Key information
- Paver sealing protects against Perth’s harsh conditions including UV exposure, moisture, stains and salt damage.
- DIY sealing is possible but often more complex than expected, requiring careful preparation, correct product selection and ideal weather conditions.
- Professional sealing delivers a more consistent finish and longer-lasting results, with the right equipment and products for your pavers.
- For Perth homes, professional paver sealing offers better long-term value, saving time, stress and the cost of fixing mistakes.
If your pavers are faded, slippery, stained, or wearing away, Perth’s climate will be partly to blame. The combination of sun, coastal salt, and hot, dry air from further inland – not to mention our damp winters – can wreak havoc on your pavers if they’re not sealed properly. Then there’s normal wear and tear: spills from family dinners al fresco, marks from outdoor furniture or pot plants, and the build up of dirt and debris.
Sealing enhances their beauty and durability, helping to protect your investment for years to come from:
- UV damage and fading, keeping the stone looking as it should
- Erosion (particularly bricks or other composite materials)
- Stains – e.g. rust stains, bore stains
- Spills and grease
- Hot tyre marks
Sealing your pavers also helps keep them clear of organic growth like slippery moss or algae in damp, shady areas. Maintenance and cleaning can keep these at bay, but sealing regularly offers the best protection in the long run.
Related: Is Paver Sealer Necessary?
DIY vs professional: Which is better for you?
DIY paver sealing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lower upfront cost for small areas | Time-consuming preparation and drying requirements |
| Can be done on your own schedule | Higher risk of mistakes (wrong sealer, uneven finish, cloudiness) |
| Suitable for confident DIY-ers with time and the right tools | Weather-dependent, with little margin for error |
| You are responsible if the sealer fails and needs to be replaced |
Professional paver sealing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Expert surface preparation and correct sealer selection | Higher upfront cost compared to DIY |
| Consistent, even finish with longer-lasting protection | Requires scheduling with a service provider (some providers are quicker than others) |
| Faster turnaround with minimal disruption | |
| Backed by experience, with the equipment and comprehensive insurance |
Why DIY is a bigger job than you might think
Sealing your pavers yourself might sound simple, but people are often surprised by how time-consuming, technical and weather-dependent the process is. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Accurately assess the job ahead
You don’t want to have to keep running back and forth to the hardware store or the rental place if you need other supplies and equipment. To make sure you have everything for the job ahead, you’ll need to know:
- What type of stone you have (e.g. marble, travertine, limestone, concrete).
- Whether there is existing sealer on the stone – if there is a layer of solvent-based sealer, you’ll need to remove this first.
- The size of your space, so you know how much product you will need for sealing.
- The condition your pavers are currently in, i.e. any existing stains or degradation that will need addressing before sealing.
You’ll also require appropriate PPE when working with sealers as the fumes can be harsh, such as a mask and eye protection.
2. Prepare the area
It’s critical to clean your surfaces thoroughly before sealing. Depending on the type of sealer you’re using, you might also have to wait for the pavers to completely dry. This is why a lot of DIY-ers will do this job over summer, to ensure rain doesn’t throw things off schedule. You can check with a moisture meter or the plastic sheet test (taping plastic to the surface – no condensation means the surface is dry).
The cleaner you can get the area, the better the new sealer will adhere to it. This helps prevent common issues with solvent sealers like cloudiness, patchiness, or even delamination. However, getting your pavers completely clean can take a few different steps and products depending on your situation:
Removing old sealer from pavers
Removing old solvent-based sealer requires an aggressive solvent remover, then pressure washing the pavers to ensure they are as clean as possible.
If your previous sealer was water-based, this step is usually easier. Depending on when the sealer was last applied, high pressure cleaning (3,000+ PSI) will do a great job of clearing it off. If you’re not sure on the age of the sealer, you can use a combination of chemical cleaner such as Guard Remover and high-pressure cleaning – this will almost guarantee removal of the water based penetrating sealer.
Related: Water Based Sealer vs Solvent Based Sealer
Removing greasy stains from pavers
Pre-wash treatments can help to get rid of dirt, grease and oil. You may need multiple products for each type of stain; if you have set-in greasy stains, these can be hard to remove with home renovation products. It’s best to try and clean these up as soon as they occur to stop them setting in to the porous stone surface. Failing that, a specialised degreasing product and high-pressure cleaning can help lift older stains.
Removing bore stains from pavers
In Perth, it’s not just general dirt to deal with – there are often stubborn bore stains as well. These can take a lot of time, money and effort to remove yourself. To effectively remove them, you will need a specialised product. We would recommend something like X-Fe Forte Stain Remover, which is designed specifically for mineral and bore stains. Depending on the level of staining present, you can go through quite a lot of it; you’ll need to budget additional product costs into your project.
3. Apply the new sealer
Using a pump sprayer or a roller, you should start at one end of the pavers and apply the sealer in a thin, even coat. Following straight lines helps avoid overlap or puddling.
Follow the manufacturer’s directions to get the best results. If multiple coats are required, they should have instructions on how many hours to wait between applications – and, how long you need to avoid walking on the surface or placing furniture after the job is done.
Troubleshooting DIY sealing issues
There’s a learning curve to applying products like paver sealers, and unfortunately it can go wrong despite your best efforts. Here are some of the common issues we see with sealer application:
Cloudy or peeling sealer
If your finished pavers look cloudy, or if it just hasn’t stuck in some areas at all… it’s likely that the issues started before the sealer even went on. Your sealer may fail if:
- Residual dirt or old sealer aren’t fully removed. This physically prevents the new sealer from bonding to the paver surface.
- Your pavers weren’t given enough drying time (in the case of solvent sealers, which need a dry surface to stick to).
- Moisture has become trapped below the surface, causing discolouration or failure. If you’re using a solvent sealer, this will just form a layer on top. Any moisture in the pavers or in the ground below them can rise and create issues both now and over time.
A rough-looking or uneven finish
When you’re choosing your sealer, it’s more complex than just finding one for the right price. How you apply it is also crucial. If your sealer doesn’t look right, it may be because:
- It wasn’t compatible with the type of stone your pavers are made from.
- You chose a gloss level that makes the stone look flawed or uneven, rather than simply enhancing the colour.
- Too much or too little product was applied.
- The sprayer, roller or technique you used has created streaks or pooling.
Fixing the wrong sealer, or sealer application gone wrong, means stripping it back and starting again. That involves even more time, elbow grease and materials.
Related: What Sealer Should I Use?
Curing problems
Many sealers are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. You’ll want to avoid extreme heat and sealing when rain or overnight moisture is likely. You should also account for humidity or ground temperature. Pick your day carefully; sealing in unsuitable conditions could lead to uneven curing, bubbling, or even complete failure.
Why professional sealing is better for Perth homes
For small, low-risk areas DIY can work. But for most Perth homes, professional sealing delivers better long-term value.
Sealing in Perth has unique challenges. Professionals know how to navigate them with minimal disruption to your everyday life. It may seem more expensive on the face to hire a professional, but the cost of not doing it right is having to do it again… meaning you will need to re-purchase all those products and once again take the time out of your busy life.
For peace of mind and convenience, professional paver cleaning and sealing by a trusted, local operator is the way to go.
Experience the Mr Blastit Difference
If you hire an expert like Mr Blastit to seal your pavers, they already have all the specialised equipment, supplies, and experience to get the job done right – and fast, with same-day pressure cleaning and sealing services.
Mr Blastit is a family-owned, fully insured business servicing Perth Metro. areas, Pinjarra and Mandurah. We take the utmost care with your outdoor spaces and leave you with a finish you’ll love.
We only use the best sealers for pavers in Perth – Mr Blastit is a Certified Applicator for Water Based Sealer Pro Seal and Guard Industry products. These formulas bind tightly to your stone pavers for added durability and protection but are still water permeable. This helps avoid issues solvent-based sealers can have over time, like salt deposits forming under the cured sealer layer.
Sealing your pavers can be a palaver if you go it alone. With Mr Blastit’s 4000+ PSI high pressure cleaning and environmentally-friendly sealing services, you can do it the easy way instead. Why not contact Mr Blastit to get started, or request your free estimate today.
