How to Seal Brick Pavers
Bricks are quite literally the building blocks of several structures. Walls, arches, cornices, chimneys and dozens of other infrastructural projects use large quantities of bricks. Apart from its physical properties, bricks are often considered to be appealing to the human eye.
Their design, shape, and color lend the overall assembly a strong sense of nostalgia as in the case of a brick oven. As most of us live in concrete jungles, seeing a patio or birdbath made from traditional bricks sparks immense joy. This goes for brick pathways as well.
City-planners and home-renovators will agree that paved brick walkways or driveways can be aesthetically pleasing. Since bricks are highly customizable, it opens the door to a myriad design options. In addition, they can be arranged in a hundred different ways to form various intricate patterns. Apart from its visual factors, brick pathways are also incredibly easy to install.
Thanks to its traditional vibes, brick pathways are usually seen in peaceful gardens or busy promenades in the city. However, paving and neatly arranging the bricks is not as easy as it seems. It is a task that must be delicately handled without any missteps.
In this article, we examine the different techniques used by most contractors to seal the brick pavers once it has been laid down. There are many top-rated paver sealers available online that give matt and gloss looks.
What Is the Point of Sealing Brick Pavers?
Generally, laying down a brick pathway leading up to your home requires several tools and a large amount of materials. On an average, constructing such a walkway is bound to take atleast a week. The initial work involves marking the pathway and filling it with sand. After this, the next step involves laying down bricks on the sand bed. Some people, in need of better aesthetics, use cobblestones or granite pavers instead.
But the work doesn't necessarily end here. Most contractors will tell you that sealing the brick pavers in a pathway is extremely crucial. What happens if you don't seal your pavers? The simple answer is that you can expect the bricks to deteriorate and ultimately breakdown.
Unsealed brick pavers are poorly protected from UV rays emitted by the Sun. Additionally, pavers that are not sealed will open the door for tiny weeds that will start sprouting between the joints. If oil or any other chemical fluid happens to spill all over your unsealed brick pavers, you can forget about washing off the stains.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to seal brick pavers:
- Buy off the shelf
- Clean as a whistle
- Seal the deal
Buy off the shelf
If you're unfamiliar with the bricklaying business, there might be a load of questions running through your head like - What type of sealer should I buy?
Does it really matter? Do I have all the tools I need for completing the job? Let’s help you figure out the answers to all of these questions. The first step to sealing brick pavers is to buy top-quality sealers and application tools from the nearest hardware store.
Sealers are usually available in two types, namely: the wet look paver sealer and solvent-based sealers. While the water-based sealer is used for bricks that are laid on a sand bed, the solvent type sealers come in handy when it is necessary to give the brick pathway some gloss or shine.
While you’re at the store, you might also need a few application tools such as stain pads, rollers, brushes, and a pump-up sprayer if you can afford it. All of these items can also be bought online from a verified e-commerce website.
Clean as a whistle
Once you have all the supplies needed to seal the brick pavers, it is time to begin the actual work. But before you start spraying sealers all over the area, it is pivotal to give the entire walkway a nice clean scrub. This 10 to 15 minute of prep work comes strongly recommended by contractors.
A good cleaning will help you get rid of any mildew, moss, algae, or foreign debris that has accumulated over time on top of the bricks. If anything is stuck to the surface and refuses to come off, consider using a stronger cleaning fluid like acid. However, it is important to exercise great caution when dealing with acidic cleaners.
Seal the deal
Now that you’re brick pavers are sparkling clean, the third step is to finally begin applying the sealer on each brick paver. Make sure you coat the entire brick walkway with the water-based or solvent-based sealer fluid. If you’re worried about missing a spot, using a high-end pump-up sprayer can make the job very easy.
However, a 5-inch nylon brush or roller can also do the trick albeit at a much slower pace. After completing this step, the next task might be the hardest of them all - to wait! In case you’re feeling a little parched, this might be the time to head indoors for a cold beverage. But make sure that no one accidentally walks all over the wet sealer-coated pathway.
The last step in the process of applying sealer to brick pavers is to closely monitor the walkway. By regularly cleaning the brick pavers and keeping an eye on them, your patio or driveway will never lose its glossy aesthetic.