Sealed Paver Patios & Walks still need Spring Sand Sweeping

Sealing Brick Pavers enhances colors and protects from weathering

I have been educating my clients for almost 30 years that sealing of brick pavers is for enhancing the color of their paving stones or modular retaining wall blocks and caps. Aesthetics is the key reason for deciding to seal your pavers.  While giving your brick paver patio, walkway, driveway, porch, etc.. the "wet", gloss, or matte look, slowing down the effects of weathering is another valuable benefit of sealing. 

Many inexperienced and misleading landscape contractors have convinced customers that sealing their brick paver patios will also permanently harden the sand in the paver joints, eliminating the growth of weeds or the need to sweep joints in the future.  This can not be further from the truth!

Over time brick paver sealants or joint stabilizers, whether applied as a liquid or swept in as a solid,
will break down in the paver joints due to winter frost, erosion, or ground movements.  Paver joints absorb the movement of the interlocking pavement system and that is one of the keys to its success and performance.

Sealed paver joints are no exception.  They will loosen over time and require refilling of paver joint sand. Time is a variable due to weather, erosion, climate, and frost conditions. It is not necessary to reseal the paver joints when re-sweeping.  Keep up will refilling your paver joints with the proper joint sand and reseal your paver patio, walkway, driveway, porch, etc.. when necessary for the paving stones which is usually every 2-3 years (or summers). 

Sand sweeping of paver joints will be a continued routine maintenance of sealed brick paver installations.  Do not have your pavers sealed because you are under the impression you will not have to have joint sand swept in periodically.  If you keep your paver joints filled with clean joint sand, and not dirt & organic matter, you will greatly reduce any evidence of weeds.

Old Neglected Pavers Patio is Redesigned, Rebuilt, and Restored

New Patio in Ann Arbor will bring endless enjoyment and entertaining

When I came across this old neglected brick paver patio in Ann Arbor, I was surprised to its condition since it was in an affluent neighborhood.  The homeowner admitted they rarely used this patio the past 10 years and in turn, had neglected keeping it up.  Now that their time of traveling for work had subsided, it was time to update their outdoor living space for personal enjoyment and entertaining.

We discussed their current needs and wants for a functional and aesthetically pleasing raised paver patio.  The current size was sufficient for their needs and they liked the multi-level patio layout.  We also discussed the feasibility of using the existing Holland pavers and disposing of the old railroad tie framing.  A patio sitting wall was designed to create additional seating and divide the appearance of the different patio levels.

  I gave them the cost option of replacing the current pavers and we both felt it was worth reusing the current bricks.  I assured them we could clean the current pavers to bring back some of the color.  We also would mix in some new bundles of pavers since we were going to add a brick paver walkway from the paver patio to the driveway. Sealing of the pavers was contracted for later in the year to further enhance the color.

The old railroad tie framing was upgraded to a new modular retaining wall blocks and caps. In this installation, the customer selected FENDT's Country Manor Stonegate for the raised patio walls, paver steps, and sitting wall.  I also recommended a curved design to soften the geometrical shapes of the house.  

The homeowner was ecstatic with this transformation from an old neglected and dilapidated paver patio to a new exciting outdoor living space.  I took the time to educate them with the minimal maintenance requirements so they can avoid ever seeing the eye sore they had created in the past.

Brick Paver Raised Patio & Steps in need of immediate repair

Failure of Raised Paver Patio Wall & Steps due to inexperienced Landscaper

During a brick paver repair estimate this past week, I again witnessed the failure of a raised paver patio wall & doorwall steps that were installed by an inexperienced landscape contractor. This homeowner is in immediate need of patio repair before this leaning patio wall collapses or some one trips coming out from the doorwall.

The landscaper used a "garden block" type of wall system that is not intended for retaining a raised paver patio. Not only did they not bury any rows of block below grade, this current wall block does not have any tongue-n-groove or pin system lock-up.  They also exceeded the engineered height requirement of this garden wall system too.

Over the years, the customer has had several brick paver repair service calls to reset the pavers behind the wall & step rises. The current wall has continued to settle, gap, and lean out and it is time to replace this inferior wall block with a proper modular retaining wall system.

I recommended we pull back @2ft of the paving stones, remove the existing wall blocks & caps, and reinstall a tried 'n true patio wall system like Unilock's Pisa 2 or Fendt's Country Manor.  Upon installing the new patio retaining wall, we will bury a block below grade due to the height factors involved.  After carefully and diligently compacting behind the wall, we will install a filter fabric to eliminate filtration through the wall blocks.

We will properly cap the wall and reinstall the paving stones.  After replacing the inferior wall blocks used for the paver steps leading out the doorwall, we will reconfigure the patio steps layout for better safety & function.  The current layout does not meet proper building codes.

The overall cost for performing the above wall & step replacement, repairs, and warranty will cost the homeowner $3,500 for labor, materials, and removals & disposals.  Had the original landscape contractor properly designed & installed this raised paver patio, this homeowner would only have minor maintenance touch -ups and minimal service needed over the years.

Because of the lack of experience and poor workmanship of this landscape contractor, this homeowner has had years of frustration & unnecessary financial costs.  Qualified and experienced brick paver contractors will design, install, warranty, and offer "after install" services that will help avoid costly pavers repair and ongoing aggravation & strife.