Just like any other surface in an outside environment, pavers are also susceptible to damages and wear like sun fading, erosion, staining, etc.
You probably know those things won’t be a problem as long as your pavers are properly sealed. But does sealing pavers prevent weeds and mold too?
Yes, it does! And we will tell you exactly why.
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Why Sealing Pavers Helps Prevent Weed Growth?
There are a few conditions that influence the growth of weeds between pavers. They can grow all the way from beneath the pavers (less common), or grow from seeds that have been deposited in the joints (more common).
You might be wondering how do weed seeds end up in your paver joints, well, that’s just the power of mother nature, give it time and weeds will grow anywhere.
A well-applied joint stabilizing sealer is probably the best way to prevent weeds growth because it blocks their way as they are growing from beneath making pavers joints an inhospitable environment for any unlucky seed that’s been deposited there.
The conditions responsible for mold formation in the pavers are fairly different from weeds. But not surprisingly, sealing also does help to prevent it. We’ll see next how that works next.
Why Sealing Pavers Helps Prevent Mold?
It’s almost impossible to find stones in mother nature that don’t accumulate mold. Places that don’t get a lot of sunlight and where there is some humidity offer the perfect conditions for mold formation. Some of your pavers surely are or will be affected by it.
The way how sealing prevents mold is because it creates a protective layer over the pavers, which makes it harder for water to penetrate. That means water (from rain or any other source) will more easily wash away and pavers will dry up more quickly.
The dryer they are, the less likely to form mold.
Why Is It Important To Seal Your Pavers?
We’ve reached the conclusion that sealing is the best method to prevent weeds and mold from forming in your pavers. But the importance of it goes beyond the visual. Obviously there is no arguing with the fact that recently cleaned and sealed driveway pavers will look just like new. But the implications of not doing regular maintenance are not merely visual.
Sealed pavers also resist oil and dirt penetration, are more likely to resist UV rays and the cycle of freezing and thawing. On top of that, sealing also prevents insect intrusion, especially ants, that can build their nests in paver joints.
In time, due to the lack of a joint stabilizing sealer, rain is also likely to wash out the bottom sand layer, causing pavers to sag, and even break.
So How Often Should I Reseal Pavers
At this point, you can agree with us that the best method to prevent weeds, mold, and overall wear in your pavers is to keep them sealed, right? But if you’re wondering how often you should you do that, there are a few things we have to explain first.
A sealing layer will last anywhere from 3 to 5 years, so there are a few indicators you have to keep an eye on in order to find out the right time.
Take rainy days, for instance. If you see a significant color change of your pavers, it probably means the sealant is wearing thin. However, during heavy rain, even well-sealed pavers can darken for a couple of days. That’s quite normal, it takes a while until the water fully evaporates. In that case, you don’t have to worry about it because that’s not an indication of sealant failure.
There are a few other situations that can speed up the sealant wearing down process. For instance, doing the cleaning of your driveway pavers, removing weeds, or washing the driveway patio. You have to be careful, otherwise, you will remove the sand and sealant material. That’s why you have to avoid using pressure water washers and some types of brooms.
Pressure washing is a great way of cleaning pavers and removing stains, but leave that to professionals that will properly take care and refill sand joint.
Does Regular Sealing Stop Weeds and Mold Completely?
It is important to point out that preventing doesn’t mean you won’t have mold in your pavers nor weeds growing in between. No matter how well the sealing was applied, due to a series of different conditions, you might still find a mold spot or a weed here or there.
Maintenance means that it’s a process you will have to repeat from time to time. That is key for keeping your pavers always looking as great and as they were when just recently installed.
Well sealed pavers will last longer and will maintain their good looks for an extended period of time.
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Can I Seal Paver Myself?
As much as we would like to tell you that you can do cleaning and sealing yourself, we highly recommend you not to. The time you will spend working on it, the material you’ll have to buy, and the risk you’ll be taking for not doing the sealing correctly, is just not worth it, and eventually will cost you more.
There are several companies that can do the service for a fair price. Just choose the one you trust and you’re all set. If you’re in the Sarasota e Manatee area, feel free to drop us a message using the contact form at this page, or give us a call, we’ll be glad to hear you out.
