# Preventing weeds in brick pavers



## buddy110

Jeff G said:


> For sure, the combination of polymeric sand and geotextile fabric under the base work well.
> 
> Just for future reference when there are grass/weeds that you want to get rid of inexpensively, a mix of boiling water and a good amount of salt works quite well, and very effective for a quite a while. Non-toxic too. I put it on my drive in the springtime and generally don't have to reapply the rest of the year. Doesn't take a whole lot, but just pour enough of it on to "cook" the roots of the plant.


 
20% acetic acid works well also (vinegar) Although vinegar is only 5%


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## mudpad

buddy110 said:


> 20% acetic acid works well also (vinegar) Although vinegar is only 5%


So use 4 times as much. :clap:


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## MAULEMALL

The absolute cheapest I have used (and I used it on my own) is table salt...

seriously , go spend a buck and try it for yourself..


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## Jeff G

MAULEMALL said:


> The absolute cheapest I have used (and I used it on my own) is table salt...
> 
> seriously , go spend a buck and try it for yourself..


Salt is a very effective weed killer, so is boiling water. When the two are combined, you have a "Super Weed Killer"!


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## ChainsawCharlie

griz said:


> Don't waste your time or money.
> Didn't work worth a darn on Calif. weeds.



Was it vinegar from the grocery store? That won't do it. (5-8% acetic acid)

You need too find horticultural vinegar (25-35% acetic acid).


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## buddy110

ChainsawCharlie said:


> Was it vinegar from the grocery store? That won't do it. (5-8% acetic acid)
> 
> You need too find horticultural vinegar (25-35% acetic acid).


 
Yes, I use 20% and it kills the weed in hours


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## ChainsawCharlie

buddy110 said:


> 20% acetic acid works well also (vinegar) Although vinegar is only 5%



That too. 

Didn't see the 2nd page before posting.


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## Crawdad

neolitic said:


> No one said anything about applying.
> The weeds won't show up until
> the OP is gone.
> Please explain why you would
> use pesticide on weeds anyway?


To kill them. Why else? A weed is a pest.



pinwheel said:


> pesticides kill bugs, herbicides kill plants. But you sounded like you knew what you were talking about.:laughing:


Yes, pinwheel, I did know what I was talking about. 

I just noticed this old post had some replies. Herbicides are regulated as a pesticide in most states. If it kills ANYTHING, you need to be certified. 
Look it up, please, and you'll see that I am correct. Better yet, call and ask your county agent. 

By the way, unless the vinegar is labeled for use as an herbicide, or pesticide, it's still illegal in most states to apply it for your customer.
Check your local regulations.

By the way, seeing as how this is such an old thread, I'm wondering how the OP dealt with the weeds, did you hire a licensed pro, or break the law, or perhaps some other alternative?


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## Tscarborough

If you prepped the pavers correctly, there is zero chance of weeds coming from underneath, and thus there is no good reason for a geotextile under the pavers. Paver weeds are exclusively airborne, and the best way to prevent them is to maintain tight full joints. The best way to eradicate them is Roundup. Salt is a worse pollutant than Roundup, but vinegar does work.


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## lucky644

When done properly, Polymeric Sand works wonders. We've done many jobs over the years and I have not yet seen a previous job with a weed issue.


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## Hansen Hardscap

concretemasonry said:


> For real paving surfaces (10 to 50 acres) polymeric sand is never used because of the cost, life and ineffectiveness over time.


I agree with you but I would say the cost is more prohibitive than the other 2 reasons, I've been using polysand for over 5 years and have never had a weed problem.

Say if your area was 10 acres that 435,600 sq ft. depending on type of pavers I usually use 1 bag of poly sand to around 70 sq.ft. So thats 6223 bags of poly sand and at somewhere around $15 a bag thats over $93,000 just in poly sand.


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## spencedonaldson

My solution has worked for years, and I am always so surprised no one has given this any thought. I have driven by previous paving jobs over the last 10 years and never spotted a weed anywhere. I basically mix masonry paver base and dry mortar to form a mix as my base under pavers, after the pavers are down I mix a gravel dust and mortar mix, sweep it in deep and clean with no residue over paver. We gently mist the tops without huge amounts of water that will raise the mix and stain the pavers. I try to keep the mix color close to the paver color. For example, grey pavers will use a grey mortar and crushed grey gravel dust mix. Yes pavers and its joint filler will always shift, pack'em tight. Europe has used this system for their cobblestone roads for centuries.


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## BestToolChap

There are some paver sealers you can use that have chemicals in them that reduce the growth of weeds too. They have a built in weed killer essentailly. There is a Bon Tool one that I've used on a few paver jobs. It helps lock up the sand, and keeps most weeds, moss, etc from growing up in between the joints. They call it a Sealer and Stabilizer.


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## CSG

Primatol 
Not sure this is how you spell it but the chemical will impede weed and grass growth.


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## LauneLandscapes

Do you have Hytrol or Pathclear in the States? Or perhaps Premazor? That's what I would use. They all contain ingredients that will both kill any existing weeds and prevent seed germination for a whole season.


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## Premier pave

Hi All

Over here in the UK, Most paving contractors will at an extra cost, spray or roll on the paving a matt resin based sealer....that not only protects the stone from the elements and staining, but will also stop weeds growing in the kiln dried sand between the blocks...heres a link http://www.smartseal.co.uk/ 

http://www.premierpave.co.uk/landscape.html


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## Rock Headed

Vinegar.


My patios and walkways are all natural stone with screenings filling the joints. No sealers, no polysand. With flagstone work, weeds are less of a bother--they just do not look as offensive. But hey can sometimes get out of hand and so, If I'm going to use something to get rid of them, or if my clients asks how to get rid of and prevent weeds it's vinegar vinegar vinegar.

I like healthy bodies, healthy landscapes and a healthy earth and will always stear away from roun--I won't even say the word. Vinegar my friends. Vinegar.


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## Crawdad

I remember this old thread. A roofer, doing a paver job, asked a question in the landscape forum. A remodeler, a painter, a flooring contractor answered. I figured, since I had some actual knowledge in the field, I'd give an answer. Maybe stop someone from applying illegally, without even realizing it...

This answer was jumped on, scoffed at, laughed at, and whatever else. After all, what would a lawn guy know about herbicides/pesticides? :whistling 

So, to the OP, what did you recommend to the client? 

A little diesel would have done it, too. After all, it's not a pesticide, or an herbicide, so it requires no certification, right? :laughing:


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## MDLandscape

If applying pest/herbicides get a license or don't do it. Don't do chemicals anyway and pollute the planet with toxic **** from Monsanto corp(crooks). 
Polymeric sand works good, or as we do, use natural stone with No joints, yes custom work with No joints--problem solved!! 
What was the final verdict? 
www.morningdewlandscape.com


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## working chump

The geotextile under the base is not for weeds, it is a stability measure and it is to keep the base and sub-base from cross contaminating(ie smaller fines from entering larger fines and creating void). Weeds come from airborne seeds. I'm pretty sure the best thing you can do is pressure wash out the current sand and sweep in polymer sand, that should make it pretty difficult for weeds to get established. If the odd one pops up, just be a criminal and illegally spray it with some environmentally devastating armageddon causing round up.


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## lasvegaspaving1

concretemasonry said:


> Air-borne weed seeds are probably the most common problem for an established patio.
> 
> The joints are usually lower and seeds collect are washed into them. The surface shedding of water from the concrete pavers also collects in the joints and provides a source of moisture. Weeds can grow anywhere even if there is a "weed barrier" below.
> 
> Tress can grow in rock formations and create new cracks/joints, so why do people think that some short lived additive to the joint sand would really have much effect.
> 
> Boadleaf weeds are a minor short term problem than can easily be solved by the same "Weed-Be-Gone, etc. that is commonly used on lawns. For grasses, a light application of Round-Up" after germination and sprouting will be absorbed and kill to the roots. I used a squirt bottle once a year or so is usually adequate for patios, walkways and driveways.
> 
> For real paving surfaces (10 to 50 acres) polymeric sand is never used because of the cost, life and ineffectiveness over time.


Really appreciate this post. It’s hard to sort the good from the bad sometimes, but I think you’ve nailed it!

las vegas pavers
las vegas paving


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## dave19london

white vinegar and water solution for sure works, i have been doing this for many years


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## skagman111

Round up, round up...never once seen it affect Belgian block or concrete


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## Crawdad

Diesel fuel is good, too! No certification needed, just do it on a Saturday.


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## leeson1776

pinwheel said:


> pesticides kill bugs, herbicides kill plants. But you sounded like you knew what you were talking about.:laughing:


Pesticides include herbicides. It's an umbrella term. Weeds are "pests". 

Anyway, there are also herbicides known as soil sterilants that will prevent any kind of plant growing there for a couple years. You MUST have a licensed chemical applicator apply that.


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## pinwheel

leeson1776 said:


> Pesticides include herbicides. It's an umbrella term. Weeds are "pests".
> 
> Anyway, there are also herbicides known as soil sterilants that will prevent any kind of plant growing there for a couple years. You MUST have a licensed chemical applicator apply that.




Yes, there are chemicals that prevent seed from germinating, roundup isn't one of those chemicals. RU only kills actively growing plants.


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## Eaglei

boman47k said:


> I'm going to try a white vinegar and water solution on my crushed limestone drive.


I've tried white vinegar and salt and it seemed to work just as good as round up , but you need to apply at least every month . Weeds can and will grow without sand or dirt, just add pavers and water .


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## moorewarner

User60231 said:


> Salt is a very effective weed killer, so is boiling water. When the two are combined, you have a "Super Weed Killer"!


This is the method we use also. :thumbsup:


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## Rock Headed

White vinegar and salt. No need to handle poison.


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## pinwheel

Rock Headed said:


> White vinegar and salt. No need to handle poison.


You handle acid cleaning mortar, don't you? Glysophate is nothing more than an acid that kills weeds. So, I guess you handle poison quite regularly.:whistling


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## Rock Headed

You must have me confused with someone else. I do dry stone work.



Anyway, you are indeed correct, I handle "poison" of one kind or another quite regularly. Round-up however is a whole 'nother can of worms.


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## Diamond D.

Other than the home remedies already mentioned, I'm surprised no one has had recommended a pre-emergent.

Here's one... http://www.preen.com/ ...That's been around a while.
There are many others.
Better living through chemicals.

After all the thread title is "*Preventing* weeds in brick pavers"

D.


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