Paver Sealing & Sanding
Shadow Wood Preserve

Humid, preserve-side settings keep pavers damp, and shaded areas commonly grow algae that darkens pool decks and walks and makes them slick.

Older paver installations have usually lost joint sand to storm seasons. Polymeric sand refills and hardens in the joints so pavers stop shifting.

Where irrigation water carrying minerals reaches pavers, orange overspray is common. We remove it before sealing, then seal to keep future staining on the surface.

A 440-acre preserve community. Shadow Wood Preserve is a master-planned, gated community of 440 acres in Fort Myers 33908, set between the Estero Bay preserve and Mullock Creek. With wetland and woodland on both sides, the air stays humid and many paver areas sit under trees. Shade and moisture together are what let algae settle into joints and spread across the surface, so we plan longer drying times here than on sunnier lots.

Bonita Bay Group, 293 home sites. The Bonita Bay Group developed the community with 293 home sites, built out by local builders. Because different builders worked here, paver styles, colors and base construction vary from street to street. We look at each drive’s paver type, any existing coating and how it was laid before choosing a cleaner and sealer, rather than using one recipe for the whole neighborhood.

Coach homes to single-family estates. Home types include coach homes, carriage homes, villas and single-family residences. Attached homes often share a drive court or walk, while single-family owners usually have a full drive, entry walk and pool deck of their own. Coach and carriage entries often fit the up-to-400-square-foot tier, while larger single-family drives and motor courts use the estate rate.

An Arthur Hills course through the community. One 18-hole, par-72 Arthur Hills course runs through and around Shadow Wood Preserve. Homes along the fairways catch fertilizer, clippings and course irrigation drift, which can leave rust-colored spots and green film on pavers. Those spots are treated with paver-safe chemistry before sanding, and we keep rinse water on the turf, away from ponds and preserve edges.

Trails, kayaks and canoes. Residents have walking trails, kayaking and canoeing, a playground and a pavilion with a picnic area. Kayaks and canoes stored by the garage drip creek water and leave sand on the drive, and trail walkers track in leaf litter. We clear that grit before refilling joints, because fine debris is not a substitute for joint sand and can scratch a new sealer.

Common areas belong to the association. The association owns the common areas and is governed by a five-member elected board, and there are no CDD fees. Shared walks and pavilion hardscape are quoted to the board, while private drives and pool decks are quoted to owners. On attached homes we confirm who owns each strip before we start.

Sunken or loose pavers. Before any sand goes down, we walk the area and point out pavers that have sunk, lifted or cracked. Polymeric sand stabilizes joints but will not raise a paver, so those spots should be reset first if you want a level finish.

Pool decks under screen. Where a pool deck sits inside a screened cage, it gets less sun and dries slowly after rain. Sunscreen and pool chemicals add a film that sealer cannot bond to, so we degrease the deck and rinse it well, then give it the most drying time of any area on the property before sanding.

Filling the joints. Sand is only applied when every paver is dry through, which under the canopy can mean an afternoon start. Following Alliance Gator’s instructions, polymeric sand is swept to about an eighth of an inch below the paver top, compacted, swept and compacted again, then misted with a shower setting in short runs so no section dries out partway. Joints whose sand has crumbled are dug out to a depth of at least an inch and a half first.

Humidity and haze. Sanding in high humidity or on damp pavers can leave a white haze. Alliance Gator notes it can be removed with an efflorescence cleaner or hot-water washing, but the better answer is avoiding it. In this setting, we would rather wait a few hours than sand on a surface that still feels cool and damp.

Rain and the sealing gap. Some polymeric sands can handle rain within about 15 minutes on a draining base, and others need a full day. Sealer makers set their own wait after sand activation, ranging from about one day to around a month. Sand cure before sealing follows the label, and we tell you ahead of time whether the job takes one visit or two. Plan on keeping people and cars off the new finish for about 24 hours, per the product label.

Breathable sealers for damp settings. In shade and humidity, a penetrating, breathable sealer lets moisture escape and leaves no film to cloud. An enhancing sealer deepens color on sunnier drives. Pool decks get a slip-resistant product in a single coat, since manufacturers note that a second coat on dense pavers can be slick.