How to Clean and Re-Sand Interlocking Pavers to Prevent Weeds 

If your interlocking patio, walkway, or driveway is overgrown with weeds, there’s just one answer: re-sand it!

Over time, the joint sand between your pavers can break down, causing the stones to shift and allowing weeds and ants to take over. The good news? You can restore the look and stability of your surface by re-sanding your interlocking pavers.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to re-sand interlocking pavers, step-by-step. This maintenance task is essential to keeping your property looking great and functioning properly.

Why Re-Sanding Your Pavers Is Important

If you're a homeowner in Niagara, regular maintenance of your interlocking surfaces is key—especially with our seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. Why does re-sanding matter? Solid, well cured polymeric sand:

• Prevents pavers from shifting

• Reduces weed and moss growth

• Discourages ants and pests

• Improves drainage

• Enhances curb appeal

Proper joint sand keeps your pavers locked in place and protects your hardscape investment.

Tools & Materials You’ll Need

To re-sand your interlocking pavers, gather the following:

• High quality polymeric sand

• Push broom

• Leaf blower

• Gas powered pressure washer with surface cleaner and rotating “turbo nozzle”

• Plate compactor

• Hose/sprayer nozzle

Step-by-Step: How to Re-Sand Interlocking Pavers

1. Clean the Surface and Joints

Begin by cleaning the surface of the pavers with a surface cleaner connected to a gas powered pressure washer (if you don’t own one, they can be rented… seriously, you’re about to spend multiple days of your life, and hundreds of $ on polymeric sand, don’t let all that go to waste by trying to get away with using an electric pressure washer). After this, attach the rotating “turbo nozzle to your pressure washer and use it to remove all the old sand and weeds. Slowly trace every single join, holding the nozzle about 4 inches from the top of the joint. Go slow enough to blast out all the old sand, but not so slowly as to start removing the bedding material that the pavers rest on.

2. Sweep in New Sand

 After the surface has dried for at least a day in hot/sunny weather, pull out a couple pavers to check that the joints are entirely dry (a moisture meter can help with this). If your joints are not totally dry, the sand will not cure properly! Once you’re sure that everything is dry, pour polymeric sand onto the surface and use a broom to push it into the gaps between the pavers. For best results, sweep the sand back and forth from multiple angles to fully fill the joints.

Note: Choose a high quality polymeric sand. We generally use Sika. It’s not the cheapest, but has given us the best long term results based upon both customer feedback, and a long-term experiment I’m running on my own property wherein I’ve re-sanded a interlocking paver walkway beside my house with a number of different polymeric sands in order to see how they hold up. It’s available at both commercial distributors and hardware stores in Niagara Falls, Welland, St.Catherines, Port Colborne, Niagara on the Lake, Fonthill, Fort Erie, and throughout the rest of the Niagara Region.

3. Compact the Pavers

Use a plate compactor  to vibrate the pavers, helping the sand settle deeper into the joints and locking everything in place. After compacting, sweep more sand into the joints as they will be less filled once the first layer of sand has settled. Depending on the pavers, it may be necessary to make a second pass with the compactor (perpendicular to the first).

Do not skip this step. Rent a plate compactor. Without one, there will be air pockets in your sand, which will invite weeds, ants, and warping.

Note: use a pad under your plate compactor. These can be polyurethane or rubber. Without one, the metal plate will scratch your pavers.

4. Clean Dust from the Surface

Once all joints are filled, sweep excess sand off the paver surface. Use a leaf blower on low to remove any fine dust. This is done to prevent  hazing (a permanent film left on the surface of your pavers by the polymers in the sand, which are essentially water activated adhesives.

5. Activate Polymeric Sand with Water

Depending on which polymeric sand you have chosen, the amount of water needed will vary, Generally, you will need to lightly spray the area with water using a garden hose nozzle set to shower, wait about 30 seconds, then apply another very light coat of water. The wider the joints, the more water will be needed. This application of water activates the bonding agent in the sand. Be careful not to overwater and wash the binding agents out of the joints. Also, be sure not to under water and prevent the sand from curing properly.

If you want to check if you’re applied enough water, use a pick to check multiple joints in different parts of the driveway. There shouldn’t be any dry sand under the surface, but water also shouldn’t be pooling on top.

Let the surface dry for at least 24–48 hours. Avoid foot or vehicle traffic during this time.

Note: before starting, check the weather forecast and ensure that there won’t be any rain following your application of polymeric sand. Choose a warm sunny time to get this job done as unexpected rain can wash your sand out.

Professional Paver Restoration Services in Niagara

While re-sanding interlocking pavers is a manageable DIY project, professional results often require specialized equipment and experience. After reading this, you may also realize that this project involves multiple days of back breaking labour, which you may want to avoid. In either case, feel free to reach out to Blue Wave Exterior Cleaning Inc. where we offer full paver restoration services across the Niagara Region, including:

• Deep pressure washing

• Joint re-sanding with polymeric sand

• Protective paver sealing

Wherever you are in the Niagara region, we’re here to help restore your interlocking pavers to like-new condition.

Get a Free Quote Today

Looking for professional paver cleaning and re-sanding in Niagara? Contact Blue Wave Exterior Cleaning for expert service and reliable results.

Call us today or request a free quote online to restore your interlocking pavers the right way.