How Long Does Paver Sealer Last in Florida?

The short answer: on a Jacksonville driveway or pool deck, plan on resealing pavers every two to three years. That is the cycle we put on every invoice, and it is shorter than the numbers you may see on a sealer bucket, because those numbers assume a gentler climate than ours. Here is what wears sealer out in Northeast Florida, how to tell yours is done, and what a proper reseal involves.

What wears paver sealer out here

• Sun. UV is the main enemy. It breaks down the sealer on the surface and then fades the pavers under it, which is why an unsealed Florida driveway turns chalky and gray.
• Rain in bursts. Jacksonville gets roughly 52 inches a year, about half of it from June through September in storms that drop 2 to 4 inches at a time. Water running across the surface carries joint sand with it once the sealer at the joints has worn.
• Traffic. Tires on a driveway apron wear sealer faster than feet on a patio. The path the car takes is usually the first place it goes dull.
• Shade and damp. Under oaks the surface stays wet longer, and mold and algae get a foothold where sealer has thinned.
• Salt air. Near the beaches, pavers fade fast, and decks in Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach are often due at the shorter end of the cycle.

Signs it is time to reseal

• Water no longer beads on the surface after a rain; it darkens the paver instead.
• The color has gone flat or chalky, especially in full sun.
• Weeds and ants are back in the joints, or sand is washing out onto the driveway after storms.
• Black or green growth in shaded corners.
• Patchy, peeling or hazy sealer from an earlier job — that has to be stripped before a new coat goes on.

Is paver sealer necessary?

Pavers do not fall apart without it. But in Florida an unsealed surface fades, loses joint sand in every storm and grows weeds in the empty joints, and once the sand goes the pavers can start to shift. Sealing is what keeps the color and locks the joints. On a driveway or pool deck you mean to keep for years, it pays for itself in fewer repairs.

Why the reseal starts with cleaning and sand

Sealer is the last of three steps, and it only lasts if the first two are done right. The pavers are pressure cleaned, which also blows the old sand out of the joints. They dry completely. Polymeric sand is swept deep into the joints, settled and misted so it cures into a firm joint. Only then does the sealer go on. Sealing over dirt traps it under the coat; sealing over empty joints leaves nothing to lock in. That is why we price cleaning, re-sanding and sealing as one job. Our guide to polymeric sand for Florida pavers explains why the sand step fails when rain comes too soon.

Wet look or natural?

An enhancing, wet-look sealer deepens the color and gives a slight sheen; a natural-finish sealer keeps the look of bare pavers. Neither lasts dramatically longer than the other in our climate; the choice is about the look you want and, around a pool, about grip when wet. We test a small patch on your own pavers so you can see it first.

How long until you can use it?

Usually you can walk on it the same day and drive on it 24 to 48 hours after sealing, depending on the product and the weather. We schedule by the forecast rather than the calendar: the drier months, March to May, are the easiest, and in the rainy season we wait for a clear window rather than gamble on one.

What resealing costs in Jacksonville

Cleaning, re-sanding and sealing runs $1.25 to $3.50 per square foot in our area, and driveways start from $899. A 600 square foot driveway is about $900 to $2,000. Where the price falls depends on the condition: pavers that are only faded sit at the low end; mold under oaks, oil stains or old sealer that has to be stripped push it up. Rough out your own surface with the paver cost calculator, see paver cleaning & sealing, or call (904) 561-1816 for a free inspection within 48 hours. We put the next reseal date on the invoice and call when it comes up.