Paver Sealer Peeling, Cloudy or Turning White?
If your pavers look blotchy, milky white, or the old sealer is flaking off in patches, the sealer has failed. It’s one of the most frustrating things to see on pavers, especially when they were sealed not long ago. The good news is it can usually be fixed. Here’s what causes it and what we do about it.
We’re Jax Exterior Cleaning & Paver Sealing, licensed and insured since 2019. For our standard sealing process, see our main paver sealing page.
What Failed Sealer Looks Like
- Milky, white or cloudy patches, often worse after rain
- Peeling or flaking, especially in the wheel paths of a driveway
- A blotchy look, with shiny areas next to dull ones
- Sealer that has turned yellowish or dark
- A sticky or gummy surface
Common Causes
- Moisture trapped under the sealer. Sealing pavers that weren’t fully dry, which is easy to do in Jacksonville humidity.
- Too much sealer. Heavy coats build a film that can’t breathe.
- Efflorescence sealed in. Common with new pavers sealed too soon.
- Wrong product. A sealer that doesn’t suit the paver or our climate.
- Weather. Rain or heavy dew before the sealer cures.
Can It Be Fixed Without Stripping?
Sometimes. Light cloudiness can occasionally be corrected without full removal. When the sealer is peeling or heavily white, the old sealer usually has to come off before new sealer can go on. Sealing over failing sealer just adds another layer that will fail too. We’ll look at it and tell you which situation you’re in.
Stripping and Resealing
When stripping is needed, we remove the failed sealer, clean the pavers, let them dry fully, re-sand the joints with silica joint sand (colored sand optional) and reseal with the right product, applied at the right rate. Timing around the weather matters here, so we schedule carefully.
Repair Before Resealing
A strip and reseal is the perfect time to fix anything underneath. If pavers have settled or edges have moved, we reset them before resealing so everything looks right. See our paver repair page.
How We Avoid This Problem
We check moisture and the forecast before sealing, clean off efflorescence, use thin even coats, and pick a product that suits your pavers. That’s part of why our sealing comes with a 3-year sealer warranty and our work is backed by a 60-day craftsmanship guarantee.
Sealed by Someone Else?
We see a lot of pavers that were sealed by another company or as a DIY project. You don’t need to know what product was used, though it helps if you do. Send us a photo or book a free estimate and we’ll take a look.
Choosing a Finish This Time
Since you’re starting fresh, it’s a good chance to rethink the finish. See wet look vs. natural for a comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my sealer turn white?
Most often, moisture got trapped under it, or it was applied too heavy. Efflorescence sealed in can also cause it.
Can you just seal over it?
Usually not. Sealing over failed sealer tends to make the problem worse. We’ll tell you if it needs stripping.
Is stripping more expensive than regular sealing?
It’s extra work, so yes, it usually costs more. We’ll quote it after we see the pavers.
Will it happen again?
We take steps to prevent it, including checking moisture and using thin, even coats. The new seal carries a 3-year sealer warranty.
Can you fix pavers someone else sealed?
Yes. We fix sealer problems from other companies and DIY jobs regularly.
Why Homeowners Call Jax Exterior Cleaning
- Repair-first: if pavers have sunk or shifted, we fix them before we seal
- Licensed and insured, in business since 2019
- 200+ Google reviews at 4.6 stars
- 3-year sealer warranty and a 60-day craftsmanship guarantee
- Silica joint sand, with colored joint sand as an upgrade
- Regular work in gated and HOA communities
- Free estimates, and you don’t have to be home
Where We Do This Work
We seal pavers across Jacksonville and the communities around it, including St. Johns and Fruit Cove, Mandarin and Bartram Park, Intracoastal West and East Arlington, Nocatee, Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville Beach. Neighborhood pages: Julington Creek Plantation, Durbin Crossing, Beacon Lake, RiverTown and Deerwood. Our southern service cutoff is World Golf Village. See all of our service areas.
Get a Free Estimate for Sealer Stripping and Resealing
Call 904-444-9190 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM) or fill out our free estimate form. Estimates are free, you don’t have to be home, and Zach will get in touch with you about times and scheduling.
Licensed and insured, in business since 2019, with 200+ Google reviews at 4.6 stars.