Spring is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to prepare your patio for the warmer months ahead. At Perfect Paver Co, we understand the importance of proper maintenance to keep your outdoor space looking its best. Here are our top tips for getting your patio spring-ready:
1. Clear Away Debris: Start by removing all organic debris, such as leaves, dirt, and mulch, using a blower and broom. These items can stain your pavers and provide a breeding ground for spring seedlings. A thorough clean now will help prevent future issues.
2. Rinse and Scrub: Once the debris is cleared, give your patio a good rinse with a garden hose and stiff-bristled broom. You can use dish soap to lift stains or specific cleaning products designed for pavers. For stubborn stains like organic residue or black mold, outdoor bleach or pool shock can be effective.
3. Inspect for Repairs: Take a close look at your pavers to check for any loose, shifting, or settling areas. Ensure that the edge restraints are intact and not popping up. Make any necessary repairs to these areas to maintain the integrity of your patio.
4. Polymeric Sand Check: If your paver joints are filled with polymeric sand, inspect them to see if any sand has come out or appears compromised. Clean out these joints with a pressure washer and replace them with fresh polymeric sand as needed. Allow the area to dry thoroughly before adding new sand.
5. Ongoing Maintenance: Keep up with regular maintenance throughout the season by blowing off seedlings, grass clippings, leaves, and dirt from your pavers. After each lawn mowing session, give your patio a quick blow with a leaf blower. Additionally, aim to rinse your pavers with a garden hose once a month to keep them looking fresh.
6. Enjoy Your Patio: Finally, don’t forget to take the time to enjoy your beautifully maintained patio. Remember, as we always say at Perfect Paver Co, “pavers require little maintenance until you neglect the little maintenance they require.” Regular upkeep will ensure that your outdoor space remains a welcoming oasis for relaxation and entertainment.
With these simple steps, you can have your patio looking its best and ready to enjoy throughout the spring and beyond. If you need any assistance or professional help with your paver maintenance, don’t hesitate to contact Perfect Paver Co.
Flagstone patios can transform any backyard into a beautifully unique and vintage treasure. These building materials are quarried or harvested from the Earth without any color or chemical manipulation. Over the years, our team has encountered many impressively cultivated creations and would like to share a patio we had the pleasure of working on, located near Clifton, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Flagstone, while of the highest quality, can also be high maintenance. Due to the much larger gaps between the stones compared to a typical paver patio, mold and weed growth can excel. Water tends to pool up on top of the large gaps, causing significant erosion and providing a breeding ground for mold. Our process on flagstone includes a thorough steam cleaning and removal of loose material in the joints. We allow everything to dry out before returning to complete the installation of polymeric sand and application of sealant. This process differs from what we perform on regular concrete or clay pavers.
We use different polymeric sand products in these large open spaces between flagstone than we use in regular concrete paver joints. Customers can choose from NOCO Tan (Beige) and NOCO Iron (Gray), which is a dry sand but has finer granules than regular polymeric sand installed between pavers. Then there is the latest product to be released, NOCO Storm Tan, Ivory, Granite, or Black. This product reverses the process in a sense. Instead of using water saturation or a joint stabilizing sealer to achieve hardening, the sand comes in a vacuum-sealed bag with moisture already present. Our team keeps the product wet during installation, and exposure to oxygen activates the polymers, hardening the product in each joint. This product is intended for bigger joints because it is permeable, allowing water to drain through the sand instead of sitting on the surface and causing puddles.
Flagstone also has a much different density than regular clay or concrete pavers, with more variation in porosity. Therefore, we use a different sealant than what we apply on regular pavers. We offer two finishes on flagstone patios: Enhanced and Invisible. The enhanced finish, shown in this project, enhances the stones’ appearance, while the invisible finish preserves the natural look of the stones while keeping them clean.
We always strive to research everything to ensure we are using the best materials for each situation. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Over the past 10 years, we have used trial and error to develop our best practices. Here at Perfect Paver Co., we want to provide everyone the opportunity to restore their outdoor living space. Whether you choose us for your project or use information found on our site to achieve your landscape and hardscape dreams, thank you for your time, and good luck with all your outdoor home endeavors!
I’m Jake, a technician here at Perfect Paver Co., and I’m excited to take you through the recent makeover we gave to a severely faded stamped concrete pool deck in Mason, Ohio.
Our journey began when a customer, facing the deteriorating state of their pool’s stamped concrete after 15 years, contemplated an expensive solution – complete excavation and a five-figure investment in a new pool deck.
The original vibrant color of the stamped concrete had faded due to relentless exposure to UV rays and harsh Ohio weather. The customer, referred to Perfect Paver Co., recognized the need for a more feasible fix. Upon our initial assessment, we determined that the stamped concrete’s overall structure and quality were still intact, prompting our enthusiasm to provide a practical restoration solution.
Moving on to the restoration process, we started with a thorough steam cleaning to remove surface dirt and stains. Confirming a clean canvas, we rejuvenated the existing sealer through solvent application, addressing surface damages and releasing trapped moisture. In this case, the client opted for additional coloring to even out inconsistencies caused by varying sunlight exposure.
Due to extensive fading, we applied multiple rounds of the rejuvenation process, including color staining, returning the next day to assess the concrete’s condition before proceeding with sealing. My crew and I then meticulously applied the appropriate type and amount of sealant.
After three days, the project concluded successfully. The client not only saved significant time and money but also achieved the desired outcome for their backyard, now transformed into a lively party space.
I hope you enjoyed the story of this project as much as I enjoyed being a part of it. I love bringing old patios and driveways back to life and make them look beautiful again 😊.
If you have a stamped concrete pool deck or patio in need of some love, please contact us to discuss what we can do to bring it back to life for you.