Patios are a great addition to any home, and having some outdoor space to enjoy and upon which to entertain friends and family, is something most homes would benefit from.
Easy on the eye and incredibly easy to maintain, paver patios generally take care of themselves, but it can be helpful to carry out the following low maintenance tasks to keep your patio looking good and functioning well, long into the future:
- Consider sealing it
This is ideally carried out as soon as the patio is installed, and once done, you should try to have it resealed every year or two years at the most. Sealing your patio helps to protect the pavers from the elements, and stops weeds from sprouting up between them; as an added bonus, sealing makes them easier and quicker to clean, too.
- Sweep your patio regularly
Letting dirt and debris build up on your patio has the potential to cause damage and stain the pavers, but by sweeping it once a week (or as required), you can keep it cleaner and better protected.
- Clean it seasonally
It’s always a good idea to give your patio a good clean after every season, and mid-season should it warrant it. Following a particularly cold winter, take the time to check whether ice or snow may have damaged your patio. Generally, a light power washing will eliminate anything making your patio look grubby and uncared for, and you might like to use a plant-safe detergent every so often, too.
Deep cleaning your patio shouldn’t be needed more than annually, but as soon as your patio is looking grubby and in need of some TLC, take an hour out of your schedule to get it looking as good as new again.
- Have broken pavers repaired
Broken or cracked pavers aren’t just unsightly to look at, but they can present a tripping hazard, too, so it’s important to have them professionally repaired by a masonry contractor if this happens. Additionally, if weeds have been allowed to grow up between the pavers, this may have caused them to move out of position. To prevent this from happening, a masonry contractor can use polymeric sand when installing the pavers, and seal them for added protection.
Unsealed patio pavers may also become discolored over time, and if your patio is letting the rest of your home down, it might be time to replace them.
- Maintain the paver joints
If your patio was professionally installed, the masonry contractors would likely have used polymeric sand when doing so, hence filling in any gaps between pavers that have shifted, shouldn’t be an issue, and your paver joints should last well for many years to come.
A professionally installed paver patio can be a real asset to a home, provided it’s well maintained and cared for. As you now know, doing this isn’t difficult or costly at all, and with regular cleaning, taking care to seal it and addressing any areas of concern as soon as you see them, your patio should give you many years of pleasure.