A good paver patio is mostly self-maintaining — but a few simple habits keep it looking new for 25+ NJ winters.
Sweep & rinse seasonally
A push broom and a garden hose, twice a year. That's it for routine cleaning. Skip the pressure washer on high — it blasts polymeric sand right out of the joints.
Polymeric sand top-up every 3–5 years
Polymeric sand is what locks pavers together and blocks weeds. Joints lose a little every year — top them up before they fail. Sweep new sand into clean, dry joints, mist with water, done.
Sealing — optional, with caveats
Sealing helps with stain resistance and color depth, but it's not required. If you seal, do it 60+ days after install (the pavers need to fully cure), and re-seal every 3–5 years. Use a breathable sealer rated for pavers — never a deck sealer.
Winter care in NJ
- Use calcium chloride or magnesium chloride ice melt, not rock salt — rock salt eats the surface of concrete pavers over time
- Plastic shovel, never a metal one with sharp edges
- Don't pile snow in one spot all winter — it traps moisture
What to never do
- Pressure-wash on high — blasts out the polymeric sand
- Use rock salt for years — it pits and discolors pavers
- Drive on a pedestrian-rated patio with anything heavier than a wheelbarrow
- Ignore a sinking paver — fix it now, before water finds the base