Your paver patio doesn’t need a lot of care, but it does require some maintenance to keep the pavers looking great and to protect them from damage. While you should always take time to make any repairs or do any cleaning when you notice that it’s needed, there are two times out of the year that you should stop and do patio maintenance: the fall and the spring.
Fall Paver Patio Maintenance
When the temperature starts to drop and you know you’ll be spending less time outdoors, you should take an afternoon and winterize your paver patio. First, you’ll want to cover or move any outdoor furniture that you won’t be using. You may want to store some of it in your garage or shed, while you may just want to put a tarp over some other items. Also clean the patio by sweeping the debris off or power washing the stones, though you don’t want to use water if there’s any risk of it getting below freezing. Put away any miscellaneous items such as kids tools or sports equipment that is out, and winterize any planters or nearby flower beds.
Spring Maintenance
When winter is over and you start heading outdoors again, you’ll basically need to do the reverse of what you did in the fall. Bring out or uncover your patio furniture, prepare your flower beds and planters for spring, and, again, clean the patio. You shouldn’t have any problem power washing the stones this time around since the temperature shouldn’t be low enough to cause the water to freeze. There are also some cleaning products you can use to clean dirt and grease off of your pavers. Sweep off any debris that has accumulated over the winter so your patio is clean before you use it.
This is also a good time to carefully look at all of the pavers to make certain that they’re not damaged. If you see any cracks or uneven stones, you can repair them before you begin entertaining others outdoors. Look around the edges of your paver patio, too, to make sure none of the stones are slowly drifting outward. If they are, you will need to return them to their correct positioning, and you might need to replace some of your edging.
Have any questions about paver patio maintenance? Island Block & Masonry Supply carries everything you’ll need to keep your paver patio in great shape, and we can answer any questions you might have. Contact us today to learn more.
