Belgard pavers are designed to last the life of your home. However, like any decorative exterior surface, they are subject to the effects of use, weather and time if not properly maintained. It’s that time of year when patios, walkways and driveways are constantly filled with falling leaves and pine needles — all of which can stain pavers that are not properly sealed.
Even if your pavers were sealed when originally installed, sealant will wear over time. To keep them looking beautiful, it is important to reseal pavers every three to five years. If pavers no longer repel water, or begin to look dull or stained, it’s probably time to clean and reseal them. There are likely a number of contractors in your area who offer this service. To search for a local contractor click here.
For those interested in cleaning and sealing their own pavers, it’s a three-step process.
Step 1: Stain Removal. Remove any stains from the surface using a specialized cleaning product for the particular stain. For example rust, paint, red wine, and grease will each have different chemical properties. Best results will be achieved when using a specialized cleaner for the particular stain. Techniseal offers a high-quality line of concrete paver stain removal products and can be found at various dealers, including Ace Hardware stores.
Step 2: General Surface Cleaning. Once stains have been removed, prep the entire surface to be sealed by removing all efflorescence and ground-in dirt with a paver cleaner. Spray cleaner onto pavers, scrub with a push broom, then rinse with a hose. Allow at least 24 hours for pavers to fully dry.
Step 3: Sealing. Choose between a natural-look, satin-look or wet-look sealant, depending on your preference. Before you begin, make sure that sprinklers are turned off, pavers are completely dry, and rain is not forecast for the next 24 hours. Be sure to read the entire product directions and test a small area first. Also note that it is not advised to seal pavers when sustained temperatures are below 50°F (10°C). If all conditions are favorable, apply the product in small sections at a time. For best results, spray on sealant with a sprayer, then use a roller to evenly coat and remove excess. Most sealants will need a second coat. Drying time will vary.
For more information, watch this video:
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29 comments
You wrote in this blog that you should choose paving sealing because it will actually remove any stains that may be on your concrete pavers. My brother’s driveway is made of pavers and he’s been a bit annoyed lately because it has become discolored and doesn’t look like it did just a few years ago. I’ll advise he find a quality service that could quickly come out and remove those stains, so that he can enjoy basically a brand new set of concrete to look at and drive on.
Just applying a sealer won’t remove existing stains. Pavers should be clean of debris and stains prior to sealing. This can be done as a DIY project, but can be a tedious process. Often, the better option is to find a reliable contractor who specializes in paver cleaning and sealing.
How long should I wait before sealing Belgard pavers?
You want to make sure that the pavers are completely dry before you apply the sealer. You also want to avoid sealing in extreme temperatures. Ideal conditions would be 60-80 degrees F, with no rain for 24 hours before or after applying sealer.
We have a brand new Belgard patio, and I was told that I should wait an entire season before sealing our pavers, to make sure they acclimatize properly. Therefore, we have a whole season with leaves and seeds falling that causes stains. Will these stains be removed through traditional cleaners, prior to us sealing next year?
What area of the country are you located in?
According to the folks at Techniseal, waiting more than 30 days to seal pavers can do more harm than good. If your pavers have gotten stained from not being sealed, they offer a full line of products that can help remove the stains, with different cleaners for different types of stains (organic, tar/paint, oil/grease, rust, efflorescence). For more information, visit http://www.Techniseal.com.
Same question as J. We just had 2000sqft of pavers installed late last month. We want to protect our investment, however, is there a breath out time for efflorescences to weather away? I too was suggested to wait one year before sealing. I live in Central Florida. My pavers our around my pool deck(saltwater pool). Not worried about leaves staining. Our yard deck is clear of trees. Just all day sun.
I am checking with the paver cleaning and sealant experts at Techniseal regarding any special conditions for your climate and will respond with their answers shortly.
Thank you! Look forward to your response.
According to the folks at Techniseal, waiting about 30 days after an installation to seal pavers can be a good idea, but more than that is too conservative, and the detriments outweigh the benefits. If efflorescence is a problem, Techniseal Paver Prep cleaner will help dislodge efflorescence and prepare pavers for sealing.
I had pavers installed 8 months ago and I installed Bellgard columns with black steel fence panels between the columns around the pavers/pool area that I wish to clean and seal as well as the pavers. Will the cleaner be corrosive to the fence panels. What do you recommend if it is corrosive.
We will forward this question to the folks at Techniseal.
The response from the experts at Techniseal:
Best practice is to simply cover the steel with plastic and tape it off so it is well-protected where it meets the concrete. Choosing a trained professional to do the application may be the safest route.
We had Belgard Mega-Arbel patio pavers installed in February. Some of the pavers were scuffed in the plate tamper compaction process leaving white marks at the high points of each paver. We experimented with semi-gloss and wet look sealer, neither one diminished the white marks. Is there anything we can do before we seal the whole patio to alleviate the white scuff marks?
The customer service team at Techniseal can help you find a solution. Please email them at: service@technsieal.com
Thank you for sharing such information. Keep sharing such an informative article.
That is interesting that paver sealing will wear over time. Maybe it would be a good idea to get some paver sealing done for my pavers sometime soon. This is something I will have to look into since the paver sealing has probably worn down by now.
2 weeks after installation, I had our patio pavers cleaned and sealed by the professional who installed them. It has only been a week since they were sealed. I was hoping that sealing them would prevent staining from the clay dirt that gets on it, but it is still staining anywhere dirt gets on it. Should I expect that I could hose or brush off the dirt without it leaving a stain? We have clay soil, so the orange spots are frustrating.
If the pavers were sealed properly, the sealant should create a barrier to prevent the clay from staining them. if the orange color does not hose off, you may want to reach out to the contractor to discuss.
Another good reason to seal your pavers that this article didn’t mention is to prevent mold growth! Although concrete is usually resistant to mold, constant humidity can encourage its growth.
will any of your cleaning products wash out the polymeric sand in between the joints of my pavers?
Techniseal cleaning solution and stain removers do not damage the Technsieal Polymeric sand joints. However, how you apply them can damage pavers or joints. For example…using a pressure washer to rinse off your pavers and holding it too close can damage both pavers and and polymeric sand joints. However, if you follow the packaging directions regarding application, you should have no issues.
Our installation is complete and waiting for the sealing process. I notice some white streaks that look like a scratch from construction. How do we get these marks out or will the seating process make the go away?
Apologies if this message gets to you twice. We had to reboot our website earlier in the week and lost some data. A small scratch will wear and reduce in visibility over time. A deep scratch… there’s not much you can do about. If the streaks are actually efflorescence and not a scratch, the sealing process will help it because the first step (if done properly) is to apply Techniseal HP Paver Prep prior to sealant, which will dissolve and remove efflorescence.
We are about to have our Belgard pavers installed by a contractor (Aspen Pavers). We live in Southwest Missouri. Will have 1200 sq feet of pavers, half of which is over existing concrete patio. Contractor has already drilled holes in the concrete patio – for water drainage. I asked if they typically seal Belgard pavers, they said no.
Is there something specific about Aspen pavers that should not be sealed? If they should be sealed, what type would you suggest. Our issue with concrete has been green and black pollen stains.
Will also have elevated walls and seating being built with Weston Stone Brittany Beige – should this be sealed as well?
Thanks-
Your request for information has been forwarded to our customer service team since you have multiple questions regarding multiple products and the added complexity of an overlay. The short answer is yes, all pavers should be sealed. If you want the color to be enhanced, go with a matte or gloss. If you like the natural look of the pavers, go with a natural finish. The walls do not need sealing, but you may want to seal the horizontal surface of the seat portion, since there is an increased likelihood of spills and organic stains. A natural finish stain would work best for this application.
Hi- We had a patio installed using Dublin Cobble pavers about 6 years ago. We never could get an answer o whether to seal or not to seal, so we never did. Some of the sand has washed out of joints, and about half of the joints have mold or mildew in them. We spayed with Wey and Forget which really helped. Now we are wondering about going over some of the joints with the poly sand and maybe sealing them. The pavers themselves are in good condition, it’s mainly the joints. I do like the darker look after a rain. Also if we seal would they become slippery? Thank you.
You should definitely seal your pavers. But since the joints are eroding, it would be best to rejoint them first. To find a contractor in your area to rejoint your pavers and seal them, visit Belgard.com/locator. Or if you want to do this project DIY, check out this blog on a paver rehab project.