How to Kill Weeds Between Pavers?

Often the easiest plants to grow are the ones you don’t want – weeds. Sometimes, weeds like to take up residence between paving stones where they are not only an unsightly annoyance, they can also be difficult to get rid of.

How to kill weeds between pavers? It’s important to understand where they come from and how they grow. Weeds don’t grow from beneath the stones. They grow between the stones when the jointing sand washes away leaving space for the seedlings to fall in. Here in a moist, dark setting, the conditions are right for weeds to germinate and grow. Even a couple seedlings can quickly spread across your patio floor.

Prevent weeds before they take root

Despite how determined weeds are, you can take steps to prevent them from taking root on your patio in the first place.

1. Ensure that your paving stones are properly installed to deter weeds. You need a tightly packed sand bed foundation, and when using bricks, make sure they are fitted tightly together to minimize gaps where weeds can grow.

2. Never put plastic underneath the pavers. This will keep the joints wet and promote weed growth.

3. Ensure proper sloping away from the house to direct rainwater down the slope and prevent stagnant water from encouraging weed and moss growth. Controlling moisture is essential to prevent weed growth and shifting of the foundation.

4. Sweep your paving stones regularly to keep seedlings from settling in and taking hold between your pavers.

Ridding yourself of the weedy problem

If you already have weed growth between your patio stones, here are some tips to try.

1. First, manually remove large weeds from between the paving stones. Hand pulling is an effective method, but sometimes you may need to dig to remove the roots.

2. Then, use a pressure washer to remove the existing sand from the joints. This will also remove all rooting zones. It is important to remember not to use the pressure washer on high power or too close to the surface when rinsing, or you risk damaging the surface of your stones.

3. Apply a solution of 20% dish soap and 80% water to the surface of your patio. You can also use white vinegar, which is an acidic solution that can cause weeds to die, or just boiling water. For a homemade weed killer, mix vinegar, salt, and dish soap. Salt, saltwater, or table salt can also be used as natural weed killers, but be cautious as they can be harmful to surrounding plants.

4. Let the surface dry and refill the joints with jointing sand.

While it’s hard to keep weeds from sprouting up on your paver project, a little prevention will go a long way towards keeping them at bay. Talk to a Unilock Authorized Contractor about professional installation of a weed-resistant hardscape project.