Patios absorb a lot of abuse during the warmer seasons, whether from family barbecues, fluctuating spring temperatures, or week-long periods of rain. And while brick paver patios are highly durable and long-lasting, they do shift over time and develop gapping.
Visual Signs to Look For
If you’ve noticed any of the following signs, your brick pavers may either be replaced or repaired:
- Popped, Shifted, or Unglued Pavers
- Weeds Growing Between Bricks
- Cracked or Chipped Pavers
- Faded Coloring
- Significant Gaps
- Uneven Areas
In many cases, power washing and resealing are all that’s needed—a thorough power washing will remove weeds and debris in between the pavers, and resealing will restore any faded color. However, if you have unlevel areas where bricks are popped up, causing tripping hazards, or sunken areas, it may be time for a major overhaul.
Should You Repair or Restore?
A properly installed brick patio can last for decades, only requiring basic maintenance. However, improper installation, excessive earth shifting, or water erosion can cause the surface to warp.
Unless you have specialized experience, it’s important to have a professional inspect your patio to determine whether repair or restoration is needed. In many cases, restoration is more cost-effective than replacing individual pavers or repairing subsurface damage.
Additionally, spot releveling isn’t recommended because the root of the problem needs to be addressed, and in some cases, spot releveling can cause nearby areas to fail over time.
Now, let’s look at some steps you can take to restore your aged brick patio. Just remember, excellent results can be tricky to achieve, especially without relevant skills, experience, and tools. Plus, the work can be grueling, even for seasoned masonry contractors.
How to Restore Faded Brick Pavers
As previously mentioned, the best way to restore faded brick pavers is to power wash them. Power washing is a fast and safe way to remove stains, dirt, grime, weed roots, insects, and other impurities that weaken brick’s natural characteristics.
After power washing, you’ll need to reseal your patio. There are some pigment products that you can experiment with to alter the color of your pavers, but we don’t typically recommend them. They’re chemical-based and can run off into your yard during rain. Plus, it’s impossible to accurately understand the final hues you’ll have after they dry.
How to Reseal Old Brick Patios
Many manufacturers recommend sealing bricks every 3 to 5 years. We don’t recommend using wet-looking sealers because they’re nearly impossible to remove, often cause discoloration, and contribute to subsurface erosion.
When choosing sealers, choose polymeric sand-based sealers.
To apply a sealer to your brick pavers:
- Move everything off the surface of the entire patio.
- Pull weeds and grass out by the roots.
- Use a stiff-bristled push broom to sweep the patio.
- Power wash the patio.
- Allow the patio to dry thoroughly.
- Apply polymeric sand and spread it in the joints with a push broom.
- Wet the sand with a garden hose on the shower setting evenly across the entire patio.
- Allow 24-48 hours to cure and harden without any foot traffic.
Contact All Brick for Brick Paver Patio Repair & Restoration Services
Patio paver restoration is an art—when performed properly, it can yield highly aesthetic results that last decades. All Brick is Metro Detroit’s No. 1 choice for brick patio restoration because of our holistic approach.
Whether you need help restoring or repairing a DIY installation or a professional one, we’re here to help. If another company and contractor installed your brick patio, we’ll coordinate with them to better understand the base and material used to construct your patio. Our goal is to ensure we’re delivering professional, cost-effective, and high-quality results every time.
Please contact us today to learn more about our services and capabilities or to schedule a project consultation.
