Should the warranty on my Vancouver paver job include re-sanding?

Yes, a quality interlock warranty in Metro Vancouver should include re-sanding — but the details matter a lot, and most warranties have important conditions attached.

Polymeric sand replenishment is directly tied to workmanship quality. If joint sand washes out within the first year, it almost always points to one of three installation problems: the polymeric sand was improperly activated (too much or too little water), it was applied in wet conditions (common in Metro Vancouver's long rainy season), or the surface drainage wasn't graded correctly and water is pooling and eroding the joints. All three are contractor errors, and a solid warranty should cover them.

What a reasonable warranty should cover:

A well-structured interlock warranty in Metro Vancouver typically includes one to two years of workmanship coverage, which should encompass joint sand failure caused by improper activation or application, pavers that settle or shift due to base preparation deficiencies, and edge restraints that pull away or fail. Re-sanding as a remedy for any of these workmanship failures should be explicitly included — not just "we'll come look at it."

What warranties typically don't cover — and shouldn't:

Polymeric sand in Metro Vancouver's climate genuinely degrades over time regardless of how well it was installed. Vancouver's 1,200mm+ of annual rainfall, combined with UV exposure and normal foot or vehicle traffic, means even a perfect installation will need joint sand replenishment every 3-5 years. That's normal maintenance, not a warranty claim. Most contractors will exclude routine sand replenishment after the first year or two, and that's fair. Moss growth in joints is similarly a maintenance issue, not a defect — though if moss appears within the first season because joints were left partially empty, that's a different conversation.

What to look for before you sign:

Ask the contractor to spell out in writing what triggers a warranty re-sand visit — specifically, what level of joint sand loss constitutes a defect versus normal wear. A contractor confident in their polymeric sand activation technique will have no problem putting this in writing. Also confirm they're using a quality polymeric sand product (Techniseal, Alliance, or Sakrete are the standard names in the Metro Vancouver market) rather than a generic bulk product — the difference in washout resistance is significant.

If your project is already complete and you're seeing joint sand loss in the first season, document it with photos and contact the contractor promptly. Don't wait — most workmanship warranties have a notification window, and letting it go through a full winter of rain before raising it weakens your position.