If you are having a paver driveway or patio installed, you need to be asking yourself: “Should I have my pavers sealed?” Having your driveway or lanai enhanced by pavers is a lifetime investment in your home’s curb appeal. After installation, protecting this investment requires regular maintenance. But you can extend the beauty and lifespan of your outdoor pavers by having a sealer applied to them to protect them and keep them clean. While pavers are versatile and look great in nearly any outdoor environment, it is important to seal them to keep them looking and functioning their best for many years to come. Especially after having them thoroughly cleaned, applying a layer of sealant to brick pavers is vital for maintaining a clean surface and preventing weed growth. People often mistakenly compare sealing pavers to sealing a basement or sealing a deck, where the goal is to keep water out. However, when it comes to pavers, that’s not the goal. Pavers should be sealed regularly to prevent the surface of the paver from deteriorating from foot and vehicle traffic, UV rays and rain. Exposure to these three elements causes 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 are where all the color of your paver is held because the larger aggregate won’t absorb the color in the manufacturing process. Especially here in Southwest Florida, you must beware of the UV damage the sun can cause to your pavers. Paver sealers are valuable for protecting the surface of the pavers from the weathering caused by those high-powered UV rays we get here in the South. UV degradation causes many materials to break down from extended exposure to the sun. 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. The best thing is, sealers can make your pavers look even prettier right from the beginning, because they can draw out the colors and contrasts found in the pigments, and create greater visual interest, much the same way varnish does with wooden surfaces. Some sealers have a “Wet Look” that produces a beautiful surface on the paver that definitely produces more curb appeal. Perhaps the most important benefit of sealers is that they make pavers less porous, which helps limit stains, since the pavers are less able to soak up oil or dirt, etc. Sealing your concrete pavers makes spill cleanup easier when they do happen. We, at Under Pressure, go the extra mile when it comes to sealing paver surfaces. We feel that applying a high-quality product on your paver hardscape is necessary to provide the gorgeous finished product our clients demand. We are proud to offer the Seal 'n Lock system and products to our homeowners, to ensure the best quality of service. 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 system is also the first “all-in-one-day” process that eliminates the cloudy white look pavers can get from the trapped moisture other sealers cause. 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. That’s why our employees at Under Pressure go through training once a year with the Seal n Lock company. ​ ​ Your paver driveway can last you more than 30 years, but only if you take great care of it! By letting Under Pressure deep clean and seal your paver driveway every two years, your driveway will better resist dirt and oil, keep weeds from growing and prevent cracks from forming, providing your home with a gorgeous looking driveway, pathways and lanai area!