How to Maintain an Interlock Driveway

Interlocking driveways give the impression of class and create an excellent curbside impression but if they aren't maintained to a high standard they can quite easily look shabby and unkempt – this doesn't do them or the front of your property any favors, especially if you want to sell it.

In the article below, we tell you how to look after your interlocking driveway so that it retains its original color and shape. Although interlocking driveways are a little more tricky than larger slabs they are not too difficult to maintain if you know what you are doing.

Use Sealers

When you have an Interlock Driveway you want it to look like new for as long as possible, we've all seen the Interlock driveways that look faded and old – they give the property a rundown look the opposite of what you want from Interlock papers.

One way around this issue is to use sealant to protect the concrete and lock in the color. A sealer is usually applied when the paving is first laid but that wears off after two or three years. Still, there are many sealants on the market to choose from and they are easy to apply.

Using a sealer every two or three years on your Interlock driveway will protect the integrity of the concrete and preserve the color of your driveway. If it is red it will stay red for many years and won't fade like the driveway next door.

Power Wash

Every so often your driveway is going to need cleaning and that doesn't just mean a sweeping brush. Cars, shoes, and bicycles are using the driveway all the time, not to mention oil spills and weather that can give your driveway that rough neglected look. It's best to use a power washer for this job.

A power washer is a power tool that you can buy from a local hardware store. It is easy to use and multipurpose so you can wash your car and windows with it as well as your driveway. A power washer gives your driveway an even clean and takes out all the weeds that emerge between the cracks.

Choose a bright sunny day to wash your driveway, one day during the week is good, if possible, when the cars are elsewhere. Power Wash the drive once or twice making sure you dislodge the weeds. When finished you will have to replace the polymeric sand.

Polymeric Sand

One of the big problems with Driveway maintenance is the growth of weeds between the cracks, the influx of insects, and the supporting material that keeps the concrete blocks together. The best solution is to use Polymeric Sand and to replace this Sand if it's removed with a power washer.

Polymeric sand is a special composition of sand that is perfect for Interlock driveways. It sits easily between the gaps in the concrete blocks and prevents foliage and weeds from forming. It also discourages garden pests like ants which thrive in between the Driveway gaps and cause havoc.

Polymeric sand is a construction Sand that is easily available at a quality hardware store and builders merchants. It is better than ordinary Sand because its composition helps to cement the slabs together. Still, it can be easily blown away by a pressure washer so make sure you have some to replace it with.

Reset Pavers

Depending on what sand you use and the usage of the driveway some pavers can shift and move out of place, some might also crack or break and need repairing. If this happens you will need to replace or reset the pavers to maintain the quality of your Interlock driveway.

If you don't resent your pavers now and then, or better still when problems occur, it will lead to more and more issues. Broken and misaligned pavers only contribute to the problem and before long you have a driveway that looks more like a neglected graveyard – try to deal with these pacer issues as and when they occur.

Conclusion

Interlock pavers are one of the most iconic driveway styles and you are likely to see them in many places, however, not all of these driveways look alike – some are maintained to a far higher standard than others.

Because Interlock pavers are made with many concrete blocks arranged together they can become loose and disjointed over time, so proper maintainable is need to help them retain their shape and color. You can do this using quality sealant and polymeric sand. Maintaining your Interlock driveway is not too difficult, you only need to treat it once every two or three years. Apply sealant and use the polymeric sand to replace loose or broken blocks and to prevent weeds from growing in the cracks.