Is Your Paver Surface Screaming For Attention?

Whether you’re buying a home with an existing paver surface, or you had one installed a few years ago, it might be time to have your pavers cleaned and resealed. An easy way to tell if your paver surface could benefit from a cleaning and resealing is to turn your water hose on and watch the water bead up on the surface. If the water is not beading, you might need a fresh coat of sealer placed.

Still unsure what to do with your paver surface? Let’s break this down a little bit;

When Should I Clean and Seal My Pavers?

Your paver surface should be cleaned and resealed every 4-6 years. This varies due to the amount of traffic it receives, weather conditions it endures throughout the year, and the location of the structure.

A patio that gets full sun and is used heavily during the year might lean closer to every 4 years, comparatively a surface that is shaded, well drained, and receives minimal traffic can most likely hold off for 6 years.  

Why Should I Clean and Seal My Pavers?

You clean everything else around your home, why not your pavers? Over time the sealant atop your pavers wears down and allows dirt and debris to build up or stain the surface. Applying a fresh coat of sealant after cleaning acts as a barrier and is meant to protect them from the elements, any de-icing agents, freeze-thaw cycles, and anything else foreign that were to fall on them. Even rain can cause problems by exposing aggregate in the pavers and causing them to chip away. The suns UV rays can attack the colors of your pavers over time causing them to fade.

In addition to having your pavers cleaned and resealed, you will most likely need to have the area re-sanded. Over time the joint sand between the pavers can be washed away by rain and foot traffic. During the cleaning process loose sand will also be broken up and blown away. Adding the re-sanding process during cleaning will ensure stability, aid in the prevention of weeds and moss build up and in turn keep your pavers looking like new for a longer period of time.

How Do You Clean and Seal Pavers?

The safest and most effective way to clean your pavers is to use a combination of a wide spray nozzle and a walk behind surface cleaner. While you can certainly rent a pressure washer and go to town on your paver area, we recommend leaving it to the professionals. Simply pressure washing the surface can easily damage the area by breaking up the aggregate material and eroding the color even more. If you plan to clean your pavers without resealing them you could be setting yourself up for more trouble in the future.   

Respectfully Yours, 

Landscapes By Terra