Restoring Your Backyard Pavers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Materials

• 3-5 bags (50lb each) Polymeric Sand (Choose a color that matches your existing pavers.) — $20 - $30 per bag
• 1 gallon Paver Cleaner (Biodegradable options are safer for nearby lawn or plants.) — $20 - $40
• 1 spray bottle Weed Preventer/Killer (Apply to joints prior to sanding if weed issues are chronic.) — $10 - $15
• 1 roll Landscape Fabric (Optional) (Use only if you are resetting sunken pavers.) — $20

Step by step

1. Saturday Morning · Prep

   Evict Weeds From The Joints

   Use a stiff wire brush or a specialized grout scraper to pull weeds and old, compacted debris out of the joints. If the growth is stubborn, use a pressure washer on a low setting or a flat-head screwdriver to pry material out.

   Tip: Pull weeds by the root if possible to prevent them from popping back up through the new sand.
2. Saturday Midday · Cleaning

   Blast Away Years Of Grime

   Apply a paver-specific cleaner to the surface and scrub with a long-handled stiff-bristle brush to lift oil stains and organic buildup. Rinse thoroughly with a garden hose or pressure washer, moving from the highest point of the patio to the lowest.

   Tip: Avoid using high-pressure settings directly on the joints to prevent blasting away the remaining sub-base material.
3. Saturday Afternoon · Drying

   Wait For Total Dryness

   Wait for the pavers to dry entirely before proceeding. Moisture trapped in the joints will cause the polymeric sand to activate prematurely, ruining your ability to sweep it into the gaps.

   Tip: If the weather is humid, wait an extra 24 hours to ensure there is zero moisture lurking in the deep joints.
4. Sunday Morning · Sanding

   Fill Every Joint With Sand

   Pour the polymeric sand onto the patio and use a wide push broom to sweep it diagonally across the joints. Ensure the sand fills the gaps completely, brushing until the surface appears clear of excess sand.

   Tip: Always sweep at a 45-degree angle to the joints to avoid pulling the sand back out as you move the broom.
5. Sunday Midday · Compacting

   Tamp The Sand Tight

   Use a plate compactor to vibrate the sand into the joints, then sweep away the residual dust. If you don't have a compactor, a heavy rubber mallet and a wooden block can be used for smaller areas.

   Tip: Keep the surface meticulously clean; any sand left on the paver faces will harden and become difficult to remove later.
6. Sunday Afternoon · Finishing

   Mist To Lock Everything

   Use a mist setting on your hose to lightly dampen the patio; do not flood it. The water activates the polymer binding agents in the sand, creating a hardened, weed-resistant seal.

   Tip: Use a fine mist nozzle rather than a jet; you want to moisten the sand, not wash it away.