As Fall approaches and leaves begin to drop, you may start noticing some marks on your pavers. This is caused by tannin left behind from leaves and other organic debris. Tannin marks are generally brown in color and can come from not just leaves but also wood, stems, bark, roots, etc. This is naturally occurring and most common in trees and leaves from the oak, willow, birch, and pine trees.
Do not be alarmed if you see these marks. While the discoloration left behind can stain pavers, even if they are sealed- it will go away over time. Keep in mind that sometimes there are more stubborn tannin marks then others. The longer leaves, bark, and organic debris are left on your pavers the more likely of staining and the deeper the stains will get into your surfaces. Especially when the leaves are left on your surface and are wet as this will leave more of a stain behind. Another situation that we often find is sap excreted from the trees which will also leave staining behind. Stain from the the sap can take longer to disappear.
How do you slow or prevent this from happening?
The best way to avoid stains from tannin is to regularly clean falling debris from the pavers using a broom or a leaf blower when you see them building up. We recommend following up with a professional cleaning done in Spring or look for our Spring Cleaning or End of Year Maintenance suggestions in a future email.