Paving cleaning in Cape Town: we clean driveways and pavers across the Western Cape, priced per job. We re-seal pavers too, so a clean can be followed by a fresh coat of sealer. A written quote should name the area, the stains to be treated, and whether the joints are re-sanded or the paving re-sealed afterwards.
What a paving cleaning quote should cover
Contents
A paving cleaning quote should name what is cleaned, how each stain is treated, and what happens to the joints afterwards. Stains come first and the whole surface is cleaned after that, the order the Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA), the North American industry body for concrete pavers, gives in its cleaning and sealing tech note.
- The area in square metres.
- Each stain to be treated, such as oil, tyre marks, cement splashes or white haze.
- How plants beside the paving are covered against overspray.
- Where the water comes from, and where the run-off goes.
- Whether joint sand washed out in the clean is topped up afterwards.
The joint top-up matters. The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), a South African industry association for concrete paving, says in its laying manual that a lack of jointing sand causes blocks to tilt under traffic and spall.
Cape Town water and run-off rules
Paved areas in Cape Town may not be hosed down with water from a potable source without prior written authority from the City. That rule is in the City’s Water By-law, and the City of Cape Town’s notice on permanent water regulations says Water By-law regulations are compulsory even when no water restrictions are in force.
The same notice names borehole and well-point water as alternative sources, and the City asks that these be used sparingly and efficiently too. Ask any paving cleaner where the water for your job will come from.
Run-off matters as well. Under the City’s stormwater rules, nothing but clean stormwater may legally go into the stormwater system, whether from a home or a business. Run-off from a chemical clean should be kept out of the street drain.
Cleaning and re-sealing in one job
Cleaning and re-sealing go together, but most sealers go on only once the cleaned paving is completely dry. The CMHA says all dirt, oil stains and efflorescence must be removed before sealing, and asks for at least 24 hours without moisture or surface dampness before most sealers are applied.
Sealing therefore follows the drying period and the chosen sealer’s own instructions. The tech note says a sealer can whiten on damp paving or turn cloudy when applied over saturated joint sand. For sealing itself, see our paver sealing page.
A clean is a good point to decide about sealing. The CMHA describes a newly cleaned pavement as an opportune time to stabilise the joint sand or seal the paving.
What paving cleaning costs
Paving cleaning is priced per job. Lifting and re-laying existing paving costs R150 per m², one of the rates on our paving prices in Cape Town page. Base correction under a re-lay is priced per job.
After any clean, check these points before you pay.
- The joints are full of sand again.
- Any acid cleaner was tried on a small area first, and you agreed to the colour risk. The CMHA says strong acid cleaners change the colour of pavers slightly.
- No cleaner or silt has been left in low spots or washed onto the lawn.
- Any broken pavers found during the clean are pointed out to you.
To book a paving clean, call 081 408 9946.