We live and breathe exterior cleaning and maintenance spending countless hours researching and testing products and processes so we can provide the absolute best results possible for the folks who hire DPC. We feel that part of our job is to present to you the most practical ways to maintain your properties and share our knowledge and experience with these situations. Our reputation and quality of service is very important to us and if there is anything we can do to make your experience with our company a better one, please let us know. We also promise to keep learning and improving our trade and ensure that we are maintaining your exteriors with the safest and most effective methods. See you soon!
Should you seal your paver driveway and walkways?
Yes! If you are serious about maintaining the appearance of your exterior surfaces, then it would be well worth your time to give this a quick read. Sealing is a fantastic way to protect your concrete and paver areas from a variety of issues and enhance their appearance.
We highly recommend sealing your paver areas! Not only does it look great, but it will protect the pavers for 3-5 years per the manufacturer. We use a product called Ure-Seal H20 which is a water-based concrete and paver sealer that comes in a Natural, Mid-Gloss, and High Gloss finish. We usually recommend the natural or mid gloss finishes because the high gloss can become very shinny in appearance and can be a bit slippery to walk on. The water-based sealer results in a “wet look” which slightly darkens and enhances the color of the pavers while also offering great protection. The picture shown above is a driveway we cleaned and sealed in New Smyrna Beach, FL with a natural finish.
Over time, pavers will start to do several things including a process called efflorescence.
This happens in the first few months after installation and pavers should not be sealed until the process has run its course. The pavers release minerals due to their material make up which is what causes the orange or white (and other) discoloration on the paver and concrete areas. This is because the minerals rise to the surface and then slowly work their way down the driveway and onto sidewalks etc. We do have a process for removing these stains if needed. The products required to remove efflorescence are costly and would most likely be somewhere around one dollar per square foot to complete the process depending on the extent of staining.
Extended exposure to sunlight will dull and fade the color of your pavers. Sealing provides a protective layer that will maintain and enhance the color of the pavers as well as protect from stains, spills, exposure to sunlight, and wear & tear from vehicle and foot traffic. This layer keeps stains and growth on the surface preventing them from working deeper into the pores of the pavers. This means when they do become dirty or encounter a spill of some sort, they will clean easier and with better results because of the protective barrier formed by the sealer. The deeper stains that have penetrated below the surface and into the pores are the stains that pressure washing alone will not be able to remove down the road.
This picture (right) shows pavers that are dull and faded on the right side and after applying sealer on the left. The earlier you decide to seal the pavers the better they will look for the years ahead!
Our sealing process includes re-sanding the paver joints, then the sealer will harden the sand in the joints when it cures. Pavers can shift and loosen over time and this helps to prevent shifting and keep them locked in place and level. Re-sanding will fill in any areas that may have started to erode or wash out before applying sealer.
The hardened sand in the joints will help to prevent weeds and growth coming up through the cracks. We clean the pool deck pavers and screen enclosure every year for this homeowner and you can see how the weeds are back even with yearly maintenance, but the pavers have not been sealed.
A 5-gallon kit will cover about 1,000-1,200 square feet with the recommended 2 coats. We have a base price of $1,050 for sealing jobs. That covers the cost of materials and labor for what the first kit will cover. Anything over 1,000 square feet or that will require purchasing more materials will be roughly $1 per sqft. I say roughly because with these jobs there are variables that we cannot account for until we see the surfaces in person and assess what specific processes will be required to prep the pavers to receive the sealer and obtain overall desired results.
If you think you could benefit from this process, we encourage you to view our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram by clicking the links and our portfolio page on our website at www.dykespressurecleaning.com/portfolio where we have customer reviews, photos and videos of our work and other businesses/neighborhoods where we have worked. You can call (386)847-3626 to schedule a free estimate or fill out a contact form on our website at www.dykespressurecleaning.com