Paver Cleaning Paver Re-Sanding  and Paver Sealing Services

Polymeric sand is just fine grained sand with polymer additives which cause it to solidify when mixed with water. Much like concrete or moarter, it gradually dries and cures, but it's unique because it remains a bit flexible even after fully curing. This allows it to deal with Ontario's harsh freeze thaw cycles. 

While you can use some other forms of sand to stabilize pavers, we choose to offer polymeric sand because it produces durable, uniform paver joints that won't wash out. Polymeric sand also does far better at preventing weeds and ants/pests. 

Polymeric sand does require a little more effort on our part, but we're willing to put in the work because we believe that it's worth it, and the end result speaks for itself.    

For a residential property, the process generally takes two days. One to clean your pavers and remove the old sand, then a second to install new sand. If you also want your pavers sealed, it becomes a 3 day process because the sand needs time to cure before being sealed. 

The process is, unfortunately totally weather dependant. While the old sand can be removed in any conditions, re-sanding requires at least two dry days in a row. Polymeric sand cannot be installed in wet conditions.  Depending on weather conditions, we may choose to reschedule your booking for the next available day. 

No. Any process that allows for one day installation would either result in a worse end result, or drastically increase the price. For this reason, we only offer multi-day installation.

Pros:

• The sealant we use acts as both a protective finish, and a joint stabilizer.

• Your new sand will last longer.

• Your pavers will be protected from most types of stains. 

• You can customize the appearance of your pavers with a "wet look" sealant that many people like the apparance of.

Cons:

• If you opt for a "wet look" sealant, it will eventually wear off in areas with frequent traffic creating an uneven appearence. 

• Sealant has a limited lifespan. Once you seal a set of pavers, you will need to continue doing so in the future or else you may wind up with a visibly worn surface. 

• If you opt for a higher sheen sealant, the pavers will be a bit more slippery.  

The polymeric sand we use is made by Sika, who recommends that you not walk on your pavers for 24hrs after new sand is installed, and not drive on them for 72hrs.

We also recommend not using them during the time between removing your old sand, and installing new sand.

Polymeric sand does not last forever. It's the best available option, but still has a limited lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced.

The lifespan of polymeric sand can vary quite a bit depending on what conditions it's exposed to. It will last the longest in areas like walkways/patios that have good drainage and see only infrequent foot traffic. Its lifespan can be reduced by constant exposure to water (like automatic sprinklers) or frequent heavy loads such as vehicles. It can also be affected by tree roots shifting your pavers.

A good rule of thumb is that polymeric sand should be replaced every 5-7 years.   

Yes, you can do it yourself and re-sanding a small walkway or patio is a great weekend project. If you're going to attempt a larger area, just be aware that its a tiring, dirty project that will require you to rent a plate compactor, high powered pressure washer (an electric one won't work), and possibly a truck to transport the sand (some of our residential jobs require 1,000+lbs of sand. If you're attempting to re-sand your own driveway and intend to do it properly, I would recommend setting aside at least four full days. For more information on the process, check out our article on re-sanding interlocking pavers.

Some errors that that could ruin your DIY project include:

-  Adding too much or too little water to the polymeric sand, causing it not to set properly.

- Not removing all of the old sand. When re-sanding, you don't want to just top up old joints. Though this fresh top layer will look good at first, it won't last or properly stabilize your pavers.

- Driving/walking on your newly re-sanded pavers before they've had time to set. The manufacturer recommends that new polymeric sand not be walked on for at least 24hrs, and not be driven on for at least 72hrs.

- Not compacting the new sand. This will leave you with up to 1/3 less sand than should be in your joint. 

- Getting sand on top of your pavers. The polymers that cause this sand to set are effectively adhesives, and they will bind sand to the top of your pavers, creating a rough unattractive surface.