These are the most frequently asked questions we receive on our site. Please have a look at some of the answers below. If you don’t find the answer you are looking for please contact us and we will do our best to help you out
My paving is old, will block paving sealer be fine on this paving?
Yes block paving sealer is ideal for older block paving. As very old concrete block paving will more than likely have faded, before you apply the sealant (& to get the best results) you may want to give your paving a really good clean with a mildly acidic cleaner to bring the colour of the paving blocks back to life revealing a brighter and more colourful paving block. Always test an acid based cleaner on an inconspicuous area first to test the colour once applied is the colour you are happy with.
I have a concrete pattern imprinted driveway. Is block paving sealer ideal for this kind of paving?
Yes, block Block paving sealer is ideal for printed concrete. Although we would always recommend using an acrylic based resin type of sealer and not a polyurethane resin sealer. It is always advisable to seek professional help with pattern imprinted concrete as if not done correctly the sealer is prone to flaking off the surface of the imprinted surface. If you have a pattern imprinted concrete driveway you can find out more at www.PatternImprintedConcrete.co.uk
Will Block paving sealer make my block paving slippery?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is will a sealer make my block paving slippery once applied. Well the simple answer is that if applied correctly and your paving is well maintained, then a block paving sealer should not make your paving blocks slippery. You can check to see if a block paving sealer is non slip by asking the suppliers of the paving block sealer if the sealant has passed an anti slip test. Most paving sealer products can have an anti slip addative added to the block paving sealant (like grit). The grit like addative increases the abrasiveness of the block paving. This needs to be mixed into the sealer before you are ready to first apply the block paving sealer. You need to mix the non slip additive into the sealant on the first coat of sealer. Then apply the second coat of block paving sealer which will help hold the nonslip additive in place on the surface of the driveway or patio paving blocks.
What is block paving sealer made from?
The important ingredient in block paving sealers are resins. The resins are mixed with a liquid to help thin, dilute & disperse the resins either into or onto the surface of the block paving. If the resins were in their raw state you wouldn’t be able to apply the block paving sealers because they would be too thick to apply or in some cases set solid. A mixing liquid is also used to help the resins penetrate the surface of patio or driveway block paving. The liquids mixed with the resins are dependent on what the type of resins and sealers are. The most widely used being Xylene, which is a fossil fuel, another possible one being white Spirit. If you choose to use an eco-friendly sealer then the resins will be diluted (thrashed to mix) with water.
How long will the sealer last on my paving?
Another one of the popular frequently asked questions we receive is how long will it last! Well, if applied in sufficient coatings, a block paving sealer should last for many, many years once applied. This is because the product penetrates the surface of the paving blocks and is absorbed by the paving bricks. Depending on where used and how the sealed surface is used, ie, cars, foot traffic, then usually at some time during the lifetime of the paving you may have to reapply a block paving sealer. This is especially true with softer, acrylic resin based paving sealers. You will need to re apply the block paving sealer to keep the protective properties of the block paving sealant.
If you would like more information on sealing block paving then we have more in depth information on different kinds of block paving sealers and there uses in protecting paving on our blog