When it comes to maintaining your outdoor environment, sealing your pavers is an optional maintenance step that can make a big difference in the aesthetics and functionality of your patio, driveway, walkway, or pool deck. Sealing your pavers can provide a clean, damp look with a shiny finish, depending on the sealer you use. It won't alter the color of the paving stone, but will highlight the tone of the material and improve the color of the paving stones. In addition, the color will retain a new look because sealants provide protection against UV rays that can cause discoloration.
If you don't seal your pavers, they won't decay or wither. However, you may have to clean them more often and the stains will be harder and, in some cases, impossible to remove. Sealing creates an invisible layer on the top of the pavers that repels water, oil, and anything else you might accidentally drop, as long as you wash it as soon as you know it. Before deciding if you want to seal your pavers, you first need to know if you can seal them.
Although not essential, pavers that are not sealed often cause weeds to grow in crevices, lose color over time and can even move due to the lack of sand for the joints. If you seal the cobblestone too soon, you'll save those salts and minerals instead of allowing them to bleed out the way they want. It will not only clean the surface of the paving stones, but it will also clean the pores of the paving stone, allowing better penetration of the sealant. If your sealer is breathable, you don't have to wait at all and you can seal your paver immediately after installation. Choosing to seal pavers not only keeps the color intact, but it can also increase the vitality of the colors.
In addition to keeping your outdoor environment in perfect condition, sealing your pavers has four technical benefits: protection against UV rays; protection against rain, snow, ice; protection against foreign substances such as oil or leaves; and protection against stains caused by spills. So is it a good idea to seal pavers? Ultimately, it depends on what kind of paver material you have and what purpose it serves. If you're looking for a way to keep your outdoor environment looking great for years to come, sealing your pavers is definitely worth considering.