Are you worried that winters will have a toll on your pavers? Well, you’re not alone. Indeed, many people are concerned about the effects of winter freezing temperatures and snow on their exterior flooring. And with nothing within our ability to prevent the temperature fluctuations, we are left with only one option; to protect our paver stones.
In this article, we have compiled five proven ways to cushion your pavers from the devastating effects of winter. However, before we dive into it, let’s start by understanding how snow and cold temperatures harm pavers.
How Do Snow & Freezing Temperatures Harm Patio Pavers?
During winter, the cold temperatures cause atmospheric moisture to freeze and form ice that falls on the earth’s surface as snow. If the snow falls and accumulates on your pavers, it will expand and contract when temperatures rise and fall, respectively. This expansion and contraction crack and weakens your pavers.
In addition, the damp environment created by precipitation is ideal for the growth and development of algae and mosses, which also weaken, dirty, and cause your pavers to crack.
Ways To Cushion Your Pavers From Harmful Winter
Seal Your Pavers
Applying a paver sealant can save you the damages that occur in winter. A sealant beautifies the exterior floor and protects it from contaminants such as stains or decomposing organic material. It also prevents penetration of water and growth, which both cause cracking and weaken the pavers.
Although sealing is a great way to protect your pavers, you should be keen on the quality of the sealant and adhere to directions on application to achieve the best results.
Clean The Pavers Regularly
With people spending less time outdoors in winter, some ignore usual exterior floor maintenance practices such as cleaning. That said, it is essential to understand that sealing gives commendable results when combined with regular cleaning and other external floor care practices. Therefore, ensure you sweep away dirt, debris and remove stains periodically.
Shovel The Snow
Don’t allow snow to accumulate on your pavers because the temperature changes make it expand or contract, causing cracking on your exterior floor. Instead, remove and clean it out using a snow shovel or snow blower. However, you should avoid using metallic shovels as they scrape and interfere with the beauty of your pavers.
Avoid Salt On Your Pavers
During winter, we like sprinkling salt on snow to make it melt. Although this action achieves the immediate goal, it has underlying side effects. For instance, salt can corrode some construction materials. Also, it can dissolve in water and soak in the bricks, making them weak.
Cover Your Pavers With An Awning
Although this protecting the paver is limited to courtyards, it is excellent where applicable.
All of Your Landscaping Needs from Atlantic Maintenance Group
Atlantic Maintenance Group is a full-service landscaping company, providing maintenance, design, and construction, as well as snow removal, and asphalt and concrete services. We are your source for complete landscape and facility maintenance for commercial and residential properties throughout Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We are a self-performing landscaping company, meaning we don’t hire subcontractors, and senior management is involved with every project. Our highly trained team of professionals receives constant, ongoing education on the latest industry trends, updates, and safety measures. This ensures we can deliver outstanding customer service and results to our clients, regardless of the size of your job.