Protecting Your Investment: How Jericho’s Mature Tree Canopy and Professional Paver Sealing Work Together
Jericho’s tree-lined streets are one of the neighborhood’s most cherished features, but these magnificent mature oaks, maples, and pines can pose unique challenges for homeowners with paver installations. The area’s mature oak, maple, and pine trees, including white oaks, red oaks, sugar maples, and red maples, create a stunning canopy that adds tremendous value to properties. However, tree roots pose a real threat to patio, walkway, and driveway pavers, causing unsightly cracks, inconsistencies, and tripping hazards.
Understanding the Root Challenge in Mature Neighborhoods
A tree’s expanding root zone can interfere with your pavers, whether the tree is old or a few years old, and surface-level tree roots can reach the pavers themselves. In established neighborhoods like Jericho, where some oak specimens are known to live over 500 years, the root systems have had decades to develop extensive networks that can extend far beyond the tree’s canopy.
The general rule is that a tree’s root zone spreads 1½ feet in diameter for every inch of the tree’s trunk, which means mature trees can have root systems extending 20-30 feet or more from their base. Tree roots can jeopardize the integrity of the whole paver system, and while you can’t actually stop roots from spreading, there are things you can do to help prevent them from uprooting your walkway, patio or driveway.
Why Pavers Are Still the Best Choice Near Trees
Despite the challenges, pavers are still the most cost-effective patio and walkway options to place near trees. Interlocking pavers are flexible, allowing for some movement whereas poured concrete is not, and if tree roots are causing a problem with a concrete or asphalt surface, undertaking repairs is usually a major job that involves cutting and re-pouring concrete. Pavers are easier to replace or repair individually if tree roots damage them, while cracked or uneven concrete slabs could lead to much more significant and costly repairs.
The Role of Professional Paver Sealing
This is where professional paver sealing jericho services become essential. Paver sealing is designed to protect your pavers from the elements, preventing discoloration, fading, and erosion, with sealant specially formulated to repel water and protect against stains. But sealing offers additional benefits when dealing with tree root challenges.
Once the sealer sets, your pavers will be far less prone to staining, their structural integrity will be strengthened, they’ll be protected from fading and discoloration, and the sealers last for years and will dramatically improve the durability and extend the life expectancy of your hardscapes. If your pavers have succumbed to settling, shifting, tree root infiltration, water damage, or simply the pressure from everyday use, professional paver restoration can often revive damaged hardscapes.
Comprehensive Protection Strategy
Professional paver sealing companies understand that addressing tree root damage requires a multi-step approach. The process involves re-grouting the entire surface with polymeric sand to guarantee that all pavers are properly secured and structurally sound, then thoroughly cleaning the pavers and applying a high-quality sealer to strengthen durability, prevent future damage, and bring out the natural beauty of the paving stones.
The sealing process begins with thorough cleaning, removing any plant matter growing between the cracks of pavers, and once the paver stones are completely dry, technicians apply high-end sealer between the cracks and on the surfaces of hardscapes.
Preventive Measures for Long-Term Success
For existing installations, leaving a space of 3 to 6 feet between existing trees and pavers, and in some instances adding a tree barrier by inserting a concrete footing directly into the soil can provide extra protection. Installing a permeable paver base has been shown to slow the penetration of tree roots and actually encourage roots to grow downwards to reach water in underlying soil.
Professional Expertise Makes the Difference
Long Island’s leading paver restoration companies bring decades of experience to these challenges. Companies like Paver Savers started to answer the needs of Nassau and Suffolk County property owners and preserve the aesthetics and durability of their hardscapes, establishing themselves as trusted paver cleaning, sealing, and restoration contractors and serving countless clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
These fully licensed and insured, locally owned companies specialize in paver cleaning, sealing, and restoration, providing clients with the highest quality results at fair and affordable prices, with professionally trained and highly experienced technicians ready to serve all hardscape cleaning, maintenance, and renovation needs.
Maintaining Your Investment
Despite their durability, paver stones are susceptible to damage from exposure to harsh conditions and wear and tear that can negatively impact their visual appeal and damage their structural integrity, making proper maintenance an absolute must to maintain beauty and extend life expectancy.
Regular professional maintenance not only addresses existing root damage but also helps prevent future issues. Sealing your pavers can help prevent weeds and moss from taking root, and by protecting your pavers from damage, you can avoid costly repairs and replacements down the road.
In Jericho’s mature neighborhoods, the combination of proper installation techniques, professional sealing, and regular maintenance creates a sustainable solution that preserves both your beautiful hardscapes and the magnificent trees that make the community so special. With the right approach, homeowners can enjoy the best of both worlds: stunning mature trees and durable, beautiful paver installations that enhance their property’s value for years to come.