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Stone Patio Care

Every spring or summer we all go through the same thing: cleaning the patio because it looks embarrassingly hideous, like something from a zombie movie. In fact, it looks like the zombies would enjoy having lunch on it and reflect lovingly upon the weeds & moss growing between the stones.

I don’t want my patio to look this way, do you?

Okay, we both want our outdoor spaces to look crazy awesome.

And not just for a few weeks. If you’re going to spend several hours getting the patio stones looking pristine then you’d also want them to stay that way all summer, right!! Plus, who has the time to continually scrub down pavers or stones when the kids have a million activities over the weekend that require carpooling, sunscreen, and the occasional ER visit?

I’ve made the mistake of using the power washer or patio cleaner and thinking my cleaning job was done only to be back at it 4 weeks later.

Today you’ll discover 3 HUGE TIPs that will

  1. prevent your patio stones from accumulating dirt
  2. eliminate moss and weeds
  3. allow you to enjoy your home’s outdoor space while sipping your favorite beverage (Corona anyone?).

Here’s the supply list for your adventure:

MacGyver would be proud of this supply list. Let’s get to it so that you can keep your patio clean all summer long 🙂

Polymeric Sand Prevents Weed Growth Between Patio Stones

There are two reasons why you want to use polymeric sand

  1. it prevents weeds from popping up between stones
  2. it stops bugs from living between the stones and possibly finding a way into your house

Who’s going to argue that weeds and bugs are annoying? Anyone?

Case closed.

Ants and other bugs can use cracks between your stones to find a back door entrance into your house. I know first hand because we have issues with sugar ants making their annual pilgrimage across our kitchen counter.

You can find polymeric sand at any home store. I bought Sakrete’s polymeric sand during my weekly trip to Lowe’s. It was located in the landscaping section near the patio stones.

Polymeric Sand for Patio Stones

Before applying the polymeric sand you need to remove existing weeds or moss from between patio stones or pavers. I used a power washer but you can pull the weeds by hand and scrape off moss with an old flat head screwdriver. Sakrete also recommends cleaning the stones before applying polymeric sand. This makes sense because any power washing or stain remover will likely dislodge the sand you just installed.

You can approach the first step of the application process by

  • using a yogurt cup to pour polymeric sand directly into stone or paver joints
  • or pouring a large quantity of sand directly onto the stones or pavers
Applying Polymeric Sand

Use a broom to sweep the sand down into the joints. The directions recommend the sand be 1/8 of an inch below the pavers or stones. Sakrete also recommends tapping the stones with a rubber mallet so that the sand will settle better between them.

Spread Polymeric Sand with Brush

It’s critical to remove all left over polymeric sand from the top of the patio stones. Otherwise the sand might stain them since it has colorant in it.

The best way to displace excess sand is to use a leaf blower.

Remove Excess Polymeric Sand

Once this is done you can use a garden sprayer to lightly mist the stones & polymeric sand. Don’t allow any puddling because this could cause the polymer to wash out. Repeat this misting process 3-4 times over a one-hour period (take this opportunity to read a book, listen to your favorite album, or if you’re like me-do laundry & fold clothes).

Mist Polymeric Sand

Once you’re done with misting keep off the patio for 24 hours.

Here’s a summary of the steps you need to take with polymeric sand

  1. Remove existing weeds & moss
  2. Clean patio stones with a pressure washer or cleaner
  3. Pour polymeric sand into joints
  4. Sweep sand into joints with a broom
  5. Tap stones with a rubber mallet to compact sand
  6. Remove excess sand with a leaf blower
  7. Mist stones & sand with a garden sprayer 3-4 times in one hour
  8. Avoid puddling of water
  9. Wait 24 hours to use the patio

Polymeric sand does a great job of preventing weeds from growing between patio stones or pavers. But I have two more fantastic tips that you should definitely implement so that patio maintenance seems like a thing of the past.

Wet and Forget: My 9 Month Experiment Proves You Should Use It

Last summer I heard about Wet & Forget and decided to give it a try. It’s a product that uses surfactants along with the natural cycle of rain, sun, and wind to clean exterior surfaces. You mix it with water, spray it on your patio, and that’s it.

Wet and Forget

I wanted to see for myself if the product could do just as good as a power washer but without all the effort and water consumption. My degree is in chemistry and an experiment seemed like a natural step to take. So I treated one section of our patio and not the other with Wet & Forget. The time frame was 9 months (September thru May). I chose this period of the year because dirt collects on top of our patio stones over the winter months.

So, does Wet & Forget really work?

YES!! 

Untreated Patio Stones
Treated Patio Stones
Untreated vs Treated

The section that didn’t get treated had more moss and dirt collecting on the surface of the stones. Wet & Forget also did a great job of helping remove all the bird droppings. In my mind, there’s no question that Wet & Forget works and should be applied to our patio every spring. Even my wife noticed the huge difference between the untreated and treated patio stones. When Mrs. says to continue using something I listen.

Using Wet & Forget is simple:

  • Mix one part Wet & Forget to 5 parts of water in a garden sprayer
  • Spray your mixture on your surface of choice
  • Repeat this process every 3 to 4 months
  • THAT’S IT

You’ll have to be patient and allow Wet & Forget to do its thing. After 2 months you’ll start to see your stones or exterior surface look a lot cleaner. If your patio stones are really dirty you can spray them with Wet & Forget then use a stiff scrub brush.

The bottom line is this: algae, moss, and dirt will be a thing of the past if you use Wet & Forget on your patio or deck. You can also apply it to vertical surfaces like siding and get the same positive results. I did this at one of our rental properties and saved myself hours of scrubbing dirt off wood clapboard.

Okay, so now you know how to use Polymeric Sand and Wet & Forget to stop weeds, moss, and dirt from tarnishing your patio.

What should you do for weeds that occasionally pop up? How do you eliminate them in an environmentally friendly and kid-safe manner?

White Vinegar to the Rescue: The Natural Way to Kill Weeds

Jill Nystul from One Good Thing by Jillee persuaded me to try white vinegar instead of store-bought weed killers. She put together a great blog post on how to mix up the solution and when to use it.

She recommends adding white vinegar to a spray bottle along with 1 teaspoon of dishwashing soap.

White Vinegar Weed Killer

The soap will help the white vinegar stick to the weeds and allow the acidity of the vinegar to break down the plant. Jill also recommends spraying plants during periods of intense sun to allow the vinegar to be absorbed.

Again, I put on my chemist hat and did an experiment. After mixing the vinegar solution I sprayed a huge weed at 2:00 in the afternoon when the sun was shining at it’s fullest here in Pittsburgh.

This is what the weed looked like the next day 🙂

Apply White Vinegar to Weeds

This totally worked!!

If you have any weeds that pop up between your patio stones you should try spraying them with vinegar between 12 to 3 in the afternoon on a sunny day.

What’s Next

Another great outdoor project is re-painting outdoor metal chairs. Our tutorial has several great tips on how to do that.

If you’re doing a bathroom remodel and need help, join one of our online courses – they’ll make your bathroom renovation much easier!

Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help.

Thanks as always for reading, watching, and being part of our awesome community.

Cheers,

Jeff




Stone Patio Care