How to Seal Pavers: Cleaning, Timing and Application Steps

Learning how to seal pavers comes down to four things done in the right order: clean the surface, repair and cure the joints, let everything dry, then apply the sealer exactly as its data sheet describes. Most sealer failures, like cloudy patches, peeling and uneven sheen, trace back to skipping or rushing one of those steps rather than to the sealer itself.

This guide walks through each step using figures from real manufacturer data sheets, mainly the Alliance Gator Hybrid Seal and Signature Series Natural Look sheets and the Dyco 7200 solvent acrylic sheet. Sealers differ a lot in temperature limits, number of coats and traffic times, so treat these as worked examples and always follow the label and data sheet for the product you buy.

Why seal pavers at all?

Concrete pavers are porous. Oil, dirt and water soak in, and over time the surface fades and stains. A sealer reduces how much gets in. Alliance describes its Hybrid Seal as a pure acrylic that penetrates the paver pores and helps prevent oil and dirt penetration, corrosion from de-icing salt and the effects of UV rays. Its Signature Series Natural Look sealer is a non film-forming, water-based product that Alliance says helps prevent stains for up to 10 years.

Some sealers also act as joint stabilizers. The Alliance Hybrid Seal data sheet lists "joint stabilizer" as a feature, and several SEK Surebond, Techniseal and SRW sealers are sold specifically as joint stabilizing sealers. That can help lock in joint sand, but it is not a substitute for replacing failed joints before you seal.

What you will need

• A paver sealer matched to your surface and the finish you want (browse our paver and stone sealers)
• A cleaner for stains and a pre-seal cleaner for the whole surface
• Polymeric sand if any joints are low, loose or contaminated
• A pump sprayer and a foam roller suited to your sealer type (water-based or solvent-based)
• A stiff bristle brush, garden hose and leaf blower
• Painter's tape and plastic sheeting to protect walls, doors and plantings
• Gloves, eye protection and, for solvent products, a respirator and good ventilation

Step 1: Check paver age, temperature and forecast

For brand new concrete pavers, the Alliance sealer data sheets note that most paver manufacturers recommend sealing 60 days after installation. The Dyco 7200 sheet suggests letting new pavers weather 20 to 30 days so efflorescence can dissipate. When those two disagree, follow your paver manufacturer's recommendation and the sealer you are using.

Next, check the temperature window and forecast on your sealer's data sheet. Here is how three products compare:

Sealer (per its data sheet)	Application temperature	No rain for	Coats
Alliance Gator Hybrid Seal High Gloss or Low Gloss	40°F to 85°F, surface cool to the touch	24 hours	One coat
Alliance Gator Signature Series Natural Look	32°F to 85°F, surface cool to the touch	Rain safe after 24 hours	One coat only
Dyco 7200 solvent acrylic	50°F to 90°F (surface, material and air)	48 hours	One coat, second coat recommended for more gloss

If the forecast does not give you a clear window, wait. A sealer that gets rained on before it has set is hard to fix.

Step 2: Clean the pavers thoroughly

Sealer locks in whatever is on the surface, so cleaning is the most important part of how to seal pavers well. Techniseal's paver care guide frames it as three steps: clean existing stains, prepare the whole surface so the sealer can penetrate and bond, then apply the sealer.

1. Spot treat stains. Deal with oil, grease, rust and organic stains first with a product made for that stain. Our paver and stone cleaners are grouped by the kind of stain they target.
2. Strip old coatings if needed. Alliance says to use Gator Clean Sealer Stripper to remove any unknown coating left on the surface.
3. Clean the whole surface. The Alliance sealer sheets call for cleaning the entire surface with Gator Efflorescence Cleaner, which removes efflorescence and gives proper sealer adhesion. Its data sheet gives an ideal mix of 4 parts water to 1 part cleaner (stronger mixes can discolor pavers), about 40 sq ft per diluted gallon, and says never to use it on pavers installed less than 60 days ago.

Step 3: Repair the joints and let them harden

Inspect the joints before you seal. Alliance's instructions are to remove all contaminated jointing material and replace it with Gator polymeric sand, following the current data sheet for that sand. Then wait: the Hybrid Seal sheet calls for at least 48 hours at a minimum of 60°F with no rain so the sand can harden, and the Natural Look sheet gives 48 hours at a minimum of 32°F.

Other jointing products set their own wait before sealing, and some are much longer. SRW's X-Treme data sheet says to wait 28 days after installation before cleaning or sealing, and Techniseal's NextGel Porcelain sheet gives a minimum of 7 days. Check the data sheet for your sand in our TDS and SDS library and use the longer of the two waits.

Step 4: Choose the right sealer and finish

Paver sealers are sold by base (water or solvent), by finish (natural, low gloss, high gloss, wet look) and by whether they form a film on the surface. A few facts from the data sheets help narrow it down:

• Alliance Gator Hybrid Seal High Gloss and Low Gloss are film-forming acrylic sealers for dry cast concrete pavers, low VOC, with no color enhancement. Coverage is approximately 100 to 225 sq ft per gallon depending on joint size and paver porosity.
• Alliance Gator Signature Series Natural Look is a zero VOC, water-based, non film-forming sealer for dry cast pavers, walls, masonry and natural stone. It can go on dry or damp surfaces, seals approximately 175 sq ft per gallon, and is for unsealed surfaces only, so it cannot be used as a resealer.
• Dyco 7200 is a clear solvent acrylic that gives a wet look. Coverage is 125 to 200 sq ft per gallon, and it is not for use over previously coated or sealed surfaces.

If you are unsure how a finish will look on your pavers, order from our paver sealer samples and test on a spare paver or a hidden corner.

Step 5: Mask off and apply the sealer

Cover house walls, doors, wood, plantings and anything else you do not want sealed. Then apply according to your product:

• Alliance one-coat method. The Hybrid Seal and Natural Look sheets describe a two-person method: spray one coat in 60 sq ft sections, then follow with a water-based foam roller to remove excess sealer or puddles.
• Dyco two-coat option. Dyco says its sealer is a one-coat process, but a second coat is recommended for a glossier finish. Keep a wet edge, do not leave puddles or roller marks, and if you apply a second coat, run it perpendicular to the first. At 77°F and 50 percent humidity the recoat window is 2 to 4 hours. When spraying, Dyco says to back-roll.

More is not better. Dyco warns that over-application may cause blushing, where the coating does not dry clear. A sealer sprayer plus a roller gives far more even coverage than pouring and spreading.

Step 6: Allow the sealer to cure before use

Traffic times are product specific:

• Alliance Hybrid Seal: rain safe and usable after 24 hours.
• Alliance Signature Series Natural Look: let it dry for 24 hours before using the sealed area.
• Dyco 7200 at 77°F and 50 percent humidity: dry to touch in 2 hours, light foot traffic after 2 hours, vehicle traffic after 72 hours. Low temperature, high humidity, thick films or poor ventilation lengthen these times.

How to seal pavers without the common mistakes

• Sealing damp pavers with a film-forming sealer. Dyco stresses the surface must be 100 percent dry, because trapped water leads to blistering or discoloration. Only use a damp-surface sealer if its data sheet says it is allowed, as the Alliance Natural Look sheet does.
• Sealing over efflorescence or dirt. It stays trapped under the film.
• Using a first-time sealer as a resealer. Check whether your product is rated for previously sealed surfaces. Alliance sells a separate Gator Seal Resealer for that job.
• Working in hot sun. Both Alliance sheets say the paver surface must be cool to the touch.

Frequently asked questions

How long after installing pavers can you seal them?

Alliance's sealer data sheets note that most paver manufacturers recommend waiting 60 days after installation. Follow your paver manufacturer's guidance and the wait time on your jointing sand's data sheet.

Do you need two coats of paver sealer?

It depends on the product. Alliance Hybrid Seal and Signature Series Natural Look are applied as a single coat. Dyco 7200 is a one-coat process, with a second coat recommended for more gloss.

Can you seal pavers the day after rain?

Usually not. Alliance asks for at least 48 hours with no rain before sealing so the sand and pavers are dry. A few sealers can go on damp surfaces, so check your data sheet.

Why does paver sealer turn cloudy or white?

The usual causes are moisture trapped under a film-forming sealer, over-application, or sealing over efflorescence. SRW lists its XY Xylene Solvent for removing trapped moisture in most film-forming sealers, and badly affected areas may need a sealer stripper, so call us before trying anything aggressive.

How much sealer do you need?

Coverage depends on the product and how porous your pavers are. The data sheets give ranges like 100 to 225 sq ft per gallon for Alliance Hybrid Seal. Enter your area in our sealer coverage calculator for a quick estimate.