Nuclear option for weeds?
Mistwalker
Posts: 65
Hi guys,
I have a brick drive that every year is infested by weeds growing up between the bricks. I've tried replacing the sand between the bricks but the little perishers insist on poking their heads up.
Is there a permanent solution in the way of a weedkiller that will permanently make the soil beneath incapable of supporting life for at least a couple of years at a time? I'm just so sick of weeding that drive just to see them appear again in a few weeks. I've tried commercial as well as homemade recipes I've found on the net but none seem to keep them at bay for more than a couple of months.
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In short, no. Seeds blow around in the wind just looking for a nice home all the time.
Invest in a power washer machine. It will clean every crack in a few minutes.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
A think it's a bit like wishing for a magic carpet that never needs hoovering. Any weed killer that was toxic for so long would be a nasty thing to have around a residential area. If you don't mind the regular upkeep, block paving looks so lovely. The problem is that it's generally just bedded on sand with a bit brushed in between the paviors. That still leaves room for seeds. If you want less maintenance, you can go for something solid with no gaps for weeds. e.g.creteprint that mimics block paving, mortared cobbles, plain old concrete or tarmac. I have a small block paved area and I just pour a few buckets of piping hot water on it. Cooks what's there instantly.
There are new rules about driveways and paved gardens being left porous to allow rainwater to soak in and reduce the danger of flooding.
You could try a flamethrower weed killer when they appear. You could use a power washer but that would dislodge sand and cement so the joints would need refilling every year. You could spray with glyphosate based weed killer when there's enough growth to take the product back to the roots and kill the plants permanently.but you'd still have to remove the unsightly dead growth once the active ingredient has done its work.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I find that Pathclear keeps most weeds away for about 6 months with just a small amount of individual weeds still coming through which can be kept in check by spot weedkiller, flame weeder or hand weeding.
Don't use road salt on your drive it will destroy it
Bricks aren't tarmac and are damaged by salts.
Pathclear is good but you have to be careful about getting it on surrounding borders and into waterways so no good where gardens drain into ponds or streams but probably OK for normal urban use.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Heres some photos I took when my block paved drive was installed 2 yrs ago...
And heres a photo a few weeks later after applying Resiblock sealant...
The weeds have never appeared. In fact I have a regular oil leak from my car and I can simply wash the oil away without leaving any stains...
Before..
After...
Heres the Resiblock I used...
Thanks for all your suggestions, guys. It's given me a lot to think about. Right now I'm considering that Resiblock sealant or something called Polymeric Paving Joint Fix which is a kind of sand which sets between the bricks once sprayed with water. I suppose I could go over the top and do both
LeadFarmer: Did you apply new sand between the bricks before you used the sealant or just applied it over the original?
Resiblock isn't cheap. If you phone them direct then they sell dented tins cheaper, thats what I did. Or they may be available on eBay.