A brick or paver stone patio is a classy alternative to a concrete driveway. Paver stone patio installation is time-consuming, but with hard work you can accomplish it. And if it’s built right, a brick or stone patio will be easy to maintain and last for a long time.
You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration by doing the job right the first time. Ease of maintenance depends in part on quality construction and top-notch materials.
The bumpers on your paver stone patio will keep it from shifting and cracking over time. Sealing the grout properly will keep it from deteriorating or becoming discolored.
Here are our tips for doing a great job of maintaining the natural beauty of your paving stone patio for the long term.
Easy Maintenance for Your Paver Stone Patio
- When designing your patio, make sure to buy two or three extra pavers. That way, if a paver gets chipped or cracked, you’ll be able to replace it with one that looks just like it.
- Use bumpers on your paver stone patio installation to keep it looking clean and neat. This will make it easier to use a weed trimmer around the patio, and it will combat grass encroachment. It will also be easier to maintain and less likely to lose grout over time.
- Between the grout, apply a layer of polymeric sand over all of the pavers. This is a sand and concrete mixture that contains polymer materials. Once you wet it down with a hose-end sprayer, this material will harden and prevent weeds from breaking through.
- Use an acid wash to remove any grout film on the tiles. This will also remove any discoloration on the stone caused by moisture.
- Be sure and use a grout sealer when you’re finished filling in between the cracks and after acid washing. A sealant will make it much harder for mold and mildew to form on the grout. It will also keep it from crumbling.
- Naturally, you’ll want to sweep dirt, leaves and yard waste off of your patio. This will not only keep it clean, but it will also prevent grass seeds from sprouting in built-up dirt. Once grass gets an opening, it can even crack cement as the roots expand.
- Another good idea is to use a hose-end sprayer once a week to give your stone patio a good cleaning. You can also use a small amount of dishwashing detergent in a bucket of hot water to scrub the stone. An outdoor push broom works great for scrubbing your stone patio.
- If you need to get rid of stains, try using a soft wire brush. You don’t want one that’s too coarse and stiff because it could leave scour marks on the stone pavers.
- Pressure-washing is fine for a brick or stone patio, but be sure to aim the spray at the surface of the stone, not the grout. Experiment with the amount of force needed by starting out at less than full power.
- If you find that grass or weeds have begun to stake a claim on your stone patio, the best solution to get rid of them is a spray bottle of white vinegar with a teaspoon of dishwashing soap. It will kill any vegetation that has taken hold on your patio, including unsightly mold.
- Stone patio sealant should be reapplied to the grout every three years. This will prevent the polymeric sand from degrading and keep your grout looking great.
Be sure to follow these steps when designing, constructing and maintaining your paved patio. It can stay new-looking for years to come if you take the time to carefully plan ahead.
Maintenance is pretty straightforward and not too difficult. Once it becomes a habit, it will seem like second nature to sweep, spray and seal your outdoor entertainment area.
A professional can also install your paver stone patio. Pavers look great on a driveway and around the pool, too. If you’re not a do-it-yourself kind of person, contact us today and find out about the variety of stone and masonry projects we have to offer.
Sources:
- Building A Paver Or Natural Stone Patio, https://www.quikrete.com/athome/video-paver-or-natural-stone-patio.asp
- Paving Installation Mistakes Every Landscaper Must Avoid, http://www.anston.com.au/paving-mistakes-contractors-should-avoid/
- Stone Patio Care: 3 Tips To Keep Your Outdoor Oasis Clean All Summer, https://www.homerepairtutor.com/stone-patio-care/
My wife and I are interested in putting together a paving stone patio in our backyard. I think it is very beneficial as you mention to keep some extra pavers around just in case. I will have to make sure that I keep a couple handy after the install is complete. Thanks for the help!
I like that you mentioned that you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration by doing it right the first time. I think that if you are putting in a patio then you might want to find out the best way to install it. If you don’t know how to install a patio then you might want to think about hiring a professional.
It really helped when you talked about being careful no to power wash the grout when cleaning your paving stone. I can imagine that taking the time to learn about this and to prepare all you need would help you get the best our of your investment. Personally, I would want to hire a professional to come and clean my pavers since I want to make sure I do not damage it if I do it myself.
I like the idea to use a hose-end sprayer once a week for cleaning, as well as using a small amount of dishwashing detergent in a bucket of how water to scrub stone. My wife and I are thinking of getting a new pavement set up in our backyard, having just remodeling the back of the house. We will be sure to care for the pavement after getting a paver installation company to install it.
My wife and I decided that we should have a patio built on our house and wanted to get great ideas for the design. I like the concept of using stone as the main building material as it has a natural aesthetics that could blend easily with our yard. I would also recommend extending the project and include a sitting area. Thanks for the great tips!
Generally, the installation process of paver stone patio is easy. And the repair process is also easy. This type of material also require low maintenance. This type of flooring material should be long run. To maintain the stone patio you should use proper cleaning product, important is you should clean the stone patio regularly. You really give the best tips and tricks for maintaining your paver stone patio and that will helpful to others.
These are the best tips to maintain your paver stone patio. A paver stone pathway requires little care and is much easier to maintain than a deck or full-sized driveway.
Thanks for the great articles. Down here in South Florida we have some harsh elements in terms of wind, sun and rain and I’d like to learn more about how to deal with those issues as well pavers shifting over time due to all that wear and tear. Appreciate the info!
I’m glad that brick and stone patios can be cleaned off by pressure washing, I’ll avoid spraying the grout. My family is hoping to have a paver stone patio set up and we want to make sure that we know how to keep it clean and undamaged after having a professional set it up for us. Cleaning the patio shouldn’t require too much work as long as my family remembers to only spray off the surface.
Thanks for mentioning that grout sealer will make it harder for mold and mildew to form on the grout. My wife and I are interested in installing a patio in our back yard but wanted to make sure that we could properly maintain it so that it lasts a long time. However, I am not sure that I have the time and experience to do this job myself, it may be best for me to call a professional.
Great article. Proper and regular maintenance is so important for preserving the quality of any masonry, but especially with pavers due to their tendency to shift and lose their sealing. Far too often we see awesome patios and walkways lose their shine due to lack of care. These tips are a great way to add maintenance to your routine.
I’ve been waiting to have a patio constructed in my patio such as incorporating sitting walls in it. Once everything’s final, I’ll make sure to prevent grass seeds from sprouting in built-up dirt. Before this, I must find a hardscaping service first.
Well I am thankful to author for sharing such an excellent tip with us as installing patio isn’t so easy many efforts take to install it although you need to have complete information of patio type of patio and many more things which are required during it.
Thanks for the useful tips. I want to maintain my concrete pavers and these tips are helpful. This article is helpful.