Did I leave it too late to get my driveway sealed?

Ransom_Dry_Elk

I got a block paving driveway at the end of March last year-after which I was a bit skint and then had work headaches and eventually moved jobs so I've been putting this off. I remember reading that you're supposed to have them sealed about 6 months after having them laid but I'm well past that and now there's moss growing in the sand between the blocks. Can it still be done at this stage? It doesn't look bad overall but I'd like to keep it in good condition, especially as I'll be getting my house valued for a remortgage later this year.

FreeBear

Laid a block drive here about the same time - Had some nice weather for it... Have not bothered to apply any sealer. Got a few tiny weeds coming up in a few spots, but they will be easy enough to deal with.

Ectophile

You might as well keep putting it off forever.  Mine has never been sealed.  Many haven't.

Ant555

When I have any weeds and moss on my block paving its always growing 'on' the paving rather than 'through' it - Moss falls off my roof and seems to settle on it.  I have typically jet washed using one of the patio heads every couple of years and resanded which is a really straightforward job.

A 3 day bank holiday where good weather is forecast is great for this and there are some coming up.  Jetwash on day 1 and that leaves enough time to dry before brushing in the kiln dried sand on bank holiday day 2 or even fall back to day 3 if it needs a bit extra time to dry fully.

I did wonder about sealing when it was new but my thoughts were that if it was sealed then where would the rainwater go?  Happy to be corrected but I thought one of the things about typical block paving is that its quite permeable so doesnt need any council planning permission.

Hope this helps

FreeBear

Ant555 said: I did wonder about sealing when it was new but my thoughts were that if it was sealed then where would the rainwater go?  Happy to be corrected but I thought one of the things about typical block paving is that its quite permeable so doesnt need any council planning permission.

The blocks themselves are impermeable. The surface water drains away through the gaps between the blocks. Filling these gaps with (kiln dried) sand provides a path for the water to disappear in to and also helps to lock the blocks in place.

hangryconsumer

Block paving = weeds within a year. Anyone know if resin would be different? Pressure wash once a year enough to stop weeds from growing in the settled "dust"?

FreeBear

hangryconsumer said: Block paving = weeds within a year. Anyone know if resin would be different? Pressure wash once a year enough to stop weeds from growing in the settled "dust"?

Weeds between the blocks are not a huge problem. A dose of weedkiller knocks them back. With a resin driveway, you'd need to apply for planning permission and probably have to install drainage to cope with surface water - The costs for that can very quickly add up.

fenwick458

I think you've missed the boat for sealing. it wouldn't last forever anyway so no biggie. sealing within the first 6 months is "recommended" (by the people that sell you the sealant) but it will just keep it looking new for as long as the sealant lasts. after a year you have moss and weeds and dirt and it's not easy to just apply sealant and have it work the same without first cleaning and preparing it. and cleaning and preparing the block paving is actually quite destructive so don't go mad with a pressure washer, you don't want to blast away the top layer , and blast away all the sand from between the joints. less is more when it comes to maintaining things like this I think, if you overclean it it's ruined, if you don't do anything in 10 years it's ruined. I'd recommend just give it a general tidy up and hypochorite/weedkiller every spring and that'll do

hangryconsumer

FreeBear said:

Weeds between the blocks are not a huge problem. A dose of weedkiller knocks them back. With a resin driveway, you'd need to apply for planning permission and probably have to install drainage to cope with surface water - The costs for that can very quickly add up.

Resin bound is permeable and SUDS complaint so you don't need planning permission.

FreeBear

hangryconsumer said:

FreeBear said:

Weeds between the blocks are not a huge problem. A dose of weedkiller knocks them back. With a resin driveway, you'd need to apply for planning permission and probably have to install drainage to cope with surface water - The costs for that can very quickly add up.

Resin bound is permeable and SUDS complaint so you don't need planning permission.

OK. Two types of resin driveways. Resin Bound, and Resin Bonded. One is permeable if installed correctly, the other isn't.

GDB2222

Several resin drives round here. In my view, they look awful. Plus, they show every speck of dirt. 

I prefer more natural materials. Block paving isn’t perfect, but it starts to weather and blend in, and that’s helped by the weeds sprouting up.