The Unsung Hero of Your Hardscape: Why Sealing Your Patio is a Must

May 28

You've just invested in a beautiful new patio, whether it's elegant pavers, rustic natural stone, or durable concrete. It's the perfect spot for entertaining, relaxing, and making memories. But to truly protect that investment and ensure its beauty lasts for years to come, there's one crucial step many homeowners overlook: sealing.

Sealing your hardscape patio isn't just an extra; it's an essential layer of protection that offers a multitude of benefits, both aesthetic and practical.

The Power of Protection: Why Seal Any Hardscape?

Regardless of whether your patio is constructed from pavers, natural stone, or concrete, a quality sealer provides vital protection:

Stain Resistance: This is perhaps the most immediate and appreciated benefit. Spills from food, drinks, BBQ grease, and even fallen leaves can permanently mar an unsealed surface. Sealers create a barrier that repels liquids, giving you time to clean up spills before they penetrate and stain.

UV Protection: The sun's powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause fading and color degradation over time, especially in colored concrete or certain natural stones. Sealers contain UV inhibitors that help preserve your hardscape's original vibrancy.
Erosion Prevention: For concrete, sealing helps prevent surface erosion and pitting caused by exposure to weather, de-icing salts, and general wear. For natural stone, it helps fortify the surface, reducing spalling or flaking.
Easier Maintenance: Sealed surfaces are smoother and less porous, making routine cleaning much simpler. Dirt, grime, and mildew are less likely to adhere, meaning less scrubbing for you.
Enhanced Appearance: Many sealers enrich the natural color of your hardscape, giving it a deeper, more vibrant look. Some can also create a subtle sheen that enhances the overall aesthetic.

Specialized Sealers: Joint and Chip Stabilization

Beyond general surface protection, specialized sealers offer additional benefits crucial for certain hardscape types:

Joint Stabilizing Sealers (for Pavers): These sealers penetrate into the sand or polymeric sand in the joints between pavers. They bind the sand particles together, hardening them and creating a durable, flexible bond.
- Benefits:
  - Weed & Grass Inhibition: Prevents weeds, grass, and moss from sprouting in the joints.
  - Ant & Insect Control: Deters ants and other insects from nesting in the sand joints.
  - Sand Erosion Prevention: Stops joint sand from washing out during heavy rains, sweeping, or power washing. This maintains the structural integrity of your paver system, preventing shifting and settling.
Chip Stabilizing Sealers (for Aggregate Surfaces): For decorative concrete with exposed aggregate (small stones embedded in the surface), chip stabilizing sealers lock these aggregate chips into place.
- Benefits:
  - Prevents Loose Chips: Stops the decorative aggregate from loosening and coming away from the concrete surface, maintaining both the appearance and integrity of the hardscape.
  - Enhanced Durability: Protects the exposed aggregate from wear and tear, extending the life of the surface.

Why Homeowners Should Ask Their Hardscape Installer

When your new patio is being installed, it's the absolute best time to apply a sealer. The surface is pristine, clean, and ready for optimal adhesion. Homeowners should proactively ask their hardscape installer about including sealing in their project.

Optimal Application: An installer can apply the sealer under ideal conditions, ensuring a perfect bond and maximum effectiveness.
Immediate Protection: Your patio is protected from day one, guarding against potential spills or weather damage during the crucial initial period.
Convenience: It's a seamless addition to the installation process, avoiding the need to schedule a separate service later.

Why Hardscape Installers Should Offer Sealing

For hardscape installers, offering sealing isn't just an upsell; it's a value-added service that enhances customer satisfaction and protects their reputation.

Customer Satisfaction: A sealed patio looks better, lasts longer, and is easier for the homeowner to maintain, leading to happier customers and positive reviews.
Protection of Work: Sealing protects the installer's craftsmanship from environmental damage, ensuring the patio maintains its intended appearance.
Increased Revenue: Offering sealing as part of the initial bid provides an additional revenue stream.
Expertise & Trust: Positioning themselves as a full-service provider, knowledgeable in long-term hardscape care, builds trust and demonstrates a commitment to quality.

The Benefits of a Certified Sealing Professional

While DIY kits exist, contracting with a trusted, certified professional for patio sealing offers undeniable advantages:

Expert Knowledge: Professionals understand the nuances of different hardscape materials and choose the correct sealer type (e.g., penetrating, topical, acrylic, breathable) for optimal results.
Proper Application: They have the right equipment (sprayers, rollers) and techniques to ensure even coverage, proper penetration, and avoidance of common issues like streaking or over-application.
Surface Preparation: A professional knows how to properly clean and prepare the surface, which is critical for sealer adhesion and longevity.
Warranty: Many professionals offer warranties on their work, providing peace of mind.
Safety: They are equipped to handle chemicals safely and dispose of waste properly.

Sealing Older Patios: A Different Approach

The process for sealing an older patio differs based on whether it's been previously sealed or not.

1. Sealing an Older, Never-Sealed Patio:

This process is more intensive than sealing a new patio, but entirely achievable:

Deep Cleaning: The patio must be thoroughly cleaned to remove all dirt, grime, moss, mildew, efflorescence (white mineral deposits), and any existing stains. This often involves specialized hardscape cleaners and professional-grade pressure washing.
Rinse & Dry: A thorough rinse is essential to remove all cleaner residue. The patio must then be completely dry, sometimes for 24-48 hours, before sealing. Moisture can compromise sealer adhesion.
Joint Preparation (for Pavers): For paver patios, existing joint sand may need to be refreshed or replaced before applying a joint stabilizing sealer.
Sealer Application: Apply the chosen sealer according to manufacturer specifications, often in multiple thin coats, allowing adequate drying time between applications.

2. Sealing an Older, Previously Sealed Patio (Maintenance):

This requires careful assessment of the existing sealer:

Assessment: Determine the type and condition of the existing sealer. Is it still performing? Is it peeling, flaking, or discolored?
Cleaning: The patio will still need a thorough cleaning to remove surface dirt and contaminants.
Stripping (if necessary): If the old sealer is failing (peeling, flaking, turning cloudy), it often needs to be stripped entirely before a new coat can be applied. This is a complex process requiring specialized stripping agents and careful application. Attempting to seal over a failing sealer will lead to poor results.
Re-application: If the old sealer is still in good condition but simply needs a refresh, a professional can often apply a maintenance coat of a compatible sealer after cleaning and drying.

Why Specialty Cleaners Are Crucial

You might be tempted to use an all-purpose household cleaner on your patio, but this is a mistake.

Targeted Formulas: Specialty hardscape cleaners are formulated to tackle specific outdoor contaminants like efflorescence, rust, oil, grease, moss, and mildew without damaging the hardscape material.
pH Balance: They are designed to be pH neutral or specifically acidic/alkaline to safely and effectively clean without etching or discoloring pavers, stone, or concrete.
Residue-Free: General cleaners can leave behind residues that attract dirt, promote mildew growth, or interfere with sealer adhesion. Specialty cleaners rinse clean.
Safety: Using the wrong cleaner can lead to irreparable damage to your hardscape, costing you more in the long run.

Protect Your Investment

Your patio is an extension of your home, and like any valuable asset, it deserves protection. Sealing your hardscape patio is a relatively small investment that yields significant returns in beauty, durability, and ease of maintenance. By asking the right questions and partnering with a certified professional, you can ensure your outdoor living space remains stunning for years to come.