Prevent weeds between patio slabs

[hondgm]

I have these concrete slabs on my patio, each about 3 feet square, arranged in a matrix. There is a gap between the slabs 1-2 inches wide, and weeds like to grow through the gaps like mad. There is gravel there now, but soil has started accumulating and it's not keeping the weeds out (this is how it was when I moved in).

What I really want to do is dig the gravel out and put something impervious in it's place. Something like concrete would be nice, but I don't think that's the best solution. Any suggestions? The gaps are fairly consistent, but not perfect I'm sure. A type of liquid rubber, or anything else that can be poured in and allowed to set would be ideal, but I have no idea what is available.

[LouB]

Where do you live? If it freezes in winter forget solid stuff.

There are some powerful chemicals out there.

Lou

[cshenk]

wrote

Yes, and you are in luck. Very cheap one. If you put something impervious in there and you live where it freezes in winter, you will end up with cracked slabs. (If you rent, this will cost you a bundle!). There is likely a good reason why they built it with the gaps.

Hie thee to a grocery store. Get a 5 gallon jug of vinegar. Type doesnt matter so get what's cheapest (Asian grocery type places often have the larger bottles for very little money). Pour this straight on all the weeds and in the cracks. Be aware this will kill grass in the yard to so dont go too close or pour too heavy the first time (rain runoff). It doesnt last forever so if you happen to hit a little of the grass, it will come back in a few months (AKA, no permanent damage). Safe for pets, birds, etc.

I use this method on my cracked driveway and have for years.

[norminn]

We have similar setup next to our patio, but installed over landscape cloth and with larger river rock between the pavers. It has been in place about 8 years. It evenually accumulates some soil here because the lawn-care folks use the blower in the wrong direction (condo). If I had it to do over again, I would have graded the soil a bit more so that blown-in soil can wash out or be hosed out. We get almost no weed growth, in spite of having a fair amount of soil now on top of the landscape cloth. Other areas where we put only rock on top of landscape cloth have no weed growth, but they are mainly shady areas where nothing was growing in the first place (reason for putting in rock). We have our grill on the pavers, and it isn't a problem to move it if we need to. We have about 6" space between pavers. Smaller rock would probably work but we like being able to blow it off without dislodging the stone.

[willshak]

on 5/24/2009 11:44 AM (ET) cshenk wrote the following:

On the opposite end of the Ph spectrum, muriatic acid works as well. It's where I dump my used acid for cleaning the pool filter fingers. Once the vegetation has been killed, sprinkle Preen in the cracks to prevent new weeds from seeding.

[Bob M.]

A spray bottle of Roundup will do the job, and for less work and money.

[clare]

Rock salt.

[fftt]

My guess is that the original design / construction of your patio included redwood 2x2's or 2x4's as "slab separators".

A simple, easy way to frame the slabs. But once the wood deteriorates / rots out you've got a problem to deal with.

My in-laws had a patio suffering the start of this problem (the legs of patio chairs were starting to punch through the weak spots)

but they sold the house before I had to deal with the problem.

It depends on how much effort or $'s you;re willing to commit.

You could cut some redwood (heartwood only) to fit but the fit wouldnt be perfect and dirt would still accumulate.

The gaps are too wide for a flexible self leveling sealant (I use a SIKA product, Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant) . But perhaps a combination of undersized wood and the flexible sealant.

Per another post ........ RoundUp & a spray bottle will do the job.

cheers Bob

[clare]

And illegal here now. About the only "herbicide" it is legal to use is corn gluten.

[Steve Daniels]

On Sun, 24 May 2009 14:12:53 -0400, against all advice, something compelled willshak , to say:

Ooh, I'll bet.

I use that to adjust the ph in my hot tub. It's evil. I wear eye protection when I handle it, and I won't do it after a couple of drinks. That's how much I respect that shit.

Hell, you open the container, and *smoke* comes out.

I'll try the vinegar, which is an acid as well, but you eat it, it does not eat you.

[Red Green]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Hve you tried Ortho® GroundClear® Vegetation Killer?

I used it when it was called Ortho Triox vegetation killer and personal experience was it really works. It kills what's there and like steralizes the soil or something.

[olddog]

Vinegar and acid are on opposite sides? Where did you come up with that one?

od

[Steve Daniels]

On Mon, 25 May 2009 02:41:08 GMT, against all advice, something compelled "olddog" , to say:

They are not on opposite sides, but they are a *long* ways away from each other. It's like the difference between a bicycle and an F1 race car. They are both transportation, but one is a lot more intense than the other.

[olddog]

Muriatic acid has a ph of about -.05

Vinegar is about 2.

The "opposite" would be a "base" not an acid. Or the other side of "pure water". Basic chemistry.

od

[Jim Elbrecht]

news: [e-mail]:

-snip-

Still works in the new formulation/name. I've used it for 5-6 yrs on my paver patio. I'm in NY- so I put it on in mid may and have no weeds for the summer.

The OP wants something to fill in the gap, though. Without seeing it, I suspect it is, as someone else suggested the spaces where wooden forms used to be. I'd probably buy some trex or other 'plastic' decking and rip it to fill the gaps. Lay them in loosely, spike with landscape spikes- fill the remaining gap with stone dust- and treat with groundclear yearly.

. . . . .or I'd just treat with Groundclear.

Jim

[ransley]

The easiest and best way is Roundup and a Propane Weed burner when they go brown. Your way is to much work, and weeds will grow back.

[Ernie Willson]

Just wondering...Where is "here" Is it Ontario Canada?

Thanks, EJ > >

[Red Green]

Jim Elbrecht wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I read it as the only reason he wanted to fill the gap was because of the weed issue. The gaps were part of the design.

[rss1]

Yes I belive Ontario is the "here" he refers to. Unless your a farmer or a golf club, no chemical attacts on weeds allowed. The parks around my house are of sea of white dandilions, waiting for the wind. I understand we're allowed to bring it over the boarder from the USA, just not allowed to apply it. Hummmm. Personally, I'm a weed burner guy for the patio stones, with the hose handy in-case the landscaping ties get involved. ....Rob

[Metspitzer]

So you can have it, you just can't use it. That makes about as much sense as windshield wipers on a duck's ass. :)