Removing Weeds from Interlocking

Weeds that grow between the pavers on your brick patio or driveway can be quite a nuisance and an eyesore. The good news is that you don’t have to be powerless in the face of annoying weeds. With the right approach and tools, you can be on your way to effectively removing weeds from interlocking brick. The expert landscapers at Ontario Quality Landscaping have created this article to inform homeowners about the best methods, what to avoid, and how to prevent weeds from growing between the interlocking brick. 

Weeds don’t need much room to grow. You can find them penetrating through tiny cracks in brick or pavement. Getting weeds out of interlocking brick can be done in several ways:

1. Use a Pressure Washer

If you have some larger weeds, pull them out by hand and then use pressure washing on the waivers to destroy the roots. Keep in mind that this will only be effective for smaller weeds, so it’s important to pull out any larger ones by hand. Pressure washing pavers can also remove any sand that creates an ideal environment for weeds to germinate and grow. Pressure washing can help prevent weeds from growing.

2. Flame Weeding

Another effective method of destroying weeds in your driveway or patio is with a flame weeder. These are also referred to as torch weeders and use propane as fuel to burn plant tissue in record time. Weeds will begin to lose their vitality within a few hours and will eventually wither and die completely in a few days.

new sodding project next to interlocking

3. Hand Weeding

This is the most traditional way of getting rid of weeds in interlocking brick – simply pulling up the weeds by hand. To do this effectively, you will need to water the paved area approximately 30 minutes before you plan to weed. If it rains, you can weed the day after the rain while the soil is still moist. Then use a tool or your hand to uproot the weeds. This method ensures that the entire plant is pulled up by its roots.

4. Try Herbicide Spray

Herbicides are highly effective in destroying weeds growing between interlocking bricks. Not only do they kill existing weeds, but they can also prevent new ones from growing for several months. There are many different herbicides of varying concentrations. Selecting one for long-term use will help you protect your interlocking bricks from unsightly weeds. While these sprays are an excellent choice for interlocking bricks, they would be ideal for your lawn and garden because they destroy plant life completely.

backyard landscaping sodding and interlocking

It may seem ideal to opt for an organic solution to kill weeds in interlocking brick, however, some natural ingredients are not effective and only give the appearance of killing weeds, meaning that weeds will begin to grow again quickly. We advise homeowners to avoid these methods for killing weeds between interlocking brick:

1. Vinegar

While vinegar has some weed-killing capabilities, it does not completely kill weeds. It will destroy the weed stem and leaves but will not destroy the roots, meaning weeds will be back in no time.

2. Baking Soda

Just like vinegar, baking soda is not effective in killing weed roots. So you may begin to see leaves shooting up within days of applying a baking soda treatment.

3. Salt

Applying salt is a good way to kill weeds, however, the danger is that the salt may be transported to other areas of the yard by water runoff and begin to damage plant life that you actually want to grow. So the inability to keep salt contained in the desirable area is problematic, especially since salt can remain in the soil for a number of years.

How to Prevent Weeds From Growing Between Interlock

Once you remove weeds from your pavers, you’ll want to take measures to ensure that the weeds do not come back. This can be achieved by a couple of different methods:

  • Apply polymeric sand to cracks between bricks – this method allows you to fill in cracks between bricks with a mixture, preventing weeds from growing.
  • Apply sealant to pavers – applying a sealant is an effective way of preventing your bricks from cracking and creating space for weeds to grow.

Weed Removing Services

Now that you know which methods to use and which ones to steer clear from when removing weeds from interlocking bricks, you are one step closer to being weed-free. If weeds are growing out of control in your driveway, patio, or walkway, hiring landscaping experts like Ontario Quality Landscaping could be just what you need. Give us a call today and learn more about our weed control and landscaping services.

Where Beauty Meets Functionality: Ontario Quality Landscaping