Block paving looks fantastic when it's freshly done and can look tired fast once moss creeps into the joints and jointing sand starts washing out. Block paving cleaning and sealing cost is best understood as three separate stages, since not everyone needs all three every time, and knowing the difference can save you paying for work you don't yet need.
This guide breaks down clean, re-sand and seal pricing separately, and how long each stage typically lasts before it needs doing again, so you can budget sensibly rather than guessing.
Stage one: cleaning
A thorough pressure wash clean of block paving, working into the joints to lift moss and algae, typically costs £4-£7 per m², reflecting the extra time needed compared to a flat surface like tarmac. For a standard driveway around 30-40m², that's roughly £150-£280 for cleaning alone.
This stage alone dramatically improves appearance but does nothing to protect against regrowth or replace sand washed out in the process, which is why cleaning is usually paired with at least re-sanding.
Stage two: re-sanding
After cleaning, the joints between blocks are usually left with reduced or washed-out sand, which needs topping up with kiln-dried sand to keep blocks locked in place and stop weeds and moss re-establishing. This typically adds £2-£4 per m², or roughly £80-£160 for a medium driveway.
Re-sanding is genuinely important, not cosmetic: unfilled joints let blocks shift slightly under vehicle weight over time, which can lead to an uneven surface and more expensive relaying work eventually.
Stage three: sealing
Sealing after cleaning and re-sanding locks the new sand in place, enhances the colour, and gives the biggest boost to how long the result lasts before needing attention again, typically £4-£10 per m² depending on sealer quality, as covered in more detail in our driveway sealing cost guide.
A full clean, re-sand and seal package on a medium driveway often runs £350-£600 total, and can extend the time before the next full treatment from roughly a year to two or three years, which is where the extra upfront cost tends to pay for itself.
Working out which stages you need
If your block paving still looks reasonably tidy and just needs a refresh, cleaning alone is a fair starting point. If joints are visibly empty, with weeds pushing through or blocks starting to feel slightly loose underfoot, re-sanding is worth adding regardless of whether you seal. Sealing on top of that is the step that makes the biggest difference to how long everything holds.
A reputable contractor will look at your specific driveway and recommend the stages that actually apply, rather than pushing the full package regardless of condition, since not every driveway needs every stage at every visit, and being upfront about that builds far more trust than upselling a package nobody asked for.
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