To protect a natural stone patio from harsh elements and chemicals, it's important that the patio is sealed as soon as possible. Once a patio has been sealed, other types of maintenance, such as regular cleanings, are very easy.
Because these stones have a high porosity, it's important to seal them about every six months and clean them with solutions specially designed for natural stone. This upkeep is essential to making sure your floors and countertops remain beautiful and functional for decades to come.
However, not all sealants are suitable, not all offer the same degree of protection, and they can have different finished appearances. But even more importantly, it should be noted that sealing of stone paving is not essential, mandatory or necessarily recommended.
Use a wide paintbrush for small areas, and a long-handled flat mop for larger areas. Apply the sealer in a uniform coat. It's important to keep the surface of the stone slightly wet for 5 to 15 minutes. If the first application soaks in after a few minutes, apply more sealer.
Your pavers won't disintegrate if you don't seal them, but they'll likely fade much sooner than if you applied sealant. You'll also need to clean them more often, and the stains won't be as easy to remove. If the joint sand loosens, you risk damage and instability.
Water Will Discolor Them
Even something as simple as leaving a cold glass with condensation on your unsealed counters can change them. That's because water can penetrate the stone and leave behind water marks, permanently altering the appearance of your counters and potentially making them look dirty.
Quartz countertops are the easiest natural stone to take care of. They are engineered using ground stone and resin, so they don't require regular sealing they way most granite and marble countertops do. This stone is non-porous, so it does not easily stain or etch.
Impregnating sealers (also known as penetrating sealers) are designed to penetrate below the surface and protect from within the stone while still allowing the miniscule pores of the stone to allow moisture vapor to escape.
For rocks that will be left outside, we recommend using Mod Podge Outdoors which is perfect for protecting crafts that will be outside and exposed to the elements.
Ultimately, you can expect to enjoy between three and five years of protection from a high-quality sealer. With that said, a big part of answering the question, “How long does paver sealer last?” will depend on environmental factors such as weather and foot traffic.
A simple Water Drop Test is one of the easiest ways to examine whether or not your natural stone needs sealing! First, sprinkle a tablespoon of water on your stone. Leave the water on the surface for about 15 minutes. If the stone darkens or if the water is absorbed in less than 4 minutes, then resealing is needed.
To be safe, let me say that for the most part, all stone surfaces should be sealed for maximum protection. The worst case when you are dealing with a stone that is not very porous is that the stone will absorb very little sealer to achieve maximized protection.
Apply a thin coat of the appropriate sealer (there are different ones for polished natural stone tiles and for honed (matt) natural stone tiles) using a lint free cloth. Make sure the coat is even and all tiles are covered.
Once the polymeric sand cures (about 30 days), pavers and joints should be sealed with a quality sealant to protect the pavers from stains and the joints from erosion and insect infiltration.
While concrete pavers are highly durable, the colored pigments in pavers can slowly fade over time form UV ray exposure. Sealing the pavers will help keep the paver's colors brighter but unlike stamped concrete that must be resealed every few years, pavers don't.
A – On average, a stone sealer will last between 3-5 years before it will need to be reapplied. The quality of the sealer used and the porosity of the stone will all have an effect on just how long your sealer will last.
Penetrating sealers are considered by most experts to be the best type of sealers for Sandstone, Limestone, Slate, Granite and Travertine.
Myth: Sealing will change the color of my stone.
Typically, impregnator sealers neither change the color of natural stone nor add shine. If you are sealing a polished limestone, travertine, marble, or granite, the impregnator will not change the color and will not add shine.
Natural stone, including marble, travertine, & limestone, must be sealed when it is installed, ideally before it is grouted. It should also be resealed annually or as needed to protect it from stains, etching, & other signs of wear.
To keep it simple though, in areas with average wear, it's a good idea to reseal your tiles every 3 or 4 years. So to answer the question, you should seal your stone every 3-4 years.
If there is any moisture on the surface when you seal your patio, the sealant will often react with the moisture and turn a milky colour which is known as 'blooming' and ruin the slabs - so please ensure the slabs are bone dry. Whilst the blooming process is reversible, it's best avoided where possible!
A: Most sealers dry fairly quickly and are usually touch-dry after 4 hours. This is true of both penetrating and topical sealers. Penetrating sealers usually fully cure in 24 hours with topical sealers generally taking up to 48 hours to fully dry.