Dealing with excess Sealer - Always read the instructions

Sealers, learn how to use them properly and they are an added benefit to most paving jobs but get that wrong and you will be in a world of grief!

Fortunately, Azpects Ltd are not happy if their customers experience problems and see it as their moral duty to help find solutions to problems. Two recent applications of EASYSeal SSP and EASYSeal Ultimate ended in near disaster for the contractors for the simple fact that they didn't understand how to apply them and what the consequences would be for getting it wrong.

Both paved areas were laid with six side sawn Indian Sandstone, calibrated to 22mm. Both areas formed parts of very high calibre designed gardens which had both had extensive landscaping to very high standards. The final job on both was to seal the paving to protect its appearance and make it easier to maintain in the future. Unfortunately, on both occasions the contractors left excess sealer on the surface which dried to leave ‘tide marks’ which showed up terribly and spoilt the whole look of the garden.

An artist's impression of the Wizard

As you can imagine, both contractor and client weren't happy bunnies and the finger of blame swung round to the sealer supplier…Us! As previously mentioned we at Azpects don’t like fingers being pointed so we jumped straight on the phone and started to sort it out. Firstly we showed our Wizard the photos and the Wizard confirmed what we thought to be the problem. They then proceeded to mix up a magic potion for us and we trotted off to see the unhappy people. The first patio looked very sad but with a splash of the potion we soon saw that all was not lost and the excess sealer could be removed. We left the remaining potion and trotted away to have a cup of coffee-feeling very pleased with ourselves.

I visited the second site on my own, armed with more magic potion but upon arrival I found there were more than excess sealer problems. The reported ‘tide marks’ had virtually faded away and were difficult to see due to the very light sandstone sucking up dust and dirt and leaving what I call ‘shadow marks’ over some of the slabs. The big downfall with thin paving is that you can almost see through it and any voids under the paving will be very noticeable after a few weeks. (Especially if it’s kept wet due to rain or general watering) With this job I opted to leave the contractor with a bottle of EASY Patio & Deck cleaner. The concentrated formula will help remove any surplus sealer residue (as it’s only lightly built up) and the diluted product will help to clean the shadow marks and go on to help keep things cleaner for months to come.

What’s interesting is that out of these mishaps we get to learn new methods and the quality of the workmanship improves as you can’t get away with cutting corners without being caught out. That’s great news for consumers who pay a lot of hard earned money to get their dream gardens.


Personally I really enjoy the detective work involved in finding the causes of problems and I am in the fortunate position to be working for a great company who’s ethics are the same as mine. We don’t turn our backs on people and we endeavour to help to find solutions when things go wrong. It’s not a case of playing the blame game; it’s about being professional and sorting things out.

Jeff Carter
Customer Support Manager
Azpects Ltd

Protecting your paving investment: Sealers and Protectors

Now that you have successfully laid your patio you may want to think about protecting it from every day wear and tear.

Azpects have a range of excellent sealers called EASYSeal. These water based sealers will protect against BBQ spills, wine, oil and dirt. They will not make the surface impregnable but they do offer a bit of time to enable a more efficient clean up. Sealers also offer some protection from environmental soiling such as algae and moss. Most sealers will not protect against Bird dropping stains as the acid present in the droppings can penetrate the sealed surface.

If you need to clean your patio at a later date I can suggest EASYCare Patio & Deck cleaner. It cleans away dirt and algae without the need to pressure wash.

Depending on your laying pattern you may have to cut some slabs. You may have a drain to sort out. You may come up against hidden problems which will need dealing with so unless you are 100% confident that you can handle the job I would suggest that you get a professional in.

All the information written here is purely my opinion and professional advice should be sought if you are in any doubt of what you are doing. You are fully responsible for your own actions and I accept no responsibility due to accident or damage caused.

Visit our website: azpects.co.uk

Written by Jeff Carter; employee Of Azpects Ltd (plus ex Landscape Gardener and Paving Centre Manager)