Using the Right Sealer Keeps Pavers from Turning White

To state the obvious, here in Southwest Florida, it is very humid. We also have a high water table to contend with. That means there is constantly moisture trying to escape from the ground, as well as moisture in the air. What does all this have to do with the brick pavers in your driveway and lanai? Well in most places in the U.S. people can use solvent-based sealers to keep their pavers looking beautiful, but here in Southwest Florida that just doesn’t work, and that constant humidity is why.

A lot of people think that the solvent-based sealers, which are designed to keep water and moisture out of your pavers, are good for your pavers, but they are wrong. There are several problems with trying to use solvent-based sealers here. To begin with, most of these sealers require 2-5 days to complete the job, depending on weather and drainage conditions. After pressure washing, the pavers have to dry completely, the joints have to be re-sanded, and then the solvent-based acrylic sealers can be applied. The dependency on weather resulted in loss of time for us at Under Pressure. As in most businesses, time is money for me, plus, do you really want to have to wait several days for your driveway or lanai to look fantastic?

We used to run from one job site to another several times per job to determine if a paver area was dry enough to be sealed. Even after ensuring the surface was dry enough, we still incurred problems with the pavers. Which leads me to mention the second more important issue with solvent-based sealers, which is that they also trap water and moisture in the paver. This moisture and water will begin deteriorating the bond that the sealer has with the paver and when this happens your sealer turns a white color. That white color is an indication that the sealer has detached from the paver and there is water trapped between the sealer and paver. Once this happens, the sealer pretty much needs to be stripped, and a new sealer applied.

That’s why we began testing some of the water-based sealers available in the marketplace. I wanted a sealer we could apply immediately after pressure washing, but one that would not turn white. My goal was no more down time, immediately beautiful results, and pavers that looked enhanced and gorgeous for a long time.

We were excited to find a company in Florida that manufactures water-based sealers. Seal ‘n Lock manufactures their products right here in Tampa, FL, which means they truly understand the limitations of our local weather and environment. 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 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. The other thing I love about Seal ‘n Lock is that they annually offer myself and my employees the opportunity to continually educate ourselves about sealers. That’s why our employees at Under Pressure go through training once a year with the Seal n Lock company to ensure we know the best products to use and how to apply them correctly.

The fact is this, if you have brick pavers, you need to get them professionally sealed. Our sealer protects the surface of your pavers from the weathering caused by those high-powered UV rays we get here in the South. 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.
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Let us help you keep your brick pavers looking great and lasting for more than 30 years! By letting Under Pressure deep clean and seal your brick pavers every two years, your driveway, walkway or lanai will better resist dirt and oil, keep weeds from growing and prevent cracks from forming, providing your home with gorgeous curbside appeal!

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