Should Pavers Be Sanded Before Sealing?

If you're getting your pavers sealed, the re-sanding step isn't optional — it's the foundation the whole job rests on. Here's why it matters and what happens when it's skipped.

Why joint sand matters

The sand between your pavers does more than fill a gap. It locks the pavers together, distributes weight, prevents shifting, and blocks weeds and insects from growing up through the joints. Over time, that sand washes out, degrades, and leaves the pavers loose and vulnerable.

What happens if you seal without re-sanding

• The sealer locks in a weak, degraded joint — the pavers stay loose
• Weeds and moss return quickly through the empty joints
• The sealer doesn't perform or last as long
• You'll pay to redo the job sooner than you should

The correct process

A proper paver restoration follows a specific order: deep clean the surface and joints, remove the old degraded sand, install fresh polymeric sand, compact it into the joints, and only then apply the sealer. The sealer locks in the fresh sand and the clean surface together — which is what makes the result last for years.