Paver and Travertine Sealing

Concrete Pavers

Most outdoor spaces in Central Florida consist of concrete paver driveways, walkways, porches, and pool decks to increase the value and appeal of a property. These pavers are very porous and are simply made with a mixture of concrete and color additives. Different color pigments are used in a variety of mixtures to give a customer the look they desire for their home. Because of their durability, availability, and low maintenance care, concrete pavers are the most common surface we see here in Florida. 

Unfortunately, once pavers are installed, they are left susceptible to Florida’s harsh climate. Overtime, the UV rays from the sun will fade out the color pigment within the pavers. Also, the acid and the constant beating down from Florida’s rain will begin to expose the rocky concrete elements inside the paver, known as aggregate. This rain will also cause holes to open up on the surface. We see this most often in areas where gutters were not installed properly, or at all. Aggregate is also very pronounced around the base/exit of a gutter downspout. Salt from pools can also increase the degrading of paver pool decks, if left untreated. By choosing to seal these surfaces sooner rather than later, their lifespan and visual beauty can be extended for decades.

It is important to note that we HIGHLY recommend holding off on sealing newly installed pavers for at least 30-60 days. New pavers need time to “breathe” and be exposed to the outdoor elements. Skipping this step will leave a paver surface covered in a white hazy material known as efflorescence. Efflorescence appears when osmosis occurs and salts and lime and other minerals from new pavers rise up to the surface. These substances are left behind as water evaporates and must be treated correctly and removed before being sealed.

Travertine Pavers

Travertine pavers/tile are also among the most common material chosen for designing outdoor living spaces and pool decks here in Florida. Unlike concrete pavers, travertine is a natural stone, meaning it is much more dense. The travertine pavers are completely natural and usually do not contain any color additives. For this reason, customers who have chosen to go with this type of surface will not have to worry about their natural travertine losing its color over time. 

However, it is common for travertine pavers to begin to deteriorate if not properly maintained. Unfortunately, even these types of surfaces contain pores that, when exposed to the hot and wet weather in Florida, will turn into perfect crevices for mold and algae to grow. When left unsealed, this mold and algae will grow and begin to spread and take over the joints in between each of the pavers. For this reason, it is even more important to install sand into the joints of travertine surfaces the same way one would sand a paver surface. The sealer we use for travertine penetrates not only into the freshly sanded joints, but also deep into these troublesome pores within the travertine itself, creating a barrier that makes it difficult for mold and algae to grow. When you choose to seal your travertine surface, you are not only protecting it from natural and human elements, but also enhancing the natural color of these beautiful stones, stabilizing the joints, and eliminating weeds and ants for years to come.

Just like concrete pavers, we HIGHLY recommend holding off on sealing newly installed travertine surfaces for 30-60 days. If not given this time to adapt to environmental elements, a hazy material known as efflorescence will get trapped underneath the sealer. Efflorescence appears when salts and calcium from new installs rise up to the surface. While it can be hard to see and is not always extreme, it is important to let rain and moisture bring out these minerals before a surface is sealed.

Paver and Travertine Sealing – Our Process 

Our process for cleaning and sealing concrete and travertine pavers are very similar. It is important to ensure the surface is completely clean to avoid trapping in unwanted stains, algae, or dirt below the applied sealer. For paver and travertine sealing jobs, the following steps are followed to achieve the overall enhanced look of a surface:

• Specialized high-pressure cleaning of all pavers. Pavers may be treated with mild, EPA approved chemicals to remove any oil, tire, hazing or efflorescence marks. Muriatic Acid, or Hydrochloric Acid, should NEVER be used. Rust remover and an algaecide will also be used as necessary on any stubborn rust or algae stains. Sealer can be removed for additional fee.
  
• Every joint in-between pavers will be blasted clear to the base of the paver, leaving little sand and no dirt or algae behind. This will allow us to liberally brush sand into every joint, compacting it down to the base of the pavers, ensuring weeds and algae are not given any space to grow in the future. Sand joints will be leveled to ensure consistent and correct joint sand height throughout surface.
  
• Once the surface is thoroughly cleaned and sanded, sealing can commence. A very high quality modified poly-urethane sealer will be applied liberally with a sprayer. It is a waterborne sealer that is not “solvent” or “oil” based. It is also a color enhancing sealer, giving the surface a permanent “Wet Look” (Natural look, or “Dry Look” sealer, WITHOUT the color enhancement, is also available upon request). The sealers we use will never make your surface slippery. 

Stone Sealing

A growing number of homes today are using stone masonry in the renovation of outdoor hardscapes. These stones can most commonly be found on outdoor patios, outdoor kitchens, firepits, pool decks, and even vertical walls and pillars. Here in Florida we most commonly see flagstone, travertine, slate, and concrete stone. Unlike the other natural stones, concrete stone is produced in factories from a mixture of concrete and color additives that give the stone a more “natural” appearance. To preserve the beauty and overall curb appeal, stone should be periodically maintained, especially concrete based stone.

Just like any outdoor surface, stone will be exposed to the sun, rain, and other outdoor elements for extended periods of time. If left unsealed, the integrity of your stone will deteriorate. Overtime, Florida’s environment will fade out the color in the stone, stripping it of its natural beauty. Furthermore, rain can aid in the buildup of mold and algae, while also leaving behind tough to remove calcium deposits. Sealing these stones will not only protect your surface but your investments as well.

Stone Sealing – Our Process

Our process for restoring natural and concrete stone begins with thoroughly cleaning the surface with our specialized high pressure system. Oftentimes builders are sloppy with their stone installations, and leave behind traces of concrete slurry/mortar. The high pressure water we use will remove all dirt, debris, and algae from the surface of the stone. For tough to clean areas, we always have on hand additional chemicals, should they be needed. Once cleaned, the surface is ready for sealer application. Our sealer will be carefully sprayed on the stone surface, making sure to avoid overspray to windows, doors, and other personal property. We also shield all surfaces when applying sealer, and vertical stone sealing is no different. If necessary, we tape and plastic off the various areas surrounding a surface to be sealed to ensure no mistakes are made. Removing sealer from many surfaces is difficult as it is; some surfaces, once sealed, cannot be reversed. For this reason, it is extremely important to be extra detailed when sealing anything. 

Sealant Removal

Here at Sealing Specialists, we pride ourselves with being one of the only companies in Central Florida to offer sealant removal as an option to our customers. Over 30% of the jobs we are called out to do, are to repair other companies mistakes and shortcuts. Unfortunately for the customer, this is usually not their fault. Believe it or not, there are many companies out there that will quote you a low price, use hardware store bought sealer, and apply it to your surface without having proper knowledge of the sealing process. It is also not uncommon for these same companies to ignore your phone calls after work is complete, to avoid making fixes or paying for another company to fix their mess. 

One of the main reasons a sealer may fail has to do with poor product selection. Solvent based sealers are most commonly responsible for the cloudiness/hazing that shows up on a surface shortly after being sealed. Unlike water based sealers which penetrate deep into the pores of the paver, solvent sealers are thick and sit on top of the paver surface. These sealers block out water from penetrating the surface, but unfortunately also block moisture from being able to leave the surface. For this reason, the pavers will appear milky white as moisture continues to be trapped underneath the sealer. Solvent sealers should rarely be used in Florida, where we have a very wet and humid climate. They are not environmentally friendly and will most commonly make paver surfaces slick. Some also lack the ability to lock in joint sand, leaving a customer with a sandy mess to clean up after one hard rain storm. 

Sealers also fail due to poor product compatibility. We encourage all property owners to ask the sealing company they are hiring which type of product they’ll be putting down. Much like oil and water don’t mix, the same is true for solvent and water-based sealers. You cannot apply a water-based product over a solvent product, and vice versa. If this has occurred, chances are it would be the reason why the new sealer has hazed up. 

Other reasons why a surface may appear cloudy are usually related to poor sealing techniques. For instance, sealer should never be applied with a paint roller, but rather sprayed. Using a roller to apply sealer will leave visible lines up and down and across your surface. 

Also, once a surface is sealed, it needs time to fully cure. If it rains on the surface before it has fully cured, the sealer that was just applied will trap moisture underneath it and begin to cloud up. The good news is, we can fix all these problems with our stripping process!

If we find traces/signs of existing sealer on your surface, we take additional steps to address the problem. In order to prevent white, cloudy discoloration from forming or getting worse, we suggest removal of the sealer that is there. Sealer should never be applied over an already failing sealer. Should the customer decline this option, we will not be held responsible for any discoloration, flaking, separation, hazing, etc from adding new sealer on top of existing sealer.

Sealant Removal – Our Process

Our process is one of a kind! Stripping consists of first applying a stripping agent to the surface. This product works by breaking the bond between the sealer and the paver. Once the agent has dwelled and sufficiently activated, the sealer should be loose and vacuum pressure washing can begin. We use a custom vacuum extraction system in correlation with our high pressure washing recovery system to remove and collect the stripping agent, sealer, and sand from the surface. With our vacuum extraction system, we are able to extract, separate, and collect more than 90% of the mess we make. Stripping with our collection system is cleaner than a regular pressure washing of your surface. It is not uncommon that a surface will need more than one application of stripper to fully remove the existing sealer. Once the technicians are confident that all the failed sealer has been removed, our normal cleaning, sanding, and sealing process can begin.

It is extremely important when stripping to use a vacuum recovery pressure washing system. When we first started stripping in 2009, we used pressure washers and wands with roto-nozzles like everyone else. To do this, it required us to plastic and tape doors, windows, walls, columns, pools, outdoors kitchens, screens and frames, etc. Even with all these preventative measures, it was still an extremely messy and difficult job. We like to learn from our experiences. With our vacuum recovery system, barely any preventative measures are needed because the process is so clean and efficient.

Concrete Cleaning and Sealing

Chances are, somewhere on your property you have some sort of concrete surface. These can be commonly found on sidewalks, driveways, pool decks, or patios. Concrete itself is a very porous material. If not maintained, concrete becomes susceptible to the accumulation of dirt, rust, and algae, giving the surface a grungy appearance. Concrete also has the unfortunate ability to pull stains deep into its pores. The same is true for concrete surfaces that have been stamped to add a more decorative look to a home. Most neighborhoods with an HOA require routine cleanings to prevent dirt and grime from taking over a home’s curb appeal. Here at Sealing Specialists we are dedicated to keeping your concrete surfaces looking their best. From simple pressure washing, to a complete concrete surface sealing, we have years of experience with restoring the appearance of all types of concrete. 

Concrete Cleaning and Sealing – Our Process

Our process for restoring concrete and stamped concrete surfaces is very detailed and can vary based upon each customer’s needs and wants. The surface must first be thoroughly cleaned. This starts with a pre-treatment using various chemicals, depending on the needs of the job. From there, we use a surface cleaner to quickly and efficiently remove any dirt and algae that may lie on the surface of the concrete. Any tough spots that still remain will be carefully blasted away with our pressure wands.

For homes where rust on the surface is a huge problem, we will use a rust removing chemical to eliminate those unwanted spots. We also have the ability to remove tough algae spots, making sure to be very careful not to damage or kill grass that lies in the immediate areas. After a quick rinse off, the surface will be ready for sealing.

Unlike concrete pavers or travertine, concrete does not have joints that need filling with sand to block out weeds and unwanted insects. We apply the sealer with a sprayer. The sealer will penetrate deep into the surface creating a barrier to protect the concrete from Florida’s harsh climate. The sealer will also aid in repelling future stains. 

Paver Repairs

Whether you are looking to seal your surface, or just get un-level problem areas repaired, we can help. Overtime, it is not uncommon to notice areas on your paver surface that have become un-level, chipped, or shifted. Pavers can also become raised due to an underground tree-root growth. Before sealing any surface, we like to address and correct these issues. Below are some of the services we provide when it comes to repairing your surface:

• Repair of Un-level Pavers
  
  • Un-level pavers will be lifted up and re installed once we have laid a new, level sand base. If the surface is un-level due to underground tree roots, the pavers will be lifted up and replaced once the troublesome root is removed and a level crushed concrete base is compacted.

• Replacement of Chipped or Broken Pavers/Travertine Tiles
  
  • Broken or chipped pavers will be removed and replaced with a customer provided spare. Please be aware that when a replacement paver or tile is laid down, it may look slightly different than the others on the surface. Over time, exposure to the sun will aid in making it blend in with the rest.  

• Repair of Shifted Pavers/Travertine Tiles
  
  • Our sealing and sanding process is often enough to prevent pavers from slightly shifting. Most of the time, pavers move around because the sand in between the joints have disappeared. Adding sand to the joints within a surface will provide enough cushion to aid in keeping the pavers in place.
    

• Repair of Broken Concrete Border
  
  • If a paver surface is installed correctly, the install company should have placed a reinforced concrete border around your driveway, walkway, or pool deck to hold the pavers in place. It is common to see these borders break, however it is important that they be repaired before further damage occurs. Failed borders can allow pavers to shift substantially. We are able to correct this problem by removing the broken concrete border and replacing it with a new concrete border with both horizontal and vertical rebar reinforcements.