Discolored Brick Pavers

[Tom Bender]

My pavers are about 20 years old and have needed no maintenance beyond sweeping. Love them!

But two years ago I set up a temporary flower bed for a few months, then removed it. It left this discolored patch. It has not healed itself. Any suggestions?
Brick Pavers Discolored.jpg

[Bill Orbine]

Pressure wash the darken pavers might work.

[Lee Schierer]

Those discolored pavers are actually the original color of your pavers. Those that were uncovered have been exposed to dirt from rain and snow and algae for 20 years and they are now darker. If you pressure was the dark pavers and treat them with something to kill the algae they will match the lighter colored ones. Eventually they will all darken again unless you clean them regularly.

[Andrew Joiner]

Only covered a few months? Maybe something in the flower bed leached out. Can you easily flip them for a better match?

[Stan Calow]

my pavers have done the opposite. Those exposed the most have lightened considerably. Very curious.

[Gary Ragatz]

Assuming the pavers under the flower bed were in contact with the soil in the bed, I'd guess something in the soil leached the colorant out of those pavers. I know you can get concrete dye and concrete stain at paint stores or home improvement stores - no idea which would be better.

[Flamone LaChaud]

Flip all the pavers and be done with it - the other side has been consistent the entire time. If they're dirty, the first few rains will take care of that.

[Dan Hunkele]

The pavers are discolored with the same mildew? that causes concrete to turn black. You can waste your day and a lot of water pressure washing it or you can go to someplace like Sam's Club and get the performance bleach which is stronger than the beach sold in grocery stores. Spray it on full strength until it looks wet and walk away, no scrubbing necessary. It will kill whatever the black stuff is and make the pavers look new again. Also works on concrete and treated lumber decks.

[Tom Bender]

The pavers are not flippable, they have rounded edges on top. Yes they have returned to the original color so eventually they will discolor to match but it's not happening fast.

I don't want to get into cleaning the whole patio. It is a big area, plus we like the moss that's getting started. But I think I will test the bleach approach.

Wait, I forgot a detail, I had put a sheet of plastic on the pavers before building the temporary flower bed. I'll have to test that. It could be the easy way to refresh the whole area without chemicals.

[Lee Schierer]

It is a big area, plus we like the moss that's getting started. But I think I will test the bleach approach.

Be aware that bleach will kill the moss.