Paver Sealer Has Turned White or Started Peeling

Establish which coating is on the surface

Collect the sealer label, application date, number of coats and weather conditions. Note whether the pavers had recently been washed or the joints had just been installed. Look for patchy gloss, peeling edges and cloudy areas that follow shaded or persistently damp locations. If the old product is unknown, say so to the supplier rather than guessing that all clear sealers are equivalent.

Separate a deposit from a failing film

White mineral deposits and a whitening sealer can appear similar in a photograph. A hardscape professional or coating supplier may need to examine a dry patch and the treatment history. Avoid scraping a large test area or pouring solvents onto the patio. Those experiments can damage the finish, spread residue and create a more complicated patch than the original problem.

If the haze was present before sealing, White Haze on Pavers: Efflorescence or Cleaning Damage? helps distinguish possible surface deposits.

Get a product-specific recovery method

The manufacturer may recommend waiting, a specific remedial process or stripping and starting again, depending on the product and failure. Follow that written method and its handling requirements. Correct moisture, drainage or preparation problems before any new application. Test the appearance and traction of the approved system in a small area. A successful repair should remain clear after weather changes, not merely look darker while fresh.

Unilock stresses compatibility between old and new sealers and appropriate surface dryness; its guidance does not make recoating a universal cure for whitening. Unilock: paver sealing guidance.

Before you finish

• Do not mix cleaning or stripping chemicals.
• Ask for advice tied to the actual sealer.
• Correct the cause before restoring the finish.