How to apply Block Paving Sealer to Block Paving
How to maintain your block paving here
Applying a block paving sealer is a way of protecting your block paving investment from contaminates, such as moss, weeds and oil.
You could apply block paving sealer to your driveway, path or patio yourself or get a qualified contractor who specializes in the application of block paving sealers to do the job for you. It is always best to know which type of sealer to choose for your paving before you buy a sealer, as there are three main types of sealer for block paving. Polyurethane, acrylic and water based sealers. You also need to check that the sealers are for concrete sealing, as sealing clay block paving is slightly different. Always check if the sealer is adequate for clay block pavers by reading block sealer product application guides.
Some block paving sealers contain solvents that are bad for the atmosphere so if you are concerned about polluting the planet you should always opt for a water based sealer over the solvent based paving sealer. Many solvent based sealers contain organic solvents which at first sound organic, but the sealers are not what they really seem, what they contain is VOC's meaning" Volatile organic compounds" that are bad for the ozone layer)
That said, block paving sealers have many benefits over untreated paving blocks, rather like a wax on a car, sealers keep dirt, moss and algae off you paving once the sealant has been applied to a driveway or patio paving blocks. Sealers help with the removal of oil and tyre marks from the surface of the paving by providing a barrier of clear resin that sits on the surface of the block pavers, making them easy to clean. Here is our guide to help with the application of block-paving-sealer if you are going to apply the block paving sealant yourself.
Before you start to apply a paving sealer
Your block paving needs to be clean and weed, moss and algae free before you apply a seal. The paving and jointing sand needs to be perfectly dry. This then allows the block paving and joint sand to absorb the sealer. If the paving blocks are wet the pavers will not absorb the sealer and the chances are it will turn white where the paving area is damp. To check the sand is dry scrape out a small section of the sand and check that it is not damp.
If you need to clean your paving before you start please see our guide on cleaning block paving on the paving maintenance page. You should allow a few weeks between the cleaning of your blocked paving and the application of a block paving sealer, this is to make sure that no efflorescence appears on the surface of the paving blocks. Although how you keep it clean in that time is near impossible, especially from bird muck. Somehow birds seem to take great pleasure in bombarding newly cleaned block paving driveway.
If you can, it helps to reapply the kiln dried jointing sand on the day you seal the blockpaving, that way it guarantees that your paving sand and joints between the paving blocks will be dry. The paving joints also dry out faster if they are given a bit of air to dry. Although this will add a bit of time needed to apply the block paving sealer.
If you cannot wait a few weeks between cleaning and sealing your block paviors. The general rule of thumb is that once it is perfectly dry and you are happy with the way it looks then that is a good time to seal the block paving. Remember that once the block paving is sealed it will be difficult to remove the sealer from you paving, so make sure that all stains and marks on your paving are removed. Or that you are completely satisfied how your blockpaving looks. As any marks and dirty areas left uncleaned will be sealed in once the block paving sealer has been applied to your driveway or patio block paving.
Apply the block paving sealer
Always make sure that it is a dry day when you apply the block paving sealer and that there is no chance of rain for the next 24 hours or so.
Some makes of block paving sealers need two coats of sealer applied to the block paving and some only need one coat of sealant. Usually if you apply two coats you get a glossier finish of sealer than using one coat. Unless the sealer has been specially made to give a matt or satin finish. Normally if you want a gloss finish to the sealed surface it is best to use a polyurethane sealer as these type of sealers hold a gloss better than an acrylic sealer over the life time of the paving sealant.
Decide how you are going to apply the sealer. Most D.I.Y. one off sealer applications, use a roller and tray to apply the acrylic or polyurethane block paving sealer because they are relatively cheap to buy compared to a sprayer unit. sealer, Although you could use a sprayer if you dont mind paying the extra cost. If you purchase a sprayer for the application of a block paving sealer then make sure that the sprayer is adequate for the type of paving sealer you are using. Sprayer units for using with solvent based sealers need to be vitron equiped. This means that the seal's on the sprayer wont be dissolved by the solvent, leading to the sealer spurting out of the seals on the. Always check that they are suitable before you purchase a sprayer.
Always wear protective/old clothing and old suitable shoes. Gloves, eye protection by the way of goggles and a solvent respiratory mask are highly advisable if working with a solvent based block paving sealer. Make sure that the area is also well ventilated.
Put enough block paving sealer in the tray to fill but not overflow. Start at a corner of the block paving driveway or patio, away from where you will rest whilst the first coat is drying out. There is nothing worse than having to sit at the bottom of your driveway for a few hours waiting for the sealer to dry before you can walk on it. Apply the sealer at a slow even rate.
It is always best to saturate the area to be sealed especially the paving joints where the sand is but don't allow the sealer to pool.
Try to work in straight lines across the block paving but don't cut yourself off from the point of where you keep your sealer as you will then have to walk on the applied sealer.
It is always best to apply a second coat of sealer. That way no areas are missed. This should be done as soon as the first coat of sealer has dried, usually within 4 hours but it is dependant on the weather conditions and the sealar manufactures instructions
Once the application of sealer is complete, vehicular traffic should be kept off the paving for at least 24 hours. You should not walk on the sealed block paving for at least 4 hours or until the sealer has dried. If you need to walk on the paving before completely dry then please wear an outdoor pair of shoes, old golf shoes are perfect because of the spikes on the soles of the shoes keep your feet raised off the block paving.
Water based block paving sealer.
Mostly the same properties as the ones above only difference being that the resins are mixed with water and not with solvents, making them far more kinder to the environment than solvent based sealers. They don't have the same health and safety issues that solvent based sealers have, though care should always be taken. Downside is that they take a lot longer to dry and are not as penetrative into the paving as solvents because they are not diluted into the water only blended. Buy water based sealers
Polyurethane block paving sealer. |
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Good gloss properties.
One coat for a matt finish. Aliphatic. Stops the suns uv rays from fading your paving.
Easily the best type of sealer for use with block paving as not only does it seal the block paving it also sticks the sand particles together and also the sand to the sides of the blocks. Therefore increasing the strength of the paving. polyurethane sealer is more expensive that other sealers because the resin is more expensive. It is longer lasting than other sealers and needs a little more care when applying as it is very difficult to remove from application tools and anything else it comes into contact with once it is dry. Always wipe down and clean equipment straight away after use.
Acrylic block paving sealer. |
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Acrylic sealers are a softer type of resin that usually need to be re-applied after 2-4 years. They do not hold a gloss well like polyurethane sealers. Acrylic resin is easier to clean off application tools and other areas that might have been splashed, as they dilute with a solvent cleaner quite easily. They are also cheaper in price than polyurethane.
They are not as good at keeping very harmful contaminates such as oil and petrol off block paving and the jointing sand will not set as hard as with polyurethane's.
They are good though for keeping everyday dirt and grime off your paving and help keep the colour of your paving fresh and new.
Acrylic sealers are easy to strip off if any mistakes are made when applying block paving sealer.