Commercial Block Paving Restoration – The Weekend Turnaround

The Situation

We were commissioned to restore the external areas of a large commercial office site. The project scope covered the main pedestrian routes, courtyard areas, and the circulation paths connecting the buildings.

The issue here went beyond curb appeal. The block paving had become heavily contaminated with algae and moss, particularly in shaded spots. When wet, these organic buildups turned the walkways into a serious slip hazard for staff and visitors, meaning the client needed an immediate safety solution, not just a cosmetic tidy-up.

The Challenge: A Strict Deadline

The logistical challenge for this job was the window of opportunity. The client couldn’t afford to shut down sections of the office during the week, nor could we work around staff.

We were given a hard deadline: complete the entire site within a single weekend. We had to start after work finished on Friday and have the site fully operational, safe, and pristine for the staff returning on Monday morning. There was no margin for error or delays.

Our Approach

To hit the deadline, we planned the workflow to maximise every hour of the weekend.

1. Mechanical Deep Clean: We used controlled mechanical cleaning to strip away the heavy organic growth and ingrained dirt. The key was using enough pressure to remove the grime but dialling it in correctly to avoid blowing out the joints or damaging the surface of the blocks.
2. The Critical Step – Re-sanding: You can’t just wash block paving and walk away. Cleaning removes the old jointing sand along with the dirt. Once the cleaning was done and the surface was dry, we fully re-sanded the entire area. This is vital for two reasons: it restores the structural stability of the paving (preventing wobbles) and improves the visual finish.

The Outcome

When the staff arrived on Monday morning, the transformation was total.

• Hazard Removed: The slippery algae layer was completely gone, restoring safe grip across the site.
• Structure Secured: The fresh kiln-dried sand stabilised the blocks, ensuring the paving remains solid under foot traffic.
• Business as Usual: We hit the deadline perfectly. There was zero disruption to the business, and the site was handed back ready for immediate use.

This project really highlighted why speed and planning matter just as much as the cleaning itself. By hitting the site hard over the weekend, we solved a major safety risk without the client losing a single minute of productivity.