Looking to add instant curb appeal to your Long Island home? Concrete pavers are an affordable investment that immediately upgrades the look of any patio, driveway, walkway, or pool project you’re dreaming of. Despite the well-deserved reputation of concrete as a durable product, like all masonry products, concrete pavers may need maintenance from time to time to look their best.
This is especially true when it comes to concrete discoloration. Sources of discoloration in pavers include fading color due to age and exposure, stains from food or drink, motor oil stains, and stains from leaves or algae. Efflorescence, a white haze that forms naturally on all concrete surfaces, can also be an issue in the first 12-18 months of installation.
As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, many concrete paver products manufactured nowadays offer technologies that improve the stain resistance and color durability of their pavers. Here’s a breakdown of our favorites, including the Klean-Bloc, HD² and HD²+ technologies from Techo-Bloc, the ArmorTec technology from Cambridge Pavers, and the Enduracolor and EasyClean technologies from Unilock.
Klean-Bloc, HD² & HD²+ From Techo-Bloc
With the addition of the Klean-Bloc technology to its products, Techo-Bloc promises “beauty and character without the maintenance.” This protective layer is formulated to discourage spills like wine and oil from permeating, creating a wipeable and stain-resistant surface. Klean-Bloc also protects against the scuffs and scrapes of life—think patio furniture and vehicles. The UV protection of this technology also means colors stay rich and vivid. This factory-applied finish can be found in Techo-Bloc’s wetcast products like the Travertina Raw, Aberdeen, Mika and Borealis pavers, the Rosemont and Iconic wall systems, and many of their masonry caps.
The HD² technology from Techo-Bloc stands for High Definition Density. This “new era of concrete” boasts a layer of super fine and compact surface particles which yield a smooth color and texture along with de-icing salt resistance. Underneath, a tough rock-solid core creates durable strength for rugged applications. A feature of their drycast products, HD² can be seen in action in the Blu 60, Blu 80, Ocean Grande, Para, Diamond, Industria, Sleek and Inca pavers.
The HD²+ technology combines the best of both HD² and Klean-Bloc, taking both these Techo-Bloc advancements to the next level. Here the strong core, de-icing salt resistance, and flawless finish of HD² are combined with the factory-sealed protective layer of Klean-Bloc, adding additional stain resistance, color stability, and reduced absorption from spills and messes. To get this next-generation advancement, consider the Everest, Hexa and Westmount pavers from Techo-Bloc.
ArmorTec From Cambridge Pavers
The ArmorTec technology from Cambridge Pavers is not a protective layer or sealant added to the outside of the paver or wallstone. Rather, it is a “one-piece” proprietary concrete mix that produces a dense and vibrantly colored surface free from holes and blemishes. As a result, colors stay true longer and larger stone pieces (called aggregate) do not show through to the surface to mar the look over time. With Cambridge Pavers you won’t need to worry about which protective technology you need for your application or which of their product lines have it since all Cambridge products have ArmorTec baked into them straight from the factory.
EnduraColor & EasyClean From Unilock
Among Unilock’s many impressive concrete technologies is EnduraColor. It promotes long-lasting color by combining a base layer of strong larger-aggregate stone with a top layer of richly pigmented fine particles. This even surface wears gracefully with time, never exposing the strong base layer underneath. In fact, Unilock promises that, at the 10-year mark, your stone will look the same way it did when it was installed, and offers a lifetime transferable guarantee to boot. Nineteen Unilock products feature the EnduraColor technology, including, among others Beacon Hill, Umbriano, Thornbury, Westport, Tribeca, Treo, and Series pavers.
In addition to Enduracolor, Unilock offers the EasyClean technology, which resists discoloration and staining. Unlike labor-intensive after-market sealants that are applied to the surface of a finished project, this factory-applied sealant penetrates deeply into each stone before it’s installed. Umbriano, Richcliff, Courtstone and Senzo are some of the pavers offering EasyClean protection.
Concrete Discoloration Is Preventable
Good news is that concrete pavers have come a long way since their introduction to North America in the 70s. If you’re concerned about paver discoloration in either a new project or an existing patio or walkway, contact us or stop by our masonry yard and outdoor showroom in Deer Park, NY. We can help you choose a great product for your project or an after-market sealant and cleaning solution to help refurbish your current outdoor living space.
[Featured imaged by Steve Johnson on Unsplash]