Proper maintenance of hardscapes is key to the longevity and beauty of your investment.
Protect your hardscapes with regular power washing, sanding and sealing. Typical cleaning and sealing should occur every 18-24 months.
Power washing cleans the surface of your pavers
Applying sand to the paver joints helps prevent shifting and weed growth
Sealing revitalizes color and protects against mold, dirt and grime
As the name already illustrates, a seal for your pavers can be understood as an invisible protective layer. The seal will extend the life of the pavers by protecting them from environmental influences such as rain and sun. A seal also prevents other things such as oil or other substances from slipping directly onto and in between the pavers. Sealing the pavers will subsequently elongate their durability and appearance. It is important to note that it is still vital that you clean anything that might cause stains as the seal cannot prevent discoloration.
Pressure cleaning and sealing pavers should only take two days. Before the pressure cleaner is used, we carry out a chemical wash. The chemical wash will remove the majority of the dirt and possible discoloring. As we mentioned above, it is vital that you care for your pavers and clean them if you see oil stains or rust stains. These stains might not be removed with the pressure cleaner if they have already been in the pavers for some time. The pavers must be completely dry for the next step as the sealer cannot be sprayed on damp surfaces. In case of bad weather, we will reschedule the appointment for sealing the pavers with you. Usually, one or two coats of sealer are enough. If we are pressure cleaning and sealing your driveway, we recommend waiting 24 hours before driving over the newly tended pavers. For pedestrians, it’s simply a few hours. We use a water base sealer called Cobble Loc (3 parts).
A few things to keep in mind: Sealing is like an invisible protective layer from environmental impacts, but it will not prevent ants or weeds from surfacing. We are happy to tell you about various options to keep these problems at bay if this is the case.
Fine sand between brick pavers is used to hold them in place so that they don’t move around and get loose. It is possible that sand is removed during pressure cleaning, but this is quickly fixed by re-sanding in such areas. If you notice spaces between the pavers that have gotten bigger or pavers shifting, it is most likely not a problem of missing sand but more an issue with the edge restraints requiring some maintenance and repairs.
Sealing will darken the shade of the pavers. If you have or are choosing dark pavers, there might be a significant shine after sealing compared to lighter colors of pavers. The number one reason you want to seal your pavers is to protect them.
There’s an easy way to see if you might need to reseal your pavers soon: if you let water run over the pavers and the water doesn’t sit on the surface in droplets, it’s time to give us a call.