BeforeInterlock Restoration · Step 1 — The Restoration
Restore. Don't replace.
Interlock pavers are built to last decades — but the joints between them aren't immune to time, weather, and Ottawa's freeze-thaw. When sand erodes and weeds establish, most contractors offer one solution: replacement. Restoration usually solves the same problem.
What Natural Finish Is
The look your interlock was meant to have.
Natural Finish is a complete restoration with no surface coating: joints rebuilt with premium polymeric sand, vibration-compacted and levelled precisely, leaving the natural stone look. Flexible joints suited to Ottawa's freeze-thaw — engineered movement instead of cracking.
It's the right choice for most driveways, for anyone who prefers the natural look, and for anyone who'd rather prove the joints before deciding on a sealer. A well-restored surface doesn't need a coating — that's why the sealer is Step 2, and optional.
From $1,050 +HST for most residential projects
Price my restoration in 60 seconds →Before
After"The interlock looks terrific — many thanks for all of your hard work over the past few weeks."— Kate · Interlock driveway restoration client
What Makes Ours Different
Why re-sanding alone doesn't last — and what we do differently.
Most re-sanding jobs follow the same basic process: remove old sand, clean, re-sand. It looks good on day one. By the following season, the weeds are back — because the root crowns living protected beneath the old jointing compound were exposed but never treated. Re-sand over them and you've sealed the problem back in with fresh material.
Before any new sand goes down, we treat every open joint with commercial-grade saturated steam. Steam delivered directly into an open joint channel reaches depths that are impossible to treat on an intact surface — killing weed root crowns at the source. No chemicals. No residue. Safe for children and pets immediately after treatment.
Steam treatment is a standard part of every restoration we do — not an optional add-on.
The Process
Eight steps. No shortcuts.
Two visits — and each stage waits for the right conditions.
- 01
Agree the scope
Surfaces to restore, the process, and your chosen polymeric sand colour — in writing before work begins.
- 02
Assess
Any corrections or adjustments worth making first get flagged — including areas that should be re-levelled before they qualify for warranty.
- 03
Extract the joints
Full removal of old polymeric sand and weeds from every joint — cleanly, without mess.
- 04
Clean the surface
Commercial hot-water pressure washing with a rotating surface cleaner.
- 05
Steam the open joints
Saturated steam at over 100°C delivered into every open joint channel — killing weed root crowns at the source, with zero chemicals and zero residue.
- 06
Dry
A hold period until the work area is completely dry — sand performs only in dry joints.
- 07
Re-sand & compact
Premium polymeric sand installed, then compacted with a vibrating plate fitted with a protective pad.
- 08
Level & set
Precise brooming and blowing to the correct joint depth, then a final wetting to activate and set the sand.
What We Use And Why
Named products, chosen for Ottawa's climate.
Techniseal HP NextGel polymeric sand
The premium jointing sand — selected for driveway-grade load capacity, humidity resistance in Ottawa's climate, and the strongest available resistance to weed growth, insect intrusion, and erosion. Compacted and levelled, it's what keeps joints stable and low-maintenance for years.
Commercial saturated steam
Delivered at over 100°C directly into open joint channels — contact kill of weed root crowns with zero chemical residue. This is the step that separates a restoration that holds from one that needs redoing in a season.
OxyShock MAX surface cleaner
A professional oxygen-based organics cleaner used on the pavers and joints during restoration — and on the annual maintenance visit. It leaves the surface cleaner for longer than a standard wash. A cleaner, not a coating.
Seal Later If You Choose
Every Natural Finish is Seal & Renew-ready.
Once your new joints have cured 30+ days, your restoration qualifies for Interlock CAT5 Seal & Renew — the CAT5 satin finish, applied over joints we know are sound because we built them. Restore now, evaluate the result, seal this season or next. No penalty for waiting.
The 5-year joint warranty, in plain terms.
Qualifying areas — surfaces assessed as level or properly levelled — carry a 5-year joint warranty. Sunken or pooling areas we flag at assessment are excluded unless corrected, and what's covered is documented before the job starts. Our Annual Maintenance & Warranty program — a yearly professional clean and inspection — is what keeps coverage in force.
Good To Know
Common questions.
How long does a restoration take?
Two visits: the first cleans, steams and extracts the joints; the second, once the surface is fully dry, sands and compacts. Each stage needs the right conditions (especially a fully dry surface before sanding), and we don't rush stages that determine how long the joints last.
Will the weeds come back?
Weeds in interlock grow in the joints, not up through the base. We physically remove them with the old sand, steam the open joint channels to kill the root crowns most contractors seal back in, then lock the joint with compacted polymeric sand. A locked, well-filled joint is what keeps them out — and the annual maintenance wash keeps it that way.
Do I need to seal it afterwards?
No. Natural Finish is a complete restoration — flexible joints, the natural stone look, done. Sealing is an optional finish for colour enhancement and surface protection, and it can be added later: after 30+ days of cure, your restoration qualifies for CAT5 Seal & Renew whenever you're ready.
What does the 5-year joint warranty cover?
Joint performance on qualifying areas — surfaces assessed as level or properly levelled. Sunken or water-pooling areas we identify at assessment (and that aren't corrected) are excluded, and we document what's covered before work starts. The Annual Maintenance & Warranty visit is what keeps coverage meaningful year over year.
Is restoration always the right call?
No — and we'll say so. Restoration is right when the stones are structurally sound but the joints and surface have failed. If your base has genuinely failed, or replacement makes more sense, you'll hear that at the free assessment.
Thirty Seconds, Three Questions
Describe what the joints are doing.
Answer what you can and send it over — David's first reply will already be about your stones.
What's happening out there? (pick any that apply)
Saturated steam clears the weeds and their roots, and the freshly locked joint that follows leaves little room for new growth to establish.
Roughly how big?
Any sunken or uneven areas?
Skipped a question? No problem — send it anyway. Interested in more than one service? Everything you send stacks into a single enquiry — browse freely and keep adding. David replies personally within one business day.