Many homeowners think that after they have their pavers installed that they don’t have to worry about their pavers anymore or for a long time and they just let them go untreated. We have even heard from homeowners themselves that they were told by the installers that they should not seal their pavers as that they can be ruined. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We have been in the pavement sealing industry for over 13 years and we can tell our clients with all certainty that the answer is a solid YES!
When correctly done, sealing your brick pavers either old or new, is super beneficial. Sealing your pavers will ensure that they will last longer, it will help maintain their original colors, prevent erosion, ward off stains, reduce mold build up, help lock in the joint sand better, repel chemicals spills and much more.
The question many homeowners may have is, how do you make sure that my pavers get the right maintenance and that it is done correctly without ruining the beautiful look of them? Which brings them to another question… Should I seal my pavers myself? Or should I hire a professional?
Cleaning and sealing pavers yourself might sound and look like an easy weekend DIY project. You watch a few videos on YouTube, go to your nearest big box store buy sand and sealer, rent a pressure washer and let’s do it!
The reality is that the cleaning process alone requires some hardscape knowledge. Details such as the type of pavers you have, whether they have a rough or smooth surface, if any chemicals are needed to properly prep and clean/remove organic build up or grease. Add to that the size of your paver joints when it comes to installing the joint sand. When you are ready to seal, you also must consider the weather in your state and area (extreme or normal), if there is too much shade or not enough sun. All this information is very important to consider when buying and applying the right materials to your pavers as this will determine the performance, finish, and look on your pavers.
Our recommendation would be a NO! Unless you have some type of education or knowledge on the hardscape maintenance industry. We can’t stop you, nor are we trying to say that you are not cut out for the project, we are just trying to save you a headache and extra hefty expenses to correct a problem that can be avoided if done right the first time. Regardless of who you hire, always make sure that this is their specialty. On an estimated day we would see at least one or two jobs that went wrong, either a DIY project or that it was done by inexperienced “contractor”. Now these ruined pavers will have to be stripped to correct that mess, leaving the client behind with a costly tag; up to 2 to 3 times the cost of what the initial cost would have been if done properly the first time.
Like mentioned before, pavers area a great choice when it comes to beautifying your favorite paver areas, either patio, walkway, driveway etc. They are beautiful and certainly make a huge difference from asphalt or regular cement. Having a paver patio, paver driveway or paver walkway installed is not cheap. It is expensive and an expensive investment that we believe it can last a very longtime if it is well maintained.
At Amazing Paver Restoration Inc., we like to educate our potential clients on what to look for or expect when it comes to paver sealing or maintenance. Our promise to you is to always deliver top of the line products, services and procedures that perform best. We are continuously testing new products and enforcing new tactics and systems to make sure our clients receive the best of the best.
