What Does Sealer Do For Your Concrete Pavers?
If you have concrete pavers in your backyard or front yard, its natural for you to want to know what you can do to keep your pavers in the best condition possible. Knowing what concrete paver sealer does will help you as you strive to keep your pavers in good condition.
What does sealer do for your concrete pavers?
Sealer helps protect concrete pavers. Sealer can improve paver performance and enhance paver appearance in the following ways:
- Sealer makes concrete pavers easier to wash. Sealers form a water-resistant film on top of concrete pavers. This film prevents many stains (like grease stains and tree sap) from soaking into your concrete pavers, which makes spills easier to clean.
- Sealer makes your pavers more vibrant. Sealers, particularly high-gloss sealers, can give your pavers a "wet" look that darkens the color and makes the pavers more vivid.
- Some types of sealer help hold together the paver configuration. Joint-stabilizing sealer hardens the sand between pavers, which holds the pavers in place.
- Sealer can help preserve the color of your pavers. Concrete sealer blocks your pavers from damaging UV rays, which prevents the color of the pavers from fading over time.
Can you install paver sealer as a DIY project?
Yes, you can install paver sealer as a DIY project. To install paver sealer, do the following:
- Pull all weeds between pavers and clean out all the joints of trash or debris.
- Sweep the pavers clean.
- Spray the pavers with a strong jet of water from a hose.
- Allow the pavers to dry for a full day.
- Apply the paver sealer with a paint roller. Apply a thin layer of paver sealer, then allow the sealer to dry for the manufacturer's recommended amount of time.
- Repeat step 5 once or twice more to sufficiently coat the pavers.
Note that if your concrete pavers are newly installed, it's a good idea to wait a year before sealing your pavers, to avoid the appearance of effervescence.
How often should you refresh the paver sealer?
Paver sealer will need to be re-applied every few years, depending on the type of sealer you use. Watch for the following warning signs:
- Your pavers begin to fade.
- The pavers no longer look wet.
- It's more difficult to clean your pavers.
- Weeds have begun to grow between your pavers (if you applied joint-stabilizing sealer).
Keeping sealer on your pavers and following these tips should help you maintain your concrete pavers for many years to come. Contact a business, such as Premier Asphalt Paving CO, for more information.
Share