Paver Sealing in Tampa, FL

Last spring, a homeowner from Westchase called us because her paver driveway was crumbling. The pavers were discolored, and the sand was washed out from between the pavers. There were even weeds growing through the joints. We told her that her pavers were not aging as they should. In fact, they were suffering from neglect. She had paid a pretty penny for these pavers a few years ago, and she thought that they were just suffering from normal wear and tear. In reality, the pavers had never been sealed. In Florida, unsealed pavers do not last. The sun’s rays can deteriorate the surface of the paver, and then the rain can wash the sand out of the joints. Once weeds get into the joints of the pavers, they can actually accelerate the deterioration of the paver. Paver sealing can prevent all of this from happening.

Pink Flamingo Power Wash offers paver sealing for homes and businesses throughout the Tampa area, including Westchase, Carrollwood, Northdale, Lake Magdalene, Lutz, and Citrus Park. First, we power wash the pavers. Then, we seal them to make sure the job will last.

Paver Sealing

Paver sealing helps to protect your pavers from surface damage caused by UV rays, staining, and moisture. UV rays alone can cause rapid fading and degradation of unsealed pavers. Sealed pavers are easy to clean, repel oil and other organic materials, and will hold color longer than unsealed pavers.

The sealer we use here at Pink Flamingo Power Wash to protect the pavers is much superior to what you can purchase at a typical home improvement store. This professional-grade sealer actually penetrates into the paver and provides optimal bonding. In the Tampa area, we have seen that most sealed driveways and patios will last 2-3 years or so before needing a touch-up. In contrast, typical store-bought sealers last only a year in our wonderful state of Florida.

Sealing also relocks the joint sand into the pavers, which is one of the biggest practical benefits of sealing. When joint sand washes out of the pavers, they can shift and become uneven and be overrun by weeds and grass. However, when using a polymeric sand, proper sealing can fill the joints and have the sealer hold everything in place. As a result, the pavers become stable, and the weeds and grass will no longer grow in the joints.

Paver Cleaning and Sealing

One of the biggest mistakes people make with dirty pavers is sealing them. If you seal pavers with algae, dirt, or staining on them, you are sealing all that in. Once sealed, the surface will look worse than before, and the contaminants will be trapped under the coating. Proper cleaning and sealing of pavers starts with a good clean before any sealer is applied.

We thoroughly clean pavers prior to applying a sealer using the correct amount of pressure in conjunction with the correct cleaning solutions for each type of paver. After cleaning pavers, we allow adequate time for the surface to completely dry prior to application of the sealer. If sealer is applied to wet pavers, it traps moisture and can appear to turn white or become cloudy in appearance. We do not take this shortcut.

Typically, a full paver cleaning and sealing project takes one day for an average driveway or patio but can take two days if we have to allow for drying time between coats, and it takes overnight for that coat to dry. We will let you know in advance how long we think it will take.

Driveway Paver Sealing

Paver driveways are arguably the harshest use for any paved surface on a property. Subject to the heaviest use on your property, paver driveways experience the worst of the worst from vehicles, oil drips, tire marks, and exposure to the sun. An unsealed paver driveway in Tampa will quickly develop algae, become hopelessly stained, and have the paver joints erode in just a couple of years.

Sealing a driveway paver installation can save you a lot of time and effort cleaning up oil spots and other stains. Algae growth is also slowed and will wash off more easily when it does grow. Most importantly, sealing a driveway paver installation allows water to flow over the top of the pavers during a hard rain and will not dislodge the sand from between the pavers. For the homeowner in Northdale or Greater Northdale, sealing your driveway paver installation is the single best way to make sure your driveway looks as good in five years as it does today.

Patio Paver Sealing

Tampa paver patios and pool decks are exposed to moisture on a constant basis. Whether it be from pool use, rain, or humidity, the paver surface is rarely allowed to completely dry. With such an ideal environment for the growth of algae and mold, a slippery paver patio surrounding a pool can become a safety hazard and maintenance headache.

Patio paver sealing creates a cleaner surface and deters algae growth. After paver sealing, the color of the pavers will hold, the joints will remain intact, and the surface will be easily hosed off between cleanings. Pavers that have been sealed for outdoor kitchens and patio entertainment areas will also resist staining from food and drink more than their unsealed counterparts.

Why Paver Sealing Matters in Tampa

If you live in Florida, you know that it is one of the toughest climates for your outdoor surfaces. Due to the high UV index throughout the state, many surfaces can be damaged in a short amount of time. During our rainy season, we experience many heavy downpours. These events can quickly erode the sand from between the joints of your outdoor surfaces as well as wear down the surfaces themselves. Sealed surfaces change in size due to heat, expanding and contracting until they crack. While some surfaces can last 10 years or more in northern climates without sealing, they may require attention after only 2 years in Tampa.

Sealing your pavers every 2-3 years is the proper maintenance to keep your Tampa paver surfaces looking their best. Whether your pavers have never been sealed or it has been several years since they were last sealed, our paver cleaning and sealing process can bring them back to where they should be and set you up for future maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does paver sealing last in Tampa?

Most Tampa driveways and patios last 2-3 years after a professional application of a high-quality paver sealer. However, areas that receive a lot of traffic, like driveways, may need to be resealed in as little as 2 years. Low-traffic areas such as patios and pool decks can go up to 3 years or more before needing to be resealed. Store-bought sealers do not last as long and typically fail in a relatively short period of time, especially in Florida’s climate, if they are applied without a proper cleaning by a professional.

Can you seal pavers if weeds are already growing between them?

Weeds have to be pulled out, and the sanding down of the joints has to be done before the sealing. You can’t just seal over weeds expecting them to disappear. We pull out the existing weeds, clean the area, fill the joints with polymeric sand, and then seal them. The sealing of the joints will stop the weed problem, as the sealer will lock the sand in place, and weeds will not be able to get a hold in sealed joints as they would in open joints.

What is the difference between a wet look and a natural look sealer?

Wet look paver sealers add a glossy shine and darkening effect to pavers. Natural look paver sealers also protect the surface but dry clear and do not alter the appearance of pavers. Both wet look and natural look paver sealers provide the same level of protection to pavers. Some homeowners in Carrollwood and Westchase like to use the wet look paver sealer because it makes their pavers look newly installed. Others like the natural look paver sealer because it is more subtle. We have samples of both the wet look and natural look paver sealers that we can show you before you make a decision.

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