There are many benefits to sealing your patio or driveway, from protecting the surface to simply looking excellent when you look at it. Not only this, but it enables the area to be low maintenance by acting as a weed inhibitor – so you no longer have to spend weekends picking them and can enjoy the space for what it is!
When looking to seal your driveway or patio, it may seem a daunting task. Thankfully with a few tips and tricks, it’s quite a straightforward job! Read on to learn more about the best way to achieve the perfect patio or driveway with our Block Pave Sealers.
What time of year is best for applying sealant?
You may assume that sealing your driveway in the heat of summer would be ideal, but doing this may make the job harder than it needs to be. Block pave sealer seals quicker in hotter weather, especially during the day when the sun is beaming down. On the other hand, doing it in winter could equally make the task difficult, as the surface needs to be completely dry when applying the sealant to it or it won’t seal properly.
Most professionals recommend putting down sealant between the months of May and October, while also bearing in mind the forecast when you are looking to do it. You also want to make sure the driveway is not touched, or driven on, for at least 12 hours while it cures.
What do I need?
Some may think you need a lot of expensive equipment to complete the job, however, this isn’t the case. Some of the equipment needed, such as a broom, you probably already have in your garage/home.
Pressure Washer/ Broom & Brush
These will be used to give the area a good, deep clean before applying your sealer. This ideally needs to be done a couple of weeks before you plan to put down your sealant, as it works best when applied to a bone dry surface. You can test to see if the flags are properly dried by raking up a few joints and seeing if the jointing sand is dried up to 15mm deep.
You also want to make sure you remove as much dirt, debris, weeds and moss as you can to ensure it’s as clean as it can be.
Jointing Sand
After giving the area a deep clean, it’s likely you’ll have lost some of the sand from between your joints. Apply a thin layer over the top of the area and sweep these into your joints, then once properly filled, sweep away the excess. You want to do this on the same day you plan to apply your sealant so that the new sand is sat securely in the paving joints. If you are sealing a tarmac driveway, you won’t need to complete this step.
Top Tip: Make sure the sand is no higher than the bottom of the V-joints before continuing onto sealing.
Paint Roller Set
This will be your main utensil when applying the sealant. Roller brushes are the best for applying sealant, as they help cover a wide area as well as helping to apply in even coats. Before starting to seal the area, make sure to prime your roller with the sealant to help with even application.
So you’ve got all the equipment, what next?
The next step is to apply your sealant! Make sure to read all guidelines carefully and follow safety instructions, such as wearing goggles & gloves and making sure the area is well ventilated if applied indoors.
You want to apply your sealant in two coats – the first coat needs to be applied thoroughly across the entire area, and across the joints. You can usually tell when the joints are sufficiently covered, as they turn a darker colour. Take extra care to ensure you apply just the right amount though, too little and it won’t give full coverage and too much could hinder the sealing process. As a guide, the first coat should cover around 4m per litre of sealer.
After applying your first coat, wait for around 1-2 hours (weather dependant) and confirm that the sealant is tacky. Then you can move on to applying the second coat, which should be applied at around 7m per litre, to the entire area. You then want to leave this to dry for at least 24 hours, and longer in the winter months before driving or walking on it.
After that, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your new space!
Thanks for reading!
We hope you found the article useful, and that you now know all you need to seal perfectly. We wish you all the best on embarking on this new journey!
