If you have pavers on the outdoor areas of your home, most notably the driveway and patio areas, paver sealing and cleaning is something you should always factor into your cleaning schedule. As Enviro Clean & Capture offer the top paver and tile sealing services in Sydney, we know a thing or two about protecting and maintaining the appearance of your property.
These areas are not only exposed to the harsh Australian elements but heavy foot and vehicle traffic as well. No wonder they may need a little extra protection. Pavers and tiles are robust, which is why we use them as our flooring, but they still require regular cleaning and protecting in both a DIY sense and from a professional tile sealing and cleaning expert.
Let’s dive into the best ways to protect your driveway and patio areas with some tips from the providers of the top tile sealing services in Sydney.
Why should you even be thinking about this?
We’re going to hit you with a crazy fact; you spent a lot of money on your property. While we’re sure you know this, it never ceases to amaze us how many homeowners forget to care for one of the biggest investments they will likely ever make.
Here’s the second crazy fact; regular maintenance will save you money. How? Pavers that do not have a protective sealer will deteriorate quickly, meaning eventually they will need to be replaced, and this is not a cheap task.
Dirt, grime, environmental pollutants, and direct sunlight are some of the things attacking your pavers, and with regular care, you can make sure you get true longevity out of your flooring, avoiding any nasty replacement costs earlier than usual.
Protecting the protection
Let’s say you’ve done the right thing and had your pavers sealed. Depending on the paver type, the wrong cleaning method can undo this. Think about a typical high-pressure water cleaner, seems like a great tool to quickly clean your driveway and patio with, right? In many cases, and especially when used incorrectly, this can be too harsh for your pavers and grout.
Your sealant performs a number of crucial tasks, including:
- Ensuring contaminated water runoff
- Stopping weeds
- Protecting from mould, fungus and grout haze
- Protection from pollutants, pests and insects
- Minimises the impact of stains and efflorescence
If you want to ensure the continued quality of your pavers’ aesthetic, lifespan, and structural integrity, you need to make sure that your cleaning methods are correct. Using professionals like the Enviro Clean & Capture team means you have access to state of the art pressure cleaning technology and, more importantly, environmentally friendly cleaning products to protect the surrounding landscape.
How to ensure the right clean
Now that you understand the potential risks of incorrect or no cleaning let’s see how to ensure you avoid this. The simplest solution is to use a professional cleaning company which saves you time and ensures the job is done correctly.
This is the best way to get access to industry-leading technology designed to provide the safest cleaning process for your pavers. The key when ensuring the right clean is ticking the following boxes:
- A process that ensures the safe removal of pollutants, contaminants and stains
- A review and update on the condition of your pavers
- Expert advice for how to ensure future protection
- Complete mark and stain removal
- Convenient service for a cost-effective price
Understanding the role and importance of paver sealing
Paver sealing is the method of applying a chemical to permeate, which seals your pavers. This protective coating is available in many different types, all suited to the type of pavers you have.
Enviro Clean & Capture are accredited and approved applicators of two of the finest sealers available in the market today; Dry-Treat and Aqua Mix® sealing products.
The reason why the sealing process is so important comes down to the porous nature of your pavers which make it easy for liquid or air to pass through. Without any form of sealant, your pavers will absorb dirt, oils, fluids, contaminants, and pollutants along with other substances that can significantly affect their life span along with how they look.
It also doesn’t stop at protecting the appearance and life span as there are many other benefits, including:
- Making it easier to clean your pavers
- Reducing mould and grout haze
- Reducing wear and tear
- Protection from the elements
- Protection stains, marks and efflorescence
With the right sealant, your pavers will also be protected from the infestation of ants and other pests.
Understanding efflorescence
We’ve mentioned the word efflorescence a couple of times so far, but what is it? Efflorescence presents a risk to your paving, as it is the migration of salt rising through the paver and forming a coat on the surface.
This is often due to rising water that evaporates, leaving the salt behind, permanently affecting the appearance of your pavers.
How to seal your pavers correctly
While it is not completely essential to seal your pavers, as the information so far states, it’s a good idea. Protecting their structure and performance is important, and sealant is the best way to do it.
Another benefit of working with the professionals, along with protecting the quality and aesthetic of your pavers, is ensuring the right process and sealant to extend the vibrance and longevity in the future.
There are many products available across a range of different brands when it comes to sealants on the market. They all vary in quality so it is important to understand which is best for you. A high-quality option is often a deeper sealant that penetrates the paver for better protection. This is why Enviro Clean & Capture uses Dry-Treat and Aqua Mix® sealing products. We have worked with these products for many years and can ensure their quality and performance.
There are two main categories of sealant to consider:
- Film-forming (gloss or semi-gloss finish) that create a wet or clear finish and offer greater protection
- Non-film-forming (matte finish) which creates a physical barrier on the paver surface
When should you seal pavers?
Timing often depends on the type of paver and sealant being used, but for those who are installing new pavers, it is important to allow time for any moisture to evaporate, so it does not get trapped under the sealant (Remember how we discussed efflorescence above?).
Due to the varied nature of sealants and how they react with certain pavers, we recommend speaking to our experts about when and how best to seal your specific driveway or patio. This ensures you utilise the right process, giving you peace of mind that the job is done correctly.
How much will all of this cost?
The big question. We understand how important it is to form a budget when it comes to home care and maintenance to ensure costs do not skyrocket. Paver sealing is a tricky one to list because prices can vary significantly depending on the pavers, sealant, size of the area, etc.
One thing we can tell you is that the sealing and cleaning process will not be as expensive as you think. Speak with the team at Enviro Clean & Capture for a customised quote to understand the precise costs for your exact situation. When you see the figure, stack that up against the costs of paver replacement and the amount of your own time that will be required to do all of this yourself, and we are confident you will see it is a worthwhile investment.
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How long will this all last, and what happens to the actual pavers?
Much like the varying cost, there are many factors that can affect paver sealant lifespan. A professionally applied sealant will offer you a minimum of three years, but with proper care and regular cleaning, it would last a lot longer.
Once applied, the paver sealing permeates the pores of the pavers leaving the natural texture intact. The right application method makes the sealant near invisible, if anything, it may improve the natural look of your pavers depending on their type and the sealant used. Our experts can help you make the right call in this department.
Setting up ongoing paver maintenance
You may be reading all of this and thinking it’s a lot, well there is a simple way around that. A company like Enviro Clean & Capture can set up an ongoing cleaning and sealing maintenance schedule for you, so you never have to worry about your pavers again.
Along with this, some DIY spot cleans will help. One of the benefits of sealing your pavers is the ease of cleaning. If the inevitable spills and stains happen, it’s a good idea to get onto them quickly. A regular professional service provides an extensive clean, so your day to day maintenance can be no more than a few minutes when necessary.
Just use a homemade water and soap mixture with a broom to keep your pavers looking fresh as part of your spot cleans, then let the team at Enviro Clean & Capture handle the rest. We can lessen your to-do list, ensure the protection of your pavers all year-round and give you total peace of mind.
Some other important things to keep in mind from the professionals
We’ve been offering premium tile sealing services in Sydney for many years, and we’ve learned a few things along the way. There are some other hazards to keep in mind which may affect the aesthetic of your pavers. Depending on where you live, certain wildlife may frequent your yard, or you may see a lot of leaves and falling branches on your pavers. All of these things can leave hard to clean stains which makes them important to be aware of so you can get to a clean quicker rather than later.
When pavers are well-sealed, these issues should take no more than some light scrubbing to deal with. If your pavers are unsealed, on the other hand, these issues can leave permanent stains.
If you have pets, their droppings can leave deep staining as well. Be aware of this and always clean as quickly as you can. These issues should be taken care of by your professional cleaner if you do happen to miss them, so don’t worry too much.
Resealing your pavers is the final consideration
Once you are across all of the above information and have decided to seal your pavers, the final thing to keep in mind is resealing. This is not something you’ll need to worry about much, but after a few years, your sealant will need a top-up.
If water on the sealed surface starts to absorb into the pavers, leaving a dark mark, your pavers are due for a clean and reapplication.
Speak to the experts for paver and tile sealing services in Sydney today
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, your home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll make, so it is important to protect it. This is even more the case if you are looking to sell it one day. Along with ongoing protection, great aesthetics and a lessening of chores, paver sealing keeps your home in the best possible shape for a great return when sold.
Speak to the experts in pavers cleaning and pavers sealing and tile sealing services in Sydney at Enviro Clean & Capture about all of your driveway and patio care needs today. We can handle one-off tasks, a routine maintenance program that removes your hassle, and helpful tips and advice.
We’re here to help you and make sure the various areas of your home that need care and maintenance always look their best. Let’s have a chat about the more cost and time-efficient ways to do that for you today.
