing. Hope this helps.

That looks beautiful. We were going for a contrast in color, though, between the brown of the house siding and the patio. We didn't achieve that with these pavers.

Does anyone who installed this have trouble with people's feet becoming very dirty from walking on it? I thought perhaps considering a sealant would help with that. Has anyone successfully used a sealant on theirs? We have had ours in place for about 2 years. Our spotting issue is still present and our grout is really loosening. I regret spending $15k on our patio made out of these!!

Anyone still having this issue today? We are thinking about install just want to know if Techo bloc made any improvements on this issue

Actually the spots have gone away over tune but ours were installed a couple of years ago. I was obsessed w the water spots in the beginning so disappointed that I had sped so much but I loved the look and always get lots of compliments from friends on how it looks...then over the years it just weathered away. I do not have a problem w the kids feet getting dirty but I do have to add paver stone often because it becomes loose. Attached is a recent photo

Looks beautiful Lisa! Thank you for sharing the pictures and advice. I really like them was disappointed after reading some of the reviews. Happy yours went away.

We had Borealis installed around the preimeter of our patio and the product looks awful. Every paver is covered in these odd faded, dusty, dingy looking swirls that will not wash off. Techo provided every excuse in the book as to why it looks this way and even tried to clean it with no improvement. Now they are MIA. DO NOT use this product. Poor customer support matches poor product quality. We recently learned of a customer who used this product on a large patio and is also having the same issue. Time for Techo to admit there is an issue with the product and provide another option for customers besides "give it time."