I’m in a business referral group that I attend once a week. Often, I request referrals to go do some “stripping” for people, and this always gets a big laugh out of the guys in our group. But the truth is, stripping is a huge part of my business, since what I’m actually talking about is stripping failed paver sealer and resealing people’s driveways, walkways and lanais. That’s because unfortunately, brick paver sealers often fail here in Southwest Florida, turning white or hazy and making people’s pavers look terrible. And that’s because the wrong sealer was used or applied in the wrong way.
In fact, poor sealer selection is one of the top reasons for failed paver sealer jobs in SWFL, where our humidity and the level of our water table here changes everything when it comes to sealing pavers. People tend to think they are sealing pavers the way you would seal a stained or painted wooden deck, where the goal is to keep the water out. Pavers do need to be sealed, don’t get me wrong, but it’s to keep the paver surface from wearing away due to foot traffic, UV rays from the sun, and the pounding rain we get here. If left open to these elements, the finer materials from the surface of your pavers, which is where the color is, wears away, leaving your pavers looking old and worn. The sealing mistake that is often made, is using a solvent-based sealer (other names for solvent-based sealers are: oil, Xylene, or acrylic-based paver sealants, so don’t be fooled if someone tells you they are not solvent based.). These sealers are designed to keep water and moisture out. Here in SWFL, we live in a subtropical climate with humidity in the air, heavy rainfall every day during the summer, and a high water table level underground, which permeates through the ground soil, through aggregate paver-base material and into the porous brick pavers, which then gets trapped between the paver and the thin top layer coating of those solvent based sealants, not allowing them to breath. This deteriorates the bond the sealer has with the paver, turning it a hazy white. This is a sign that water is trapped between the sealer and the paver, detaching the sealer from the paver. Once this happens, the sealer pretty much needs to be stripped, and a new sealer applied.
Other reasons you may have hazy white sealer on your pavers include:
- Efflorescence or white salt deposits were not removed prior to sealer application.
- The sealer that was previously used was a low grade sealer causing the acrylic in the sealer to blush white from the sun.
- There is a buildup of too many coats of sealer applied through the years or the last company used too much sealer in application.
- The polymeric sand used between the pavers was no removed from the surface of the paver before it was sealed.
- The sealer was applied improperly by someone unskilled and inexperienced with paving sealing.
These are the reasons behind failing paver sealers, but unfortunately, there’s only one way to fix the problem. Once your pavers look white and hazy, it is best to have that bad sealer completely stripped off and re-sealed the correct way.
At Under Pressure, we spent the time and energy to find the right paver sealer for our climate. That’s why we began testing some of the water-based sealers available in the marketplace. I wanted a sealer we could apply immediately after pressure washing, but one that would not turn white. My goal was no more down time, immediately beautiful results, and pavers that looked enhanced and gorgeous for a long time.
We were excited to find a company in Florida that manufactures water-based sealers. Seal ‘n Lock manufactures their products right here in Tampa, FL, which means they truly understand the limitations of our local weather and environment. We most often use the Seal ‘n Lock Super Wet sealant, which is a water-based urethane modified acrylic sealer that penetrates the pavers and provides a protective barrier, wet-looking surface and excellent joint stabilization.
This product is also consistent with our dedication to being responsible with the environment. Our product is not harmful to any vegetation, and does not produce any toxic odor. The sealing of paver driveways with this system not only protects the brick pavers, but it also ensures structural performance while inhibiting insect and weed infestation. Under Pressure’s use of this system definitely provides the highest quality product with the best application process. The other thing I love about Seal ‘n Lock is that they annually offer myself and my employees the opportunity to continually educate ourselves about sealers. That’s why our employees at Under Pressure go through training once a year with the Seal n Lock company to ensure we know the best products to use and how to apply them correctly.
The fact is this, if you have brick pavers, you need to get them professionally sealed. Our sealer protects the surface of your pavers from the weathering caused by those high-powered UV rays we get here in the South. While the concrete pavers themselves are highly durable, the colored pigments in the pavers can slowly fade over time, due to the UV ray exposure. Sealing the pavers helps to keep the paver’s colors vibrant even in bright sunlight.
Let us help you keep your brick pavers looking great and lasting for more than 30 years! By letting Under Pressure deep clean and seal your brick pavers every two years, your driveway, walkway or lanai will better resist dirt and oil, keep weeds from growing and prevent cracks from forming, providing your home with gorgeous curbside appeal!
Give us a call for a free estimate to have the failed paver sealer stripped off the surface and re-sealed the correct way. Call Under Pressure at 239-218-5085.
