Paver Sealer in Florida

In all the markets/cities/states that we clean and seal pavers in, Florida by far takes the cake when it comes to bad seal jobs that we come across. At least 50% of our business in Florida is removing failed paver sealers and re-doing the job correctly.

The homeowner of this paver driveway in Port St Lucie, FL didn’t even know his pavers had green color in them. The sealer had delaminated from the paver surface which casted a white haze over all the pavers. We steam stripped the sealer, re-sanded the joints and then sealed with our paver sealer and the end results couldn’t be better.

There are typically 2 reasons why sealer jobs go bad, and it can take anywhere from 1 day to several years before you can tell its bad.

Bad Paver Sealer in Florida

Probably the number one cause of failed paver sealer jobs in Florida is poor sealer selection. As you know, Florida has a high humidity level and also a high water table level. This means there is constantly moisture on the surface and moisture trying to escape from the ground. Most of the sealers used in Florida are solvent based sealers which are designed to keep water and moisture out. The problem is, they also keep water and moisture trapped in the paver. This moisture and water will begin deteriorating the bond that the sealer has with the paver and when this happens your sealer turns a white color.

Notice how the sealer has turned white. This is because this sealer has detached from the paver and there is water trapped between the sealer and paver. Once this happens, the sealer pretty much needs to be stripped.

Our paver sealer at Perfect Paver Co is specially designed to work with the environment to allow the natural flow of moisture in and out of pavers. We are able to achieve this by using H2O (water) in place of the solvent based ingredients in our sealers. As the sealer cures, the water evaporates from our sealer leaving microscopic channels that allow moisture to flow in and out.

The term ‘sealing pavers’ is often compared to sealing a deck or sealing a basement where the goal is to keep water out. When it comes to pavers, thats not the goal. Pavers should be sealed regularly to prevent the surface of the paver from deteriorating from traffic, UV rays and rain. Exposure to these three events cause the finer materials in the surface of your paver to wear away leaving only the larger aggregates. The finer materials at the top of the paver is where all the color of your paver is held because  the larger aggregate won’t absorb the color.

This picture does a great job of showing this wear. The pavers on the left have been sealed and the pavers on the right have not. Notice how the pavers on the right have started to loose the finer aggregate exposing the larger, colorless aggregate in the surface of the paver.

There are many other benefits of sealing pavers, but those benefits vary depending on the type of sealer being used.

Bad Paver Sealer Application

The second most common cause for failed paver sealer is due to improper application. Unlike any of the other markets/cities/states we provide paver cleaning and paver sealing in, Florida has more unexperienced companies offering paver sealing services than any of the others combined. In Florida, sealing pavers is one of the few trades or services a company can provide without needing a contractor license. So naturally, this industry attracts unskilled and unexperienced startups due to the ease of getting started (Getting a contractor license in the State of Florida can be very difficult).

Most bad paver sealer jobs start with poor surface preparation. Due to the porosity of concrete pavers, dirt and grime can become lodged deep in the pores of the paver. If this dirt is not removed prior to sealing, it will prevent the sealer from fully adhering to the paver. We use steam and hot water to throughly clean pavers. Most other companies simply use small cold water pressure washers.

Our steam cleaning process in action. Most of the cleaning is contained inside the dome of our steam cleaning machine. This machine is powered by equipment mounted inside of our truck.

Need your pavers sealed in Florida?

If your pavers are in need of cleaning and sealing, please consider the Perfect Paver Co. Our crews are highly specialized in sealing pavers; that’s all we do every day.

Please request an estimate by completing the contact form on our website here.

Does paver sealing prevent weeds, moss, and algae?  That is a great question!  We would like to be clear about our services and ensure you that we wish to provide you with the best information possible regarding your pavers.

The sealant includes a polymer additive that soaks into the sand between the pavers turning the sand hard; similar to a mortar.  This creates an environment that makes it extremely difficult for weeds to germinate and grow.

Our goal is to minimally prevent 90% of future weed growth.  However, there can always be certain circumstances that can alter the efficiency of the sealed pavers.  There are also a few things that can be done after your pavers are sealed to allow for maximum weed and vegetation prevention in the future.  We feel that it is important for you to understand that our process and service is not a remedy for poorly installed pavers (uneven, sunk, misaligned, etc.).

The number one reason weeds, moss, and algae grow between the pavers is due to inadequate or faulty paver drainage mechanisms and/or little to no sun exposure.  The inadequate drainage can be caused by low or sunken areas, pavers that were improperly sloped during installation, patios that have stone walls around the perimeter (preventing water from draining appropriately), or even mounded landscape beds that also prevent effective water drainage.

When pavers are not draining properly, these areas remain damp (especially in shaded areas).  Airborne organic materials begin to stick to the damp surfaces including pavers and sand joints.  Over time, this promotes the growth of moss and algae.  Airborne seeds from weeds and grass also begin to adhere to the damp areas.  The airborne organic materials and seeds, within these damp areas, create the perfect conditions for germination.  The roots then begin to grow in the shallow layer of organic material.  We would be happy to address any drainage issues prior to sealing your pavers.  The best fix for damp pavers is proper drainage.

How can I minimize the risk of future weeds, moss, and algae growth within my paver joints?  Utilizing the following steps, you can have long term success with your sealed pavers.

• Keep the pavers clean of debris and airborne materials.  Use a leaf blower to clean off the pavers each time the lawn is mowed.  This is an easy yet crucial step to paver cleanliness.

• Every couple of weeks, thoroughly rinse the pavers using a garden hose and nozzle on the fan setting.  Chase the dirt and debris off the pavers into the lawn or landscaped beds.  This is very important to do after a heavy rain as well.  We do not recommend utilizing a pressure washer as it can damage the sand joints.

• If the pavers are poorly drained, damp, shaded or prone to weeds, moss, and algae growth, we recommend treating the pavers every couple of weeks with a diluted outdoor bleach solution (we recommend Clorox Outdoor Bleach which can be found at your local hardware stores).  Once you see weeds, moss or algae beginning to germinate, it is also a good idea to treat the area immediately.  The solution is 1 part bleach to 3 parts water.  Mix the solution in a pump style sprayer.  It is a good idea to spray down surrounding plants/grass with water prior to spraying the pavers with the solution.  This will make it more difficult for them to absorb any of the solution should it be airborne.  Spray the pavers with the bleach solution and let is sit on the pavers/sand joints for 15-30 minutes.  If new growth is visible, use a bristled brush to agitate the solution into the growth.  Once the 15-30 minutes has passed, use your garden hose to rinse the solution off the pavers.  Use plenty of water as it will dilute the bleach further eliminating the risk of harm to surrounding plants and grass.

We appreciate your business, and as always, we look forward to serving you in the future.  Utilizing the above steps will increase the effectiveness of your sealed pavers and ensure long term success.  We are more than willing to assist with these precautionary steps; please contact us for more information.

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Typically, a customer comes to us requesting to either have their pavers sealed or stabilized with polymeric sand. Rarely does the client know both options exist. So, I wanted to put this informational article to share what the differences are and which is the best for your situation.
A joint stabilizing sealer is a liquid product that penetrates into the surface of the concrete paver as well as the sand in the joint giving the paver protection from stains and an enhanced look as well as hardening the sand in the joint. The joint stabilizing sealers come in a natural or matt sheen, enhanced or semi-gloss sheen and a high gloss sheen.
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There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing your beautiful paver patio become infested with weeds. Weeds are probably the #1 or #2 biggest concern from potential clients of our new installation division. Because pavers are presented/marketed as an easy installation, they are often installed by DIY’ers or companies with very minimal experience installing pavers. I’ve always said that a paver patio properly installed will have minimal weed growth.
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