wacky.banana

Problem I have been trying to solve for years is grass/greeny bits growing through the gaps in the patio flagstones and the block paving.

Have tried weed killer, brick acid, sharp sanding the exposed bits, etc, but the pesky stuff always seems to grow back into an unsightly mess.

Any sensible ideas on how to solve this problem?

Thanks

WB

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Regular maintenance I'm afraid.

Pathclear, or Jeyes fluid every 3 to 6 months (the Jeyes stinks, but the pathclear is more expensive).

Jetwashing an alternative, but you'll have to resand it afterwards aswell.



There is this stuff called "Resiblock" which you paint on. We tried that, doesn't make that much difference IMO, plus it makes the block pavers look "wet", which may not be to some peoples liking.

wacky.banana

Cheers Ali-B. Not used Pathclear yet but if brick acid can't solve this then I guess nothing else can.

andrewdelvard

These grassy green bits-Is it moss you are on about?

Spoon

Nothing will touch it except good old jetwashing.

You will however be amazed just how clean it looks when you have finished.

If you have a tiny paved area then it won't take you long either.

It would be financial suicide for me every year to use chemical products, plus I'd only have to wash it away with the jetwash anyway.

TelBoy

I use Pathclear once a year, in early spring. I've got some grass coming through myself now, but it isn't worth doing with the onset of winter/autumn. Any really big weeds can be pulled out by hand in the meantime.

ajm

That is the resilience of nature for you! There is no practical way of permanently stopping grass/weeds growing between the cracks other than to block the cracks up by pointing them with cement or by laying a membrane below the slabs.

Herbicides like pathclear (paraquat based) will kill off the grass at the time but are short lived by design (or it would wreak havoc in the water system) but so long as seeds find their way into the nice moist cracks they will always grow back eventually after the herbicide has dispersed.

Bubba po

Don't use brick acid unless you have real bricks. Pavers are just a kind of cast mortar, and the acid will **** them up.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Try reading that line out of context and see the mental image it conjures up

TelBoy

This *is* a marijuana thread, isn't it??

brybusa

Cleared mine with Tesco thin bleach I kid you not

36p for 2 litres........Go mad on it for a quid........

TelBoy

Even Pathclear makes the worms come up, writhing around. Dread to think what bleach would do...

brybusa

the early bird catches the worm covered in bleach...

they love it....

Poor Guy

fire!

*Sonic*

Fire doesnt work either

I bought one of those butane torch things, and spent an hour & 2 tins of Butane, and all it did was smell

in the end I got down on my hands and knees and raked the f**king stuff out

looks sweet now tho

wacky.banana

All,

Thanks for the responses. Yes I have used a jetwash over the years. Its quite effective at removing both grass shoots and moss, however its also bloody effective at taking the sharpsand joints out!

I have recently used a pathclear type product which was good, but like everything else, the things grew through again after a while. Used a butane burner, what a waste of time. Near burned my crown jewels off with the heat!!

Using a membrane is a good idea which should have been implemented at the design stage. However my man swore at the time that I would have no problems with things growing through. ****.

Seems there's nothing for it but to get out there every 3 months and bleach/jet/scrub/pathclear the offending items out. Must admit I have not used bleach before, sounds very cost effective.

Thanks again.

WB

AJM, what's all this about seeds finding their way into moist wet cracks then? Been watching the Fantasy Channel again then? :

fast bloke

using a membrane doesn't work - the weeds only grow from near the surface. Pathclear works for about 3 months. I usually jetwash (get a patio attachment, it gets rid if the weeds and moss without washing out the sand) in about march, then pathclear straight away. retreat in about June/July and again in October. The drive will hold six cars, and the pathclear to cover it usually costs about a fiver, so hardly bank breaking.

(Brick acid will eat away at the bricks, but becomes deactivated once it rains)

Spoon

My entire drive, patio and vehicle parking area had a membrane laid below, the areas were also sealed with a clear sealant and I see no weeds coming up from below. My weeds are largely on the surface. Birds dropping seeds, wind, even the lawnmower helps to compound this problem.

wacky.banana

Ali-B,

Where did you get Resiblock from? Have called a number of DIY places and most haven't heard of it.

Ta.

WB

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

My local Builders yard has some (Bowland Stone). I think you can get it on mail order too.

Google came up with the most obvious result....http://www.resiblock.com/

Personally, I don't think it's that good though.

Spoon

The sealant isn't brilliant, in fact I was refunded £700 for an area I didn't think was much good.

Good old graft is the answer.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Hang on, I said that in my initial post

Spoon

What the fúck you wittering on about?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

What? Aren't I allowed to agree with you these days?

Steady on there dear, it's only a thread

Spoon

No, certainly not in the same week as ajm.

Anyway, my point was, I was agreeing with you, regardless of when you said it.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

LOL where is this going?

So, let me get this straight: Your agreeing with me who agrees with you.

Spoon

It'd be so much easier to disagree.

Hey and watch your spelling.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I'll agree with you on that