How to Protect Your Pavers from the Winter Weather

snow off of pavers

Paver patios are both a beautiful and unique look for your property. Many options for style, size, and shape can help you create a customized pattern. However, to preserve the longevity of your paver patio or walkway, you have to be prepared to protect it from harsh weather.

The harshest weather can be found in the bitter cold temperatures in the winter. The freeze-to-thaw cycle can really do a number on the positioning and the condition of your pavers.


Using a Seal Coat to Protect Your Pavers

Sealing your pavers is the most effective way of protecting them from snow, ice, and any other damaging elements throughout the year. Applying a seal coat is relatively simple. A brush is used over the surface and sides of the pavers to apply seal coating. You will need to retreat the pavers periodically when the shine on the pavers vanishes.

The lifespan of your pavers is based on how much care you put into them. Preventative measures taken upfront will help make your pavers last for years to come!


Invest in Quality Materials to Avoid Shifting & Cracks in Your Pavers

You should consider investing more money upfront on your pavers. Choosing high-quality pavers from the beginning will result in less time and money spent trying to repair or replace pavers down the road.

Make sure to use quality concrete as well during your paver process. Weak concrete can lead to shifts, and cracks, and will make your paver surface more susceptible to deicing agents.


Preventing Stains & Discoloring in Winter With Fall Cleanups

Take time to do a thorough fall cleanup prior to winter. Remove all leaves and debris from your pavers and carefully inspect them. Leaves left on pavers can actually stain or discolor them throughout the winter. Doing a fall cleanup helps them stay clean and preserves their true coloring for longer.


Caring for Pavers During Winter

If your patio or walkways get icy during the wintertime, your first instinct may be to put salt or another deicing product down. This can damage and deteriorate your pavers over time. Ice is best handled with sand when it comes to pavers. Spread the sand over the pavers, as you would salt, to alleviate any issues with ice throughout the winter.

Keeping snow and ice from building up on the pavers is indeed a good idea. This will reduce the amount of cracking or shifting that can happen during the winter. When shoveling, use a plastic shovel. Metal shovels can actually scratch both the surface of the pavers and the seal coat that you put on them.

It is also important to re-sweep joint sand into paver joints if it is low before winter. The sand keeps pavers in place and helps with drainage during the cold months.


Schedule a Free Consultation for Our Cleaning & Sealing Services

All of your external property hardscaping elements need proper care to ensure they last. Whether you have a paver patio, walkway, or other hardscaping element made from pavers, it is a good idea to take preventative measures in protecting them from winter weather! That’s why we offer professional cleaning and sealing services.

Call us at (615) 288-2052 to schedule a free consultation to see how our cleaning and sealing services can benefit your paver hardscaping elements.