It's one of the questions we hear most after a patio or driveway goes in: should we seal the pavers? The honest answer is that it depends. Pavers don't need sealer to do their job, and a sealed surface isn't automatically better. But in the right situation, sealing can save you a lot of cleaning and keep the surface looking the way it did on day one.
What Sealer Actually Does
A paver sealer is a protective coating or treatment applied to the surface once the pavers are installed. Depending on the product, it can:
Help resist stains from oil, grease, food, and leaf tannins
Lock in the joint sand, so it's less likely to wash out or let weeds take hold
Bring out the colour of the stone, with some products giving a richer or wet look
Make cleaning easier by keeping dirt from soaking in
What it can't do is fix a settling base, stop all moss growth, or make a poorly built surface perform like a well-built one.
Two Main Types
Film-forming sealers sit on top of the paver and can give a glossy or satin finish. They're strongest on colour, but they can be slippery when wet and can show wear over time.
Penetrating sealers soak into the paver and keep a more natural look. They protect from within and are less likely to change how the surface feels underfoot.
Which one suits you depends on the look you want and how the area is used.
When Sealing Is Worth It
Driveways. Oil and fluid drips are the classic stain, and sealer makes them far easier to deal with.
Patios under trees. Fallen leaves leave tannin stains that can be stubborn on unsealed stone.
Outdoor kitchens and BBQ areas. Grease and food spills happen, and sealer gives you more time to clean them up.
Joints that keep washing out. If sand keeps leaving your joints, a sealer can help hold it in place.
You want the colour to pop. An enhancing sealer can make the stone look richer.
When to Skip It or Wait
New pavers with efflorescence. That white, chalky haze on new concrete pavers is natural and usually fades over time. Sealing over it can lock it in, so it's best to wait until it's gone.
Damp, shaded areas. Sealer doesn't stop moss and algae, and some film-forming finishes can get slippery when wet.
A surface with a deeper problem. If your pavers are sinking, uneven, or holding water, the fix is rebuilding the base, not sealing the top.
Timing Matters on the Coast
Sealer needs a clean, fully dry surface and a stretch of dry weather to cure. Applied to damp pavers or right before rain, it can turn cloudy or hazy. On the Lower Mainland, that usually means a dry window in late spring through summer rather than the wet months. Joints also need to be filled and the surface properly cleaned beforehand, so sealing is a step in the process, not a quick coat.
Does It Last Forever?
No. Sealer wears down with traffic, sun, and weather, and it will need to be reapplied eventually. How often depends on the product and how heavily the area is used, so ask about this before you commit. Think of it as ongoing maintenance, not a one-time fix.
So, Should You Seal?
If your pavers are in a high-stain area, you want to protect the colour, or you're tired of refilling joint sand, sealing is often worth it. If you have a quiet, low-stain patio and you're happy with how it looks, you can leave it alone and the pavers will be fine.
Not Sure? Ask Us
Every site is different. Get in touch and we'll take a look at your patio or driveway and tell you straight whether sealing makes sense, or whether your money is better spent elsewhere.
Areas We Serve
Square Yards Landscaping proudly serves the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore & Belcarra), Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Burnaby, Vancouver, and the rest of the Lower Mainland.
Contact Us
Have a question about your pavers? Reach out today:
Phone: +1 (604) 314-2350
Request a Quote: squareyardslandscaping.ca/contact