Brick Paver Maintenance by The Brick Paver Dr. - www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com

Detroit, Mi. - Demonstration and how to video of routine brick paver maintenance by The Brick Paver Dr. owner Vince Griffiths, Specialists in Hardscape New Install, Restoration, and Maintenance Call Toll Free at (866) 80 PAVER.

[@ahmike66]

After sweeping the sand into the joints should you also sweep the sand off the paver's surface before spraying with water? If you don't, wouldn't the sand harden on the paver's surface?

[@marthaholtquist6331]

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[@Directory1]

That is a secret of the trade shhhh. 😳

[@charlescarriedo7848]

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[@diamond6256]

Thank you so much for your step-by-step video. I just finished mine. Worked great. No more leaves getting trapped between the pavers. THANK YOU!!! 67 in Texas woman.

[@a.k.4727]

I had weeds growing in pavers, washed them out, put polymeric sand in and sealed. But after 2-3 years the sand washed out after winter thaw and now I have to do it all over again. Polymeric sand is a waste of money. Going with regular joint sand this time and sealer. Other problem with polymeric sand is if not used correctly it'll leave efflorescence on pavers.

[@simpleshoes]

A.K. I wondered if it was worth the extra money. Thanks for the info!

[@a.k.4727]

@@simpleshoes hi - make sure to buy a good sealer and use sprayer or roller to apply to the pavers and joint sand.

[@simpleshoes]

A.K. Thanks so much for your help!

[@markciessau7192]

Brick pavers look nice but they are a constant maintenance problem. I'd rather have concrete.

[@lolycandoit8658]

I liked the video. I saw that you power washed, but you didn't say if I can put the sand in while they are still wet. When I watch the video I see that the bricks look dry. So my question is do I need to let the bricks dry before pouring in the sand/mortar mix?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

It’s imperative that the brick’s surface is completely dry when installing polymeric sand. The polymer in the sand is activated when it makes contact with the slightest moisture. You don’t want this to happen prematurely. The inside of the joints can be damp but not the top of the bricks. Sweep the sand into the joints and then blow the surface of the bricks off carefully, using a leaf blower, so there is no residual Sand Dust or other sand particles on the bricks. This should leave the joints full of sand but not overflowing onto the bricks. The bricks and joints can then be misted thoroughly multiple times. This should cause the sand in the joints to “set up” or harden up correctly. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!

[@xglvn]

Excellent demonstration. Thank you.

[@sailsandtravel8746]

Thanks so much for sharing this great information! It's really helped us maintain our patios.

[@michaelbrasza1816]

You failed to mention blowing off excess sand. I have a mess over here.

[@jpfernandez6788]

Jajaja

[@atfireman4175]

Lol 😂

[@dupax5053]

forgot thet one too 😢

[@kennethallen809]

Common sense Not to Common

[@narfoxone9er971]

😂😂YOOO MOMO!!! It's not a mess it's a beach for the new Tiki Bar

[@aceace2625]

Use a Surface Cleaner not a pressure washer tip

[@vincegriffiths3550]

A surface cleaner will not allow you to clean out the joints adequately, disperse generated debris, and do follow up rinse down with the same set up.

[@dreamingcode]

I cannot believe you didn't blow off the excess sand which is going to cause a huge mess.

[@jillmurph]

How long should you wait between power washing and spreading the sand?

[@francesbyrne1714]

J Murphy no app

[@simonwatford6013]

Great help. That's all I needed! Cheers buddy.

[@danbernstein7081]

Looks like there was a lot of sand on top of the pavers before you starting wetting the sand. Do you want to eliminate that or at least limit that so it doesn't harden on top of the pavers? Thanks for the video.

[@carolsmith5801]

I used a leaf blower to get the excess sand off and it helped a lot. Had some excess sand in the corners which i didn’t remove which left some on those areas so wasn’t as finished as the main area.

[@vincegriffiths3550]

If using true polymeric sand, which is not used in this video, you want to make sure to put down completely dry and blow off the excess and where sand is in undesirable locations.

[@tanners885]

​@@carolsmith5801thanks good idea. I just got my paving installed and i keep sweeping and sweeping for ever, and it just brings up more sand.

[@mlomuscio]

This was a huge help for me. I did not realize this was a simple to do as it was. A contractor wanted to charge me $300 to do a 6 x 6 sand spreading. It cost me $20 for the sand and I only used less than half of it.

[@turbocat1984]

Probably didn't know. I've lived in the same house for 30 years and are only just now looking up how to do this.

[@doomslayerforever2858]

contractors charge minimums bro how the hell you think we survive

[@mlomuscio]

@@doomslayerforever2858 That was a bonehead response. It was a simple, thank you to the person who posted the video.

[@carolsmith5801]

Thank you soooooo much for your informative video. Wanted to have my pavers done but knew that it would cost a lot to have someone do it. After watching your video my son and I did it ourselves. Got the pressure washer to clean and get the weeds out then added the sand; swept in then used a blower to remove the excess; watered and done. Didn’t use a tamper as we aren’t professionals. Just wanted the yard to look maintained. Thanks again!!!

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Your welcome glad it helped

[@ericdolby1622]

what about a sealer?? I am in SW Florida.

[@leilamasoudi7129]

Hi , I have really small pathway I did clean and add sand they way you leaned in the video. Do I need do seal it ? Can I use this sealer Ure-Seal H2O? Or do you recommend any other sealer? Thank you

[@angelaflow6981]

After I mist the sand how many hours do I need to wait to apply the sealer? Thank you 👍

[@vincegriffiths3550]

If you use polymeric sand the sand manufacturers recommend 30 days. If you use play sand you can seal the same day however everything needs to be 100% dry. Either way when sealing the pavers and especially the bottom of the joints have to be dry and not damp. If it rains you should plan on giving it a few days under warm conditions to dry up. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you.

[@angelaflow6981]

Thank you Vince for your quick response. Today I get from Homedepot ezsand Techniseal. Doesn't said nothing about sealed. I will follow your recommendation. 👏🙏

[@jay-lm4we]

You should have blown off the excess sand with a leaf blower before dampening the sand to make it set.

[@pamelabradford9884]

What polymeric sweeping sand do you recommend?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Hello Pamela, there isn’t one I disapprove of using. All the home improvement box stores have a product. We don’t use their products because we use large amounts by the pallet which is the most practical. The most important thing with polymeric sand is following the correct process. All brick manufacturers have a sand product and some are the exact same sand. The most expensive isn’t Necessarily the best. Techniseal makes many brick maintenance products including a good polymeric sand product. I don’t know if this is available in your area but probably can be found at a local landscape supply store. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you, Vince The Brick Paver Dr.

[@igormord8636]

you didn't blow off lightly polymeric sand that was left on top of pavers before watering it??? it'll make pavers look terrible.

[@bobpress1235]

You are a true “paver saver”.........thank you, sir!

[@racheleolivier7875]

The Brick Paver Dr," Thank You" for this video. It is very helpful!

[@narfoxone9er971]

So this is not a medical video? All I seen was some Benjamin Button looking kid playing with a bag of sand.

[@gusalarcon5020]

I don’t think that was done clean enough

[@dustinschnell6112]

You didn't bleed the pressure washer lol😅

[@johnnhoj7933]

when cleaning out between existing interlocking stones - how deep should one clean out before applying polymeric sand? more than 1inch?

[@philipmasse5172]

Can you please recommend someone to repair pavers in the Clermont Florida area ? Thank you. Phil

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Hello Phil, I’m sorry I don’t know of any companies in Florida. If there’s anyway I could help by discussing your project please let me know. Thank you, Vince The Brick Paver Dr.

[@bajrangagarwal2161]

You forgot to mention the most imposter to blow off the sand. You should take this video down or make a new one

[@rand49er]

How soon after the misting the polymeric sand can I apply the sealer? It's been dry with no rain overnight, and I'd like to do it this afternoon, 24 hours afterward. Thx

[@Tom-cf3dq]

Didn’t mention to blow the sand off and now it’s a mess.

[@luxury65]

There is way to much sand on those paver, sand should be 1/8" below the edge of the pavers!!

[@Unplugged704]

Thanks for the vdo. Question- rainy day after weather considerations? Will that be enough time for the sand to settle

[@susanshafik9564]

How do you prevent the sand from staining the pavers? I have this problem when I tried one area... leaves a haze

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Hello Susan - Almost all polymeric sands today are advertised to be “haze free”. This hasn’t always been the case. Before the haze free sand you would take a leaf blower and blow the extra sand off the top Of the bricks being careful not to blow it out of the joints. Because I don’t know the sand you are using I would suggest sweeping the sand in, blow off the extra sand, & then wet down the joints. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you, Vince Griffiths- The Brick Paver Dr.

[@dedicated2WHOiLove]

He was showering not misting. I had hell with brick white staining untill I started leaf blowing the excess off, then misting twice in a 5 minute window, then after 3 minutes shower the pee-pee out of these bricks at a shallow angle while leaf blowing the water and sand foam off the bricks. I know that sounds crazy, but trust me it works. The polymeric locking sand is a bugger and clings to bricks like flower to bread dough if you dont do a big rince and blow. I know it's scary to be taking a hose to this expensive sand only 5 - 8 minutes after you've first misted it in, but seriously it wont all wash out, that's how quick this stuff starts to lock-up. And don't fret that the sand isn't at the top of the joints; this sand wasn't meant to be like mortar joints on a brick wall

[@florameng521]

what if I don't have a leaf blower ?

[@jamesmcdermott8328]

sorry, wrong it should be sand and cement. 3 sand 1 cement then sweep in.

[@Off-roader-]

Not on block paving only sand is needed you ony use sand and cement when re pointing big square slabs

[@Qugie]

Thanks for the Information we Just got a New Patio made with brick paves. Subscribed!

[@riddlessmile1218]

What's that sand bags name

[@johngriffin2696]

I just "power washed" my paver driveway as the joints were full of junk. The driveway is large but about 10 years old and the only thing I have ever used for joint filler is "sandbox" sand and I have had no movement or any issues. The sand seems to work and is cheap. That is all I have used for 10 years with no problem. What is my downside if I continue this approach vs polymeric sand or what ever?

[@Funwithhighnotes]

John Griffin, there is no downside. I use the same as you, but a lot has to do with how well the project was prepped, climate, size of pavers, size of gaps, the native soil/foundation underneath the pavers, amount of power washing you do(we have never power washed), etc. I just make sure to pay attention to the pavers and make sure to be ahead of the game not behind. Like the guy in the video said, this is preventative maintenance. Maintain your joints, and it should last another 10 and another and another!

[@scotthockey959]

getting a ton of ants in joints of pavers and i use only normal sand. I think i may go poly or sand and cement mix .... thoughts?

[@jdunn101ify]

Nice video, short and sweet with good instructions 👍

[@Techniseal3]

Interesting video. But it's better to use Polymeric Sand such as Techniseal's. Watch this video which is ever more detailed:

[@illuminaries]

Pistol Pete poly sand leaves a sheen over the pavers making it look old.

[@sneakerheadlowlife]

Hi do u seal pavers afterwards?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

If you use polymeric sand there is a 30 day waiting period to make sure the sands polymer is settled down. We free to use play sand to reduce any possible interactions between the polymer and sealer. A good sealer application to the joints does as good a job and keeps your costs down by eliminating the expensive polymeric sand. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, Vince The Brick Paver Dr.

[@elizabethadao7279]

Anyone know if it’s safe for pets, particularly cats?

[@gdr88]

what's the black sheet to protect the plants called? A tarp?

[@uBmaniac]

It's short for tarpaulin, but you can use PVC or anything else which'll do that job ;)

[@danteverdun4262]

Thank you very helpful and to the point

[@JS-gf6uc]

Concrete Pavers Not .....

[@1krani]

For me, the value here was seeing how you poured and swept it. Such a pain with how I was doing it.

[@davidmunro1529]

Thank you. I did everything you said except for misting them. Hopefully the rain did that.

[@ThurstonHowell3rd]

Well I wish I had seen this about 10 years ago before the pavers around my pool began settling. One of those things you wish the previous home owner explained to you when you bought the house.

[@kennyc3670]

I did all this using kiln dried sand. 6 months later weeds everywhere. Do you use a special sand that kills weeds and/or sets like mortar?

[@ChristLedwithLeyah]

We just set our perma sand today. We noticed that we have a few flawed areas that can use some more sand. It has hardened by now. Not yet 24 hours. Can I reapply more perma sand and water it again? Or are we stuck with the imperfections?

[@bc5023]

Do i need to put a coating after the sand? I am in Perth and summer time gets really dry and ive got sand everywhere specially in my swimming pool

[@paulparoma]

I hate brick pavers. Weeds and grass grow right through the joints, the sand makes a mess, and the whole thing is just very high-maintenance. Asphalt or concrete may not be as attractive, but they are far easier to live with.

[@vincegriffiths3550]

There’s pros and cons to each. I don’t bash concrete but if it cracks it’s a done deal. Yes, pavers do need maintenance once every 3 years or so but, of course it’s subjective. I run into customers that let their pavers go 10 years and wonder why there’s grass growing in the joints. A good polymeric sand doesn’t have to make a mess and will harden up and protect the joints from grass growing. How often do you perform maintenance on your pavers ?

[@paulparoma]

@@vincegriffiths3550 I agree about concrete. My pavers were done 15 years ago, and now I realize the job was not done very well. I do what I can from time to time, but it's very hard work for me. Thinking of putting in asphalt. Not as pretty and fancy, but far less maintenance.

[@tessniehaus4942]

thanks for helpful info. I have a 20 yr old paver patio still in good condition...except the border bricks are starting to show cracks/hairline cracks, due to age, weather and foot traffic. Hoping to maintain them as we cannot replace. But edges may start to crumble. Would an epoxy sealant on the edging help? It is about 25 linear feet and edge edging stone is about 12" long.

[@Thetreetroll]

0:14, Hold on there buddy we just met you expected me to go on some kind of like Journey with you and you didn't even introduce yourself.

[@arivanhutahaean5821]

your machine, is that powerboss 20649 or honda dwalt 4200 psi ??

[@twistymcslide2]

what do you mean ? like pressure clean before sanding .. yes . or if you mean after sanding , i always broom in while its as dry as possible, then ill put my hose nozel on its shower setting and let it flood the area and carry the sand to the lows. then i let dry , rebroom, resand , re spray till its filled properly, then seal (addsand to the sealer for gripadditive, but keep it stired so it will apply evenly and not blotchy . shouldnt see it if you stay to a 50/1 or so.

[@lolymireles1268]

You said "water can accumulate there and can be a slip hazard". Do you mean in the winter time? Because that is an issue we are having with our brick walkway during the winter. The walkway looks good, but there are areas that show there is nothing in between the bricks. I do see that it has a rubbery type of filling instead of sand. I don't know what that is. Do you?

[@cjslandscapingllc7694]

Hi. How long you have to wait after you power wash to spread the sand?

[@nourestani]

stupid way.... once you removed the stuff that was there in between then they become movable and standing on them meanwhile working makes them re-positioned...

[@vincegriffiths3550]

I’m sorry to say you do not know what you are talking about. We do hundreds of projects each year this way. How else do you clean bricks and the material between them ?

[@tilliethompson6681]

Don't you need to use a leaf blower to prevent paver staining ?

[@lovealwaysjasmine]

There’s sand leaking from my walkway which is stone. How do I fix it?

[@cs5982-n7j]

Great video. Is it the same for vehicular pavers (e.g. porphyry pavers)?

[@thebrickpaverdoctor]

Thank you, I would suggest running a padded plate compactor to get the polymeric sand down further in the joints for more stability since heavier weights will be on the pavers. Then blow off the pavers and start the misting (activation) process. Brick types and paver base specifications are based on vehicle or non vehicle applications. Thank you!

[@cs5982-n7j]

@@thebrickpaverdoctor Super, thank you!

[@peteandjanis]

So after doing this do you then use a sealer to block the sand in and give a flat or gloss finish depending on what you want ? I have a home I bought with a good pavers but lots of weeds in cracks .

[@a.k.4727]

I would seal after putting sand in joints.

[@stevenmcdaniel1797]

Do I want to use this same sand in a brick driveway that is frequently driven upon?

[@georgepapaioannou5115]

Brick pavers suck. Never again.

[@-djg-3955]

Sir great vid. I have a question I had paving put in about 4-5 months ago and started to see some signs of chipping. There has been little to no traffic on the stones and was wondering y this may be happening. I did have an inflatable pool on it for 3 months however it had a tarp covering it with the pool atop. I also hav a dog but dont see how that would affect it. The stone has this look to it as well as if it was slowly becoming less smooth and more "grainy" for lack of a better word. Plz advise

[@thebrickpaverdoctor]

Harry that's for a true polymeric sand. My video does not use a polymeric sand. I'm not sure what type of sand you used. You might be able to pressure wash off but if not it has to be stripped off. Thank you.

[@cuuppaajoe]

I know I’m late to this video. I have a nice patio that was put in about five years ago and when I removed the moss that accumulated in the gaps, there are spaces now in between the pavers that are about an eighth of an inch wide. I noticed the sand you’re using is not polymeric and I was wondering what type I should get for my situation. Thanks in advance.

[@billvoltmer2569]

Is there a difference between "polymeric sand" and "polymer modified sand"? The product used in the video is described as follows: QUIKRETE® PowerLoc™ Jointing Sand is a polymer-modified graded sand for filling between interlocking pavers, brick, patio blocks and concrete slabs.

[@patmash]

When I power washed my pavers, I looked as if I rolled in mud. This guy was clean as a whistle. I guess this is the difference between the right way and the wrong way.

[@paulparoma]

No, those pavers were not all that dirty to begin with.

[@JamesGarcia-i4d]

Where did you buy your broom?

[@Drewbaby91]

Over a million views. Good job vince

[@thebrickpaverdoctor]

In this demonstration Powerloc sand by Quikcrete was used. It is not a polymeric sand. I referred to it as a sweeping sand. If a polymeric sand is used it is necessary to blow off the excess. I do not encourage the use of polymeric sand unless you really understand the steps. As always I can provide guidance if requested. Thank you.

[@thecruzfam2800]

HI Sir, I did my back yard with the Quikrete mold country stone with concrete. I used regular the sunscape paver sand to fill in the gaps / joints but the sand is washing off with the rain and it is also blowing away. Any product that you can recommend to keep the sand tight or make it hard ? Maybe the concrete sealer can help ? thanks for your time and help.

[@pbaniewicz2]

Just checking, Quikcrete's site refers to Powerloc as a polymeric sand, www.quikrete.com/pdfs/data_sheet-powerloc%201150-47.pdf, They also have a polymeric Sand listed www.quikrete.com/pdfs/data_sheet-hardscapes%20polymeric%20jointing%20sand%201175-56.pdf. Confusing looks like they are both polymeric or is there a difference?

[@togodbetheglory9725]

I used to use this product.but the company I was buying it from.it stopped selling it. I was buying it for $12 bucks a 50.pound bag. now I found it the same bag in Amazon for $50 bucks the same bag the price is completely insane...

[@richg4189]

ggg's fan The same issue here. They kill you with the price based on weight to ship. Same with things like soda and cat litter. Amazon must not make enough money on other things. Yeah right.

[@togodbetheglory9725]

@@richg4189 I know 🤣

[@arthur13037]

thanks for the tipps

[@P_Belle]

Informative and succinct. ThankYou!

[@vincegriffiths3550]

You welcome Mike Blake. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, The Brick Paver Dr.

[@-djg-3955]

Sir great vid. I have a question I had paving put in about 4-5 months ago and started to see some signs of chipping. There has been little to no traffic on the stones and was wondering y this may be happening. I did have an inflatable pool on it for 3 months however it had a tarp covering it with the pool atop. I also have a dog but dont see how that would affect it. The stone has this look to it as well as if it was slowly becoming less smooth and more "grainy" for lack of a better word. Plz advise

[@gox123]

Is it regular sand?

[@antoniocorvera2694]

Hey I need help I use the sand put i stain the brick patio how can I was it off?

[@cheerwather]

The best way is to put the sand and then blow off the extra sand with the leave blower before mist is applied to avoid staining

[@jamesmcdermott8328]

sorry wrong. it should be a mixture of sand and cent 3/1

[@jamesliu3688]

Why the polymeric sand gets softer when raining?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

A good poly sand should never get rock hard by design it should move some for in the northern climates where there’s a lot of freezing and thawing. Obviously the rain will soften it just by virtue your getting wet. Maybe the sand didnt set up completely from its initial installation. It’s hard to answer completely without knowing your sand brand/type that we possibly may have used.

[@jamesliu3688]

@@vincegriffiths3550 Thank you so much! I used Techniseal sand from lows. Follow the instruction. No rain for 10 days. I called the company. They told me supposed to be soft when wet. Just don’t understand

[@yuriydashko9225]

0

[@veng3r663]

Great video, many Thanks..!

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Your welcome

[@Bujji0423]

Can we use play sand?

[@johnmccormick9042]

Very nice. Just what I needed. thanks.

[@sssconstruction7777]

Joint fillup ok

[@lawrence18uk]

Polymeric Sand...

[@KenHuffar]

Good job. Thanks for the video.

[@matthewzettler316]

Why not use a surface cleaner

[@FireEater]

Great video thanks for sharing 👍🏻

[@Crusty_Camper]

Could you say roughly how much sand you need for, say each square yard? Or how much area a bag of sand usually covers?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Hello, difficult question, the amount of sand depends on the brick type, pattern, and the number of repairs (if any). These are all factors influencing the joint size where the sand goes.Repairs increase the sand usage since the joints are opened or cleaned out entirely. I’m guessing you have no repairs. The manufacturer of the sand has a usage per square foot referenced on the sand bag, it’s pretty broad. Even with +15 years of experience Me and my employees can be a few bags off on a large area. If I saw a picture I would have a better chance of estimating to within a bag or so. Thank you!

[@Crusty_Camper]

@@vincegriffiths3550 Thank you for such a full reply, I appreciate it. Mine is a fair;y new ( 3 years ) with area of 85 m2 which I think is about 100 yd2. There are no repairs and the joints are still tight. I can't put a picture on here, sadly. Peter on the Scotland/ England border

[@jneildouise300]

Good Job, Thanks 👍

[@1derfulpowerwashservices229]

you left a lot of polymeric sand on the pavers.....

[@daver7867]

1Derful Power Wash Services I noticed that aswell...it’ll harden on top of pavers

[@thebrickpaverdoctor]

Your welcome

[@hopnobusi6344]

So relaxing watching starting at 145

[@61JWolf]

No need for a tamper?

[@KnoxBronson]

Thanks, great help!

[@syedhassan6174]

thank you much

[@videoslue]

Will this prevent weeds?

[@vincegriffiths3550]

Most polymeric sand manufacturers have notes on the bag that says “helps with insects and plants”. But there are no guarantees. I do know the more you let things go not maintained the more chance there is for things to grow. All I can say is pavers come with some maintenance.

[@thebrickpaverdoctor]

Thank you

[@sid3859]

Great video but you Skipped the part where u blow or sweep away the excess sand before spraying

[@frankrizzo484]

Rocket science

[@meagain8403]

Muchas Gracias... new subscriber.

[@vincegriffiths3550]

You are welcome