Sealing isn’t a one-time, permanent fix, and any answer that implies it is should make you skeptical. The realistic range in Metro Vancouver is roughly two to five years — but where a specific surface lands in that range depends on a few factors that are worth understanding before you budget for reapplication.
Sealer type sets the baseline
Penetrating sealers generally last longer than topical ones in a comparable location, because they’re not a surface film wearing away from contact — they’re protection built into the material itself. A topical sealer’s visible finish is also its vulnerability: the film that gives it its sheen is the same film that abrades under traffic. See penetrating vs. topical sealers for how the two actually differ.
Traffic is the biggest variable after that
A driveway sealed the same week as a garden patio will not wear at the same rate, even with the identical product. Vehicle traffic — tires, the grit they carry, the weight — abrades a sealed surface faster than foot traffic ever will. A patio or walkway with light use can comfortably sit at the long end of the range; a daily-use driveway is more realistically at the short end.
Sun exposure matters more than people expect
UV breaks down sealer chemistry over time, which means a south-facing, fully exposed driveway loses protection faster than an equivalent surface in regular shade. Two identical driveways on the same street can need reapplication a year or more apart from each other purely based on which direction they face.
Signs it’s due for reapplication
Water is the simplest test: on a properly sealed surface, water beads rather than soaking in. Once water starts absorbing rather than beading — especially in high-traffic areas first — the sealer in that spot has worn past the point of doing its job, even if the surface still looks fine to the eye.
Reapplication isn’t starting from scratch
A worn sealer doesn’t usually mean stripping everything back to bare material. It means cleaning the surface properly — addressing any staining or efflorescence that’s developed since the last application, see what causes efflorescence on concrete and pavers — letting it dry fully, and reapplying. The prep work matters as much the second time as the first.
Budgeting for it
If you’re planning exterior maintenance on a multi-year cycle — particularly relevant for strata properties coordinating recurring work — sealing is worth building in as a recurring line rather than an occasional surprise, with the interval set by the specific surfaces involved rather than a single number applied to the whole property.
Tell us the surface, roughly how it’s used and when it was last sealed if you know, and we’ll give you an honest estimate of where it likely sits in that two-to-five-year range. Concrete and stone sealing covers how we assess and price the work.