How To Point Or Repoint Your Patio
Patio slabs need pointing when they come loose from your patio, typically when the jointing compound has degraded over time.
TOP TIP: As it dries quickly, make sure you use your pointing mortar within 30-45 minutes of being mixed.
How To Maintain Your Patio
With spring in full swing, its time to get your garden back to its pristine best and we arent just talking about the plants and flowers that survived the winter frost.
Your patio also needs a generous helping of TLC to prepare for the family barbecues and summer parties in the glorious British sunshine. Thats why weve pulled together this patio cleaning guide to help you care for your outdoor space.
From how to clean a patio to sealing a patio, continue reading, below, to get your pavers summer-ready.
Concrete & Brick Patio Paver Sealing Services
You invested in a beautiful paver patio or driveway and it looks pristine. Why not protect that investment with cleaning & sealing? A sealer protects pavers from stains, fading from UV rays, and weathering. It also extends the lifespan of polymeric joint sand and reduces issues with moss. We recommend sealing a new paver patio approximately 4-12 months after installation.
If you have an older paver patio, it has likely faded and worn over the years. Perhaps theres weeds and moss in the joints. Over time brick patios and driveways become dirty and dull cleaning the pavers, refiling the joints with sand, and sealing will restore much of the beauty that you enjoyed when it was new!
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The Importance Of Sealing
Lets expand on what we previously mentioned about sealing being one of the most important aspects of paver maintenance.
When you seal pavers you are doing two jobs.
First, if your pavers are made out of a porous material, you are preventing them from absorbing spills and forming puddles.
Second, you are locking the joint sand into place and bonding it with the pavers. The sealer works as a glue, tying everything together and forming a resistant structure.
With sealing, the maintenance of your pavers becomes easier in the future, since the protective coat allows for easier cleaning and it prevents weeds and mildew from growing between the joints.
Perfect Pavers South Florida Fishing Trip
It was a day filled with excitement, fun and bucket list cross offs for the South Florida team of Perfect Paver. The incredible success that Perfect Paver Co. has is attributed to the hard work and dedication each team member shows daily. It was time for these team members to be treated to an exciting day off and be shown just how much they are appreciated and valued. What better way to do this than a beautiful day out on the ocean deep-sea fishing?
The day was carefully planned in detail with everyones enjoyment in mind. Some of the team members piled in the large SUV with Ethan as their driver. During the drive, the guys shared in their excitement and anticipation of the day. As they say, its the journey, not the destination that creates some of the best memories. Casey M shared, I enjoyed the ride down with all of the team members. We all did a bunch of laughing and joking around. The whole day was awesome, but this was definitely my favorite part.
They arrived at the Lady Pamela 2, the charter boat that was hired for the day a 50 custom-built sportfishing boat. This was a unique opportunity for some of the team who love to fish but have never gone out to sea on such a large and beautiful boat. The water that day was calm, crisp, and clear. There were plenty of snacks, lots of drinks, and Dramamine if anyone needed it.
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You Can Talk The Talk But Can You Walk The Walk
This is what Neil, a recent customer asked after he had been overpromised and underdelivered many times before. Neil has a home sitting directly on the scenic intercoastal of South Florida. Although Neil had his ideal home, he had a dilemma. The courtyard was originally constructed with the installation of a very unique Spanish-style clay brick. These beautiful clay bricks were made in South America, cast in a kiln then laid out in a field to dry. During this drying process, a pack of wild dogs were passing through the area and decided to leave their unique stamp of approval, a perfect portrait of paw prints. This was quite a unique trait that both Neil and his wife truly appreciated. They were happy to have these little pieces of art as part of their home.
Unfortunately, year after year of being sealed incorrectly and Floridas rough elements, these pavers would always default back to a milky color. Neil and his wife were left with the Dilemma of starting the courtyard from scratch or keeping the original integrity with one last chance at restoration.
The Last
This was of course a decision he did not take lightly after being overpromised and under-delivered many times before. Neil used this information and made the educated choice to restore this courtyard for himself and his wife. She had an attachment to these pavers and cherished the history and beauty. And as we all seem to know, happy wife, happy life!
Things To Do Before Sealing Your Pavers
4 THINGS TO DO BEFORE SEALING YOUR PAVERS
Sealing an outdoor patio or walkway will help protect your investment. But before diving straight into the process, youll want to perform the tasks on this pre-sealing to-do list.
1. See what the manufacturer has to say.Before even making a trip to your local hardscape supply store, take time to review the paver manufacturers specifications for sealing. This will give you important insight on the types of sealing products that are safe to use on your pavers and the appropriate waiting period before applying sealer to new pavers.
2. Check the weather.In most cases, a sealer should only be applied to pavers that are completely dry. So confirm there wont be any rain in the forecast for a full 24 hours prior to starting your project. You also wont want to perform a sealing job in extreme temperatures. As a rule of thumb, 60-80 degrees is usually ideal. You also dont want any rain for 24 hours after a sealer application.
3. Clean!We truly cant stress the importance of this step enough! Not only will you want to clean stains from your pavers prior to sealing, but youll also want to take care of any efflorescence. This cleaning step preps the pavers to allow the sealer to bond properly. Note: Be sure to read our blog post, 8 Facts About Efflorescence, prior to beginning your project.
Once youve checked these four important steps off your to-do list, youll be ready and set to seal!
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Paver Sealing Application Tips:
- Like with painting, its best to keep a wet edge on a continuous area. In other words, dont let a section dry before you finish. Once you start working, keep working.
- An application sprayer makes it easier to work faster.
- Apply paver sealant to saturation. Get the pavers good and wet to make sure all crevices are covered. Then use a dry roller to soak up the excess to avoid lines and drip marks.
- Always follow the manufacturers instructions.
- When in doubt, hire a professional. To find qualified contractors in your area, visit the Belgard contractor locator.
. . .
Clear Out Moss And Weeds
Using a handheld brush with stiff bristles, brush away any moss that might be growing on or between the pavers and pull the weeds out from inside the joints. Once youve loosened all the organic growth, brush that completely off the paved surface.
If its not possible to remove it by hand, spray the weeds with vegetation killer then wait at least 2 weeks before you clean and seal the pavers.
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Before Sealing Brick Pavers: Clean Them
Before applying sealant, youll want to wash the entire area with a pressure washer. You dont want to seal dirt, grime, or mildew into your bricks. And the best way to remove it before sealing is by using a pressure washer. Youll also want to make sure that you get any sand joints and weeds blasted so that the area is completely clean.
Is There A Prep Process Before Applying Paver Sealant
Even new pavers should be cleaned with Techniseal® Paver Prep prior to sealing. Not only will it clean the pavers, but it will open the pores on the surface to allow better penetration of the sealant. Older pavers will also benefit, as Paver Prep will remove any efflorescence that has accumulated. Any stains should be removed prior to applying Paver Prep, using the specific stain remover for the type of stain. For more information, read last weeks blog on paver stain removal.
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How To Clean Black Mold From Pavers
Mold can appear everywhere, from fruits to pavers. They are probably every homeowners nightmare and not only causes aesthetic problems but also health issues, once it can cause a variety of symptoms, like shortness of breath, aggravated asthma, sinus congestion, coughing, itchy eyes, allergies, etc.
If you have black mold growing on your pavers the best thing can do is give them a good cleaning to remove the mold and make sure it stays away from them for a long time.
In this article, youre gonna learn everything you need about cleaning and removing black mold from pavers properly and safely in a step-by-step guide!
Clean Clean And Clean Some More
In regards to the prep work, sealing pavers isnt much different than staining your deck or painting your house. Much of the quality of the job comes down to how well you prepare the surface.
Patios that have weathered will often have mildew, moss, and algae growing on the stones and in the sand between the joints. Weeds and any other foreign debris need to be removed and for a patio, that means a good cleaning. The easiest way to clean your brick patio is with a power washer.
Make certain that you select a washer with enough power to do the job. I try to never use anything rated less than 2400 p.s.i. Select a tip that will fan the water out slightly, 15°- 25° or so, and always work in sections.
Patios should be constructed so that water runs away from the home. So begin working near the house or the high side of the slope of the patio, rinsing debris down the patios natural flow, away from the house. Youll loose some of the sand between the joints during the cleaning process and thats okay. Well replace the sand once the patio is cleaned up. Just be careful not to blow out more sand than is necessary while youre doing your cleaning.
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Wet The Patio With Water
Using plain water from your garden hose, wet down the entire space. After its wet, then add some dish soap or a degreaser to a bucket of water. Using a brush thats stiff, pour some water and soap on the pavers and give it all a scrub. Keep it gentle, and dont go overboard on the scrubbing, so you dont damage any of the surfaces.
What Kleenit Customers Are Saying:
Thank you very much for doing this job. It looks amazing!I rang the insured and he is very happy, said you were a lovely person and he is rapt with the look.Thank you once again, it is so nice to work with someone so professional.
LW, Victoria.
Why choose Kleenit for paver cleaning
Applying a sealer to your pavers, concrete, liquid limestone, bluestone or exposed aggregate looks fantastic, and, when applied correctly, will protect the look of your investment for years to come.
Kleenits process involves professional high pressure clean the entire area using our Whirlaway pave cleaning machine, to remove any dirt, grime and residue. We will then return to apply the sealer to the cleaned area.
How we apply paver sealer
A sealer will be selected from our own range of tried and tested products, backed by years of research. This is generally a solvent-based acrylic product. A solvent, by its nature is extremely sturdy and hard wearing, producing the strongest longest lasting barrier to any stain that may occur.
Kleenit stocks a range of paver sealers, including ones to create a wet look, plus tintable and almost invisible coatings. Whatever you need, Kleenit has the sealer to suit.
So whether its your driveway, patio area, alfresco area, pool area, or just the brick pathway that needs to be sealed, Kleenit has the knowledge, expertise and high-quality paver coatings to protect it from potential stain damage well into the future.
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How To Seal Interlock
Ideally, you would have a professional seal your interlocking early on. Professionals are best equipped to give you the best results, that will ensure your interlocking will stay low maintenance for years. Your landscaper should wait from 60 to 90 days to seal the interlocking after it is first installed to seal it. This short wait allows efflorescence to leave the pavers and will be ideal for joint stabilization purposes.
Debbies Perfect Paver Co Story
After going through a year and a half with previous contractor Debbie, from Liberty Township, Ohio, realized that she needed to find someone that would do the job right. So she began to do some research and found us. Were so glad that we were able to find each other and make her pavers beautiful again!
- Steam Cleaning
- Steam Cleaning
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Brick Paver And Stone Soft Washing Services:
- Brick patio cleaning
Benefits To Sealing Your Brick Pavers With a Proper Sealer
- Joint sand hardens to a concrete like barrier
- Combats against weed and mold growth from pavers
- Will not allow for pavers to shift, sink, or wobble
- Will not need to be stripped off before sealing in the future
- Easy application
- Excellent abrasion and chemical resistance
- Rich color enhancement
- Will form an extremely hard protective coating for high traffic areas
- Will not yellow or turn whiter or fade
- Industry leading UV protection
- Ideal for both residential and commercial sealing applications
How Much Does It Cost To Re
Assuming you have a broom, a pressure washer, and a tarp, you will probably just spend around $2 $4 for each 50lb bag of regular sand. The price does vary for polymeric sand, but you can expect the price to range between $20 $40 per 55lb 50lb bag.
As you can see, the price varies considerably. However, as we mentioned in the articles previous sections, polymeric sand offers a great deal of added benefits and increased durability. Combine the product with proper sealing, and you wont have to worry about re-sanding pavers for a considerable period.
At JS Brick, we have 20+ years of experience providing paver installation, supply, and maintenance services in Sarasota and surrounding cities. For a free estimate on paver cleaning, re-sanding, and sealing services, dont hesitate to leave us a message or a call.
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How Much Does It Cost To Clean And Seal Pavers What Kind Of Cleaning
That is an important question.
The first thing to notice is that pavers work alongside sand to form an interlocking system. That means the sand is just as important as the pavers in a paver installation.
This interlocking system is what allows pavers to be so resilient. They can withstand heavy loads distributing the weight amongst themselves, thanks to the malleable system formed by the sand.
Talking about cleaning pavers without talking about re-sanding your pavers afterward is impossible. Re-sand is an integral part of the deep cleaning of pavers.
So you have two scenarios. Either your paver installation is still intact and you just need to clean surface-level stains and dirt, or you have weeds and mildew growing between the joints of your pavers.
If youre in the first scenario, you have nothing to worry about. A regular garden hose and a broom, in combination with a good cleaning product, can get the job done.
But if your installation is compromised by biological life, youll need to perform a deep cleaning and re-sanding afterward.
How Long Should Pavers Dry Before Sealing
Finally, we would like to remind you that we recommend at least 24 to 48 hours of a time gap to seal pavers. The timing may vary. The crucial thing to note is that they must be dry for the process.
At JS Brick, we have 20+ years of experience providing paver installation, supply, and maintenance services in Sarasota and surrounding cities. For a free estimate on paver cleaning and sealing services, dont hesitate to leave us a message or a call.
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Scrub With The Right Solution
It could be that water is all your need to get rid of the dirt on your patio. However, there will likely need to be some pressure involved. In lieu of a pressure washer, a scrub brush or scrub broom is the best tool for the job. If necessary, use a mild, non-acidic detergent from a store or some very warm, degreasing dish soap with water. Rinse thoroughly and repeat as necessary.
A note on vinegar: There is much controversy on the Internet regarding whether it is safe to use vinegar of any kind to clean your paver patio. Due to its acidity, it can ruin the pavers seal, and so is best avoided for patios.