Dockside & Pool Deck Sealing
Olde Naples Seaport

Walks along the marina take salt spray, algae and constant foot traffic from owners heading to their boats. After rain, an algae film makes them slick.

Salt soaks into unsealed pavers, fading color and roughening the surface. Joints lose sand to every washing and storm, and pavers near the water’s edge can begin to shift.

The pool deck nearby collects sunscreen and algae on its shaded edges. Garage aprons in front of each residence’s two-car garage pick up tire marks and drips.

Re-sanding with polymeric sand and sealing protects all of it. Pool decks and dockside walks get slip-resistant sealer, so they are safer as well as cleaner.

A 2004 building on Naples Bay. Olde Naples Seaport at 1001 10th Avenue South was built in 2004 as a three-floor low-rise of townhome-style condos, each on three levels with a private elevator. After two decades beside the bay, pavers laid at construction have been through many storm seasons and countless rinses. Joint sand near the water tends to go first, and that is where we check for rocking or sunken pavers before quoting.

A marina at the door. The marina next door offers slips for sale or rent plus boat storage, with direct Gulf access, and listings describe boat access as dock purchase. Owners walking between the garage, the walks and their boats carry salt water, bait, fuel residue and fish scales across the pavers. Those spots need a degreaser and careful rinsing before any sealer goes down, or the finish will look patchy.

Large residences, small paved footprint. Listed units run from about 3,363 to 3,677 square feet, with terraces over Naples Bay and, on some units, a sky deck with a grill and wet bar or a rooftop spa. Most of the paved area here is shared: dockside walks, the pool surround and the approaches to the secured ground-level garages. That is why this work is usually booked by the association, with owners adding anything specific to their unit on the same day.

What the dues cover. According to listings, association dues cover exterior pest control, lawn, irrigation, reserves, insurance and management. Hardscape cleaning and sealing is typically a board decision funded from operating or reserve budgets. We give the manager a written scope that separates dockside walks, pool deck and garage approaches, so each can be approved and scheduled on its own if needed.

Garage approaches and aprons. Each residence has a secured two-car garage on the ground level under the building, so the paver approaches in front of the garage doors carry every car that comes and goes. Tire scuffs, drips and leaf stains collect right where cars turn. Those strips get a degreaser and a second pass before sanding. Owners who want their own apron done can add it to the association’s service day and be billed separately, which keeps the color consistent along the row.

Seawall edges and bird activity. Paver walks that run along the marina edge collect bird droppings from pilings and boat rails. Droppings are acidic and can etch sealer if left, so we clean them off with a mild solution rather than high pressure and keep all rinse water on the land side of the walk.

Downtown and not gated. The building sits in downtown Naples with a Walk Score of 60, a community pool and a dog park, and it is not gated. Neighbors, guests and dog walkers use the walks throughout the day. We work in short coned sections, keep a clear path to the marina and the building entrances, and avoid rinsing toward the dog park or the pool.

Salt-air sealer choices. Beside open water, a breathable penetrating sealer is often the safer pick. Silane and siloxane products, such as SEK Surebond SB-4000, repel water and help block salt without forming a film that can cloud in humid air. Where the board prefers more color on the pool deck, a slip-resistant enhancing sealer can go on in one even coat. Manufacturers caution that a heavy second coat on dense pavers can be slippery, which matters on wet walks by the slips.

Sanding beside the water. We sand only once the walks are completely dry, which beside the bay can mean waiting until late morning. Polymeric sand is swept to about an eighth of an inch below the top of the paver, compacted, swept and compacted again, then wet with a light shower setting section by section. Where old sand has washed out deep, it is cleared at least an inch and a half down so new sand can lock properly.

Weather and reopening. Afternoon storms roll over Naples Bay quickly in summer. Some polymeric sands are rain-safe in about 15 minutes on a well-drained base and others need up to a day, so we check the forecast against the product label. How long the sand must cure before sealing also depends on the products used, from about a day to several weeks, and we follow the label. Each sealed section can reopen to residents after about 24 hours, per the product label.

Terraces and sky decks. Upper terraces and sky decks are often tile or coated surfaces rather than pavers. We can clean them for owners with gentle methods, but we do not re-sand or seal them as pavers. Where an owner wants a terrace done, we confirm with the manager first whether it falls under owner or association responsibility.