One of the main complaints we at Cleanpave deal with is from people worried about weeds and moss infesting their blockpaved driveways, and how they can prevent or manage this problem. One myth about weeds is that they grow up through the driveway and that by fitting a membrane under the blocks, this problem can be eradicated. What actually happens is that the weeds and moss make themselves at home in the gaps between the pavers taking root in the kiln dried sand that is brushed in to give the driveway stability. The main problems with drives and in fact anything that is outside is that they are left to fend our inclement climate, also the fact that they are out of site most of the time they don’t receive any regular maintenance. In fact something as simple as sweeping dirt and debris off the driveway once a month can have a real impact on the overall appearance, better still treat with weedkiller from time to time and sweep in kiln dried sand to have a real effect on the growth of weeds or moss. If the problem has got to bad for any home made cures then it’s time to call in the experts at Cleanpave who are more than happy to call round and give a free assessment and quotation. If things have got really bad we normally use the following procedure,
1) Treat the whole area with a special weedkiller, not the type available on the high street.
2) Leave the area for up to 3 weeks to make sure all weeds and growth are dead.
3) Clean the area thoroughly using the latest in paving cleaning equipment.
4) Leave the area to dry out thoroughly, at least 6 hours but normally for a full day, weather depending.
5) Retreat the whole area with weedkiller.
6) Brush fresh sterile kiln dried sand back between the joints.
We find this type of treatment to be the most effective at keeping weeds and moss at bay, although nothing will keep them away forever, but with a small amount of maintenance each month ( sweeping the driveway off with a stiff brush) this will greatly reduce the problem. If despite this you are wanting a permanent solution to the problem then a good quality polyurethane sealant will seal both the sand and the blocks making infestation impossible. We follow the same procedure as above but finish off by applying the sealant, this is guaranteed to keep weeds and moss at bay for 5 years but can last up to 10, ( please read our blog on sealing drives and sealants for more information). For any help or advice on the above don’t hesitate to call the experts at Cleanpve.
