I spent a lot of time researching what sealer to use on my 2008 stamped patio. I paid to have it sealed a few times in the past, only to have it fade out and get a white haze on it. I was nervous about doing it myself, but after reading tons of reviews (many were helpful), I finally purchased this sealer. I was torn between this one and the AR350, but I really wanted that "wet" look, so I purchased the AR500. My patio had not been sealed for over 2 years. It had faded and looked as dry as a clay flower pot. There were black spots where the water had sat each time it rained. I spent a lot of time prepping the patio and trimming in the grooves. The ONE BIG lesson I learned was next time, I'm going to invest in a metal canister sprayer and have my fiancé back roll it after I spray. It took WAY too much time to trim in the grooves. The roller I used was 5/8". If I'd used 1", not sure that would have made a difference. Also, the other very helpful tip someone mentioned was when you pour out of the can, to have the open part closest to your hand, instead of to the pan you're pouring into. I didn't understand that at first, but it kept any sealer from dripping on the lid. The fumes are very strong, so I recommend to close your windows while using the sealer and for a day once it's drying. I wish I'd taken a picture, but the box it arrived in, made it VERY easy for me to carry. It had a hand cut out on each side - one side toward the front, the other toward the back. I was worried about how heavy it might be, but I was able to carry it to the back yard. Supplies used - small hand brush, large push broom, 9" roller with 5/8" nap with long pole, 3 or 4" paint brush and an paint tray with disposable liners. Here are the steps I did to make it successful:

1. Cleaned patio with Dawn dish soap and water. Bought a hand held brush and used a push broom with a bucket & hose. I didn't want to power wash it as I was afraid it might get damaged due to the age.

2. Used a leaf blower to get rid of excess water and let it dry for a couple days. Since it was so porous, I figured the water was still down in the concrete.

3. Started sealing - first trimmed the area I was doing with the paint brush - against the foundation and in between the grooves. Rolling it on only, it was not getting down in the grooves or against the foundation.

4. Let it dry for a few days and returned the furniture to the patio.

5. After a few weeks, it started to fade/turn white in spots. I also had some bubbles in the sealer. I was discouraged, so I messaged Foundation Armor and shared pics. They said it should be fine once I do the second coat. I probably should have used some xylene on it to remove the bubbles, but didn't.

6. About 2.5 months later (due to my schedule and weather) put on a 2nd coat with roller and didn't use the paint brush as much to trim. (I did use the hose again to rinse off any pollen, etc and let dry a few days before sealing)

7. Waited about another week, and saw a few spots that still looked lite due to the highs/lows of the patio. This time used the paint brush and touched up the patio by hand. Bubbles were still in the areas where I put it on probably a little thick. The 2nd coat and touch up coat, didn't really remove too many of them.

8. Waited a few more days and placed patio furniture back. And I'm DONE! lol

I'm very pleased with how it turned out. A stamped patio is an investment in itself, so it's important to also keep it sealed properly. I will probably put one more coat on in the Spring as I have a gallon or so left in the can. The instructions say it will keep for a year. For reference, my patio is 20' x 25' and I purchased the 5 gallon bucket.

I hope this review helps anyone who might be on the fence about purchasing this sealer. I highly recommend. The only reason I gave it 4 stars for durability and ease of use, is because I'm not sure how it will look a year from now and it was a little challenging to use the product, but well worth it!!

Good luck and you'll be happy when you're done! Enjoy the pics and a few of my doggie!

After a good pressure cleaning & a few days to dry. This product AR500 is excellent. It was rolled on my paver driveway & brushed into all joints. Came out looking great. A second coat would really make it pop but rainy weather did not permit. I called customer service speaking to Eric who said it was long enough & should have set up enough for the rain not to bother it which was about 10 plus hours. Sure enough he was correct also very nice to talk to.
Recommend this product.

I was so worried when I bought this product. I was unsure of it use indoors. I will say, the fumes are horrendous, but the shine is as advertised even after the first coat. The wet look is definitely a wet look!!! I am so in love with my floor. I can't wait until the second coat is done! I can say that this product is easy to use and easy to apply. Dry time says 24 hours between each application but it is drying faster with the use of fans. (I would definitely recommend allowing the full 24 hours dry time though!)

I've being using another brand of paver sealer and have always been disappointed. This one does what the other brand doesn't do. First, it's easy to apply, I used a wide roller and it went onto the pavers easily and evenly. Second, it keeps the wet look after it dries, I used only one coat but a second coat would probably create even a better wer shiny look. And finally, it does enhance the color of my faded red pavers. I'll be using this product from now on for both my pool and driveway areas. Foundation Armor provides me with a detailed invoice, a postcard with detailed directions and hints. And they provided a support number if I had problems. Good company, great product.

The AR500 Sealer was used on our nearly 900 sq-ft paver patio. The patio was installed about 10 years ago using Unilock brand pavers. For unknown reasons, the contractor who originally installed the patio did not apply any sealer, which we think adversely contributed to the paver locking sand (used in the cracks between the pavers) breaking down over time. The thought being that the elements (water, freezing, thawing, etc.) had the opportunity to wick down into the compromised locking sand leading to the pavers heaving & the locking sand popping loose. Perhaps had the entire patio been sealed following installation, and repeated periodically over the years (maybe each year), the patio would not be in the condition it was.

In the process of determining what to do with the deteriorated patio condition, we obtain quotes from various contractors. As you can imagine with a patio this size the cost to revitalize was extensive. We opted to do the work ourselves with the bulk of the effort coming during the removal of the existing/broken up locking sand. This was accomplished using a multi-tool & a quantity of thin blades, which actually worked quite well but took a long time. The displaced sand had to be vacuumed out of the gaps between pavers with a shop-vac. After removing all the loose & deteriorated locking sand, the patio was thoroughly cleaned, new sand carefully applied and secured in place with a water mist.

The last step of a very lengthy & arduous process was to apply a very high quality sealer. We identified Foundation Armor's AR500 brand on Amazon and went with it. The process took 2 coats since the first application was almost immediately absorbed into the pavers & sand. We quickly noticed after applying the 2nd coat that the entire patio came to life. Massive contrast in appearance! We have had several hard rains and initial observation was how the water droplets beaded across the surface. I suppose only time and exposure to the elements will tell how well the AR500 sealer holds up.

Our plan is to reapply a coat each year based on the patio's condition. Sure, the product is not cheap but my thought is that "good & cheap rarely get together." I don't mind spending the money for a high quality product, especially after the amount of hard work put on the preparation. This should have been accomplished as part of the patio's initial installation.

Hopefully this review is useful to those out there facing a similar situation.