Okay, let's get into it. My patio pavers were looking rough. Seriously, weeds popping up, dirt ground in, just generally sad looking. I sweep them, sure, but this was beyond a simple sweep. I figured it was time for a proper clean and seal, something I definitely wasn't going to tackle myself.

Finding Someone Local

So, the first step, like most things these days, was hitting the internet. I literally typed in "paver cleaning and sealing companies near me". Got a whole bunch of results, as you'd expect. Some looked like big outfits, others seemed smaller, more local guys.

I spent a bit of time just clicking around. Looked at a few websites, mainly trying to find before-and-after pictures. You can tell a lot from those. Also checked out reviews – Google, Yelp, wherever I could find them. You gotta read between the lines sometimes, but overall, it gives you a feel for things.

I also asked my neighbor across the street. He had his done last year and they still looked pretty good. He gave me the name of the company he used, so I added them to my list.

Getting Quotes and Making a Choice

I narrowed it down to three companies that looked decent and were actually near me. Didn't want someone driving halfway across the state. I called each one up to get a quote.

• Company A: Sounded professional, gave a quick quote over the phone based on my rough square footage. Seemed a bit high.
• Company B (Neighbor's recommendation): Had to leave a message, took a day to call back. Quote was middle-of-the-road. Friendly guy.
• Company C: Actually offered to swing by and look at the job first. Liked that. They came out the next day, measured properly, explained their process – cleaning, sanding, sealing options. Their quote was close to Company B, maybe slightly lower.

I went with Company C. Them coming out to look sealed the deal, really. Felt more thorough, less guesswork. Plus, seeing the person face-to-face helped.

The Actual Work Day

They scheduled me for the following week. Two guys showed up right on time in the morning. First, they cleared off the patio furniture for me, which was nice.

Then came the cleaning. They used some kind of cleaner first, let it sit, then brought out the pressure washer. Man, that thing blasts off grime! It gets messy, water spraying, but they were pretty careful around my plants and the house walls. That took a good chunk of the morning.

After the cleaning, they had to let it dry out for a bit. Sun was out, so it didn't take too long. Once dry, they swept in new polymeric sand between the paver joints. This stuff hardens up and helps stop weeds and ants. Took some time to get it all swept in evenly.

Finally, the sealing. They used a sprayer to apply the sealant. Had a bit of a smell, but not too bad, and it went away pretty quickly. They did two coats, letting the first one soak in before applying the second. Told me to stay off it for 24 hours, and no furniture back on it for maybe 48 hours, just to be safe.

The End Result

Honestly, it looked fantastic. Like, almost brand-new pavers again. The color was richer, the joints were clean and filled, and the whole patio just looked sharp. It's amazing what a professional cleaning and sealing can do.

It wasn't the cheapest thing, I'll admit, but seeing the difference and knowing it's protected for a few years? Yeah, I felt it was worth it. Glad I didn't try to cheap out or do it myself. Sometimes, you just gotta call in the pros.