Can You Pressure Wash Pavers? PSI, Technique and Re-Sanding
Yes, you can pressure wash concrete pavers. Keep it around 1,500 psi with a wide tip held low and back, or use a surface cleaner, and plan on re-sanding the joints afterward.
Yes, you can pressure wash pavers, and paver maker Western Interlock recommends it, but the same spray that lifts the dirt can blast the sand out of the joints. Keep a homeowner machine around 1,500 psi with the widest tip held low and well back, or use a surface cleaner, then check the joints and re-sand where the sand has dropped.
Quick answer
Western Interlock recommends about 1,500 psi for concrete pavers. If your washer won’t turn down, hold the wand at least 24 inches off the surface with the widest tip. Pros run 1,000 to 4,000 psi, but with a wide fan at a low angle so the joint sand stays put. Belgard says joint sand lost more than 1/2 inch below the bottom of the chamfer needs replacing. Belgard caps its porcelain pavers at 1,600 psi.
What pressure washing does to pavers
A paver patio isn’t one slab. It’s hundreds of separate units held together by the sand packed between them. Belgard’s guide to interlocking pavement explains that loads pass from one paver to the next through the sand in the joints, and that’s what stops one paver from sinking below its neighbors. Blow the sand out and that interlock goes with it.
Belgard calls for joints about 1/8 inch wide, so there isn’t much sand in them to lose. Western Interlock’s pressure washing advice keeps the pressure down and the tip wide to minimize damage to the hardscape.
So the answer isn’t “never.” It’s “wash gently, then put back the sand you lost.”
What PSI to use on pavers
Pressure is only one of the dials. Tip width, distance and angle matter just as much, and the volume of water does most of the rinsing. CMHA’s cleaning and sealing guide says a large amount of water is more important to rinsing than high pressure.
| Job | Pressure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Washing concrete pavers, homeowner machine | About 1,500 psi; widest tip; 24 in. or more back if not adjustable | Western Interlock |
| Professional cleaning | 1,000 to 4,000 psi at 2 to 6 gal/min, wide fan nozzle, low angle | CMHA |
| Porcelain pavers | 1,600 psi maximum, low-pressure washer only | Belgard |
| Putting on efflorescence cleaner | 30 to 100 psi pump sprayer, shower-type nozzle | CMHA |
| Watering in polymeric sand | Shower setting; never a high-pressure jet | Sika |
The pro range isn’t permission to aim a narrow tip at a joint. CMHA’s point is that a wide spray covers ground efficiently and keeps sand in the joints, and a low angle of attack reduces the risk of dislodging it.
Porcelain is a different product. Belgard caps its porcelain pavers at 1,600 psi, nothing more powerful.
How to pressure wash pavers
CMHA and the paver makers lay out this order, and it’s how we’d approach a patio:
- Clear and protect. Move furniture and grills, tie back or cover plants, and turn off any sprinklers. Acidic cleaners can hurt grass and plants.
- Look at the drainage. Run a little plain water first and watch where it goes. CMHA warns that dirty water left to pond in low spots can stain the pavers.
- Replace broken pavers. Cracked or broken units should come out before you clean. Settled areas need a base repair, which our guide to fixing sinking pavers covers.
- Treat stains first. Use a cleaner made for concrete pavers, test it on a hidden spot, and work from the bottom of the slope up. The used cleaner drains down over the part you’ve finished, and the pavers ahead stay dry so you can see the stains. Wear goggles and protective clothing with anything acidic.
- Test a few pavers. Western Interlock suggests washing a few pavers first to check the result.
- Wash the field. A surface cleaner attachment, with two heads that spin at high speed, holds the same distance everywhere and gives consistent results. With a plain wand, use the widest tip, keep it low and back, and move at a steady pace. Moving too fast leaves swirl marks.
- Rinse it off. Use plenty of water, rinse toward the low edge, and don’t leave dirty water sitting in low spots.
For a small patio or walk, CMHA says you can skip the machine: put the cleaner on by hand, scrub with a brass or plastic brush, and rinse with a garden hose. Don’t use steel bristles. They break off, rust and leave stains.
If the problem is a white, powdery haze rather than dirt, it may be efflorescence. Our guide to efflorescence on pavers explains what it is and how it’s removed.
Re-sanding pavers after pressure washing
After the pavers dry, look down into the joints. Belgard’s maintenance page sets the line: joint sand lost more than 1/2 inch, measured from the bottom of the chamfer (the small bevel on the paver’s top edge), needs to be replaced. Belgard also says re-sanding will be necessary after power washing porcelain set with sand or polymeric sand joints.
Plain joint sand is easy to top up: sweep dry sand into the joints and work it down until they’re full. Polymeric sand, the kind with a binder that hardens, takes more care. Our polymeric sand vs regular sand guide covers the choice.
Every polymeric product has its own instructions, and the bag wins. Sika’s EVOLUTION Pro 1 data sheet shows the kind of steps to expect:
- Clean out the old sand to the full depth of the paver, or at least 1 1/2 inches, before touching up. Sika doesn’t allow a thin top-up over the old sand.
- Start bone dry. The pavers must be completely dry, with no rain expected for 24 hours.
- Fill to just below the top. Sweep the sand into the joints to the full depth, leaving about 1/8 inch below the surface. For joints under 1/4 inch, Sika runs a plate compactor over the pavers to settle it, then tops up.
- Sweep the surface clean. Stiff broom first, then a soft broom, then a leaf blower. Sand left on the face can stick.
- Water it in gently. Shower setting only, in 50 square foot sections starting at the low end, about a minute per section. Check with a screwdriver that the water reached at least 1 inch down.
- Stay off it. 24 hours before foot traffic and 72 hours before vehicles, longer below 70°F. Keep sprinklers off for 72 hours, and only install it above 32°F.
That clean-out step is where a pressure washer earns its keep. Belgard notes that high-pressure sprayers are typically used by professional contractors experienced in both cleaning and joint sand replacement.
Builder’s note: Wash one day and sand the next. Pavers can look dry on top while the joints are still wet, and Sika warns that polymeric sand spread on damp pavers can stick and stain. A full sunny day between the two steps is cheap insurance.
Pressure washing pavers before sealing
Cleaning is the first step of any sealing job. CMHA lists the order as stains first, then an overall cleaning that removes dirt and efflorescence, then joint stabilizer or sealer.
The pavers then need to be completely dry. CMHA asks for at least 24 hours without moisture before most sealers go on, because a sealer put over damp joints can turn cloudy or white. If you’ve just put in new polymeric sand, Sika says to wait at least 30 days after its product goes in before using sealers or cleaners.
New pavers are different. Belgard recommends waiting until they’ve had a year of service before sealing, so any efflorescence has time to clear. Whether to seal at all is its own question, and our guide on whether you should seal pavers walks through it.
DIY or hire a pro
A homeowner with a rented or borrowed washer can do a good job on a patio by following the steps above. Keep the pressure down, the tip wide and the pace steady, and budget an afternoon for re-sanding.
CMHA’s view is that most cleaning jobs belong with a professional company that knows the chemicals and spray equipment. That makes sense for a big driveway, stubborn oil or rust stains, a full polymeric sand replacement, or a cleaning that has to be followed by sealing.
Sometimes cleaning isn’t the fix. Pavers that rock, sink or hold puddles need base work, and a patio that’s past repair needs rebuilding. If you’re starting over, our online patio design plans set the size, base depth and pitch before anything gets dug up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What PSI should I use to pressure wash pavers?
Western Interlock recommends about 1,500 psi for concrete pavers with the widest tip you have. If your washer can’t be turned down, hold the wand at least 24 inches away. Belgard caps its porcelain pavers at 1,600 psi.
Will pressure washing remove polymeric sand?
It can. Belgard says power washing porcelain set in sand or polymeric sand joints will mean some re-sanding, and Sika notes its polymeric sand softens when saturated. Keep the tip wide, then check the joints and re-sand where needed.
How long after pressure washing can you seal pavers?
Give them at least 24 hours of dry weather first, which is CMHA’s minimum for most sealers. If you re-sanded with polymeric sand, check the bag; Sika’s EVOLUTION Pro 1 calls for 30 days before sealers.
Do you have to re-sand pavers after pressure washing?
Only where the sand dropped. Belgard’s rule is to replace joint sand that’s more than 1/2 inch below the bottom of the chamfer.
Sources: CMHA PAV-TEC-005, Cleaning, Sealing and Joint Sand Stabilization of Interlocking Concrete Pavement (rev. 2022); Western Interlock, Best Practices for Pressure Washing Pavers; Belgard Product Installation Guide, Paver Maintenance (Technical Resource Guide p. 9); Belgard Product Installation Guide, Understanding Interlocking Concrete Pavement (Technical Resource Guide p. 10); Belgard Product Installation Guide, Porcelain Pavers (Technical Resource Guide p. 25); Sika Canada, EVOLUTION Pro 1 Polymeric Sand, Product Data Sheet (Aug. 2024)
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Written and reviewed by Thayne Muthler, owner of Muthler Landscaping & Construction. How we check facts: editorial policy.