Block paving maintenance and sealing

Keeping joints topped up

Kiln-dried sand slowly washes and blows out of the joints. Once joints are half empty, individual blocks start to rock, edges chip and water gets down into the laying course.

Topping up joints with dry sand, brushed in and vibrated or firmly swept, is the highest-value maintenance job on a block driveway and takes an afternoon.

Cleaning without wrecking the joints

Pressure washing is effective but strips joint sand. Work in sections, use a moderate pressure, and plan to re-sand afterwards — always. Cleaning and re-sanding are a single job, not two.

For general grime, a stiff brush and a patio cleaner often does enough without disturbing anything.

• Re-sand joints after every pressure wash
• Use kiln-dried sand, or a jointing compound for a longer-lasting fix
• Deal with weeds before they establish roots in the laying course
• Keep a few spare blocks for future repairs

Is sealing worth it?

Sealing does three useful things: it stabilises the joint sand, makes stains easier to remove, and slightly deepens the block colour. It is not essential and it needs redoing periodically.

If your driveway is in heavy shade, under trees, or gets oil drips, sealing usually pays for itself in reduced cleaning. On an open, well-drained frontage it is more of a cosmetic choice.

Replacing damaged blocks

This is block paving's superpower. A cracked or stained block can be lifted out with two screwdrivers, the laying course topped up, and a spare dropped in.

If you have no spares, blocks can often be taken from a hidden area — under a car, behind a gate — and the replacement put there instead, so the visible driveway stays perfectly matched.