How to Prevent Grass from Growing between Pavers

Many homeowners want a beautiful lawn, but they need a place to enjoy it. Therefore, they may add a patio or deck, and the top choice here is to use pavers. It looks great for a few years, but most pavers have spaces between the stones.

This ultimately means that grass and weeds are going to grow between them if allowed. Therefore, you need the right preventative techniques to keep the grass from getting into the joints. If you don’t, this is going to reduce the overall appearance and could damage the pavers themselves.

With a few preventative tips, you can keep weeds and grass from going in between the spaces of the pavers. We’re going to discuss those with you. However, you may already have grass growing between them.

You don’t have to worry. It’s possible to correct the problem and remove the grass between the pavers. We’re going to help you do that too, which restores the appearance of the patio, deck, or driveway.

Preventing Grass from Growing between the Pavers

Prevention is the best choice to control grass growth between your pavers. With just a little maintenance, you can avoid the problem completely.

Sweep Regularly

In most cases, the grass seeds can go everywhere when you do it each season. That’s a good thing for the lawn. It means that grass grows throughout the space.

However, it also means that a few seeds can get in between the pavers. If that happens, you’re going to see grass growing. Therefore, it’s a good idea to sweep periodically.

A regular broom is good enough here. Just sweep between the spaces and all along the driveway or patio. This prevents the seeds from rooting and can also reduce your weed growth issues.

Sweeping can also remove surface dirt from the area. This promotes better curb appeal and helps the pavers look clean.

Make Sure They’re Installed Correctly

If you’re thinking about putting in pavers and haven’t done so yet, make sure they get installed properly. You need a sand bed, which is tightly packed. That provides more foundation for the patio or deck.

Once everything is in place, you should add additional sand and pack it into the crevices. Grass and weeds have a harder time growing in the sand than in soil. The sand just makes sure that the pavers stay in place and keep out the plant growth.

Proper Slope

Grass and weeds require damp, cool soil to thrive. When you have a patio or deck that’s properly sloped, the water runs down it and can’t pool in the crevices between your pavers. This helps prevents those conditions that plants need to live.

However, if you’ve already got a patio or deck with pavers, you’re not going to break it all up to redo it. In this case, you need to learn how to prevent grass from growing between existing pavers.

Eliminate the Grass

You’ve already got grass growing between your pavers, so the thought of prevention is out. In fact, you may have to use multiple methods listed here before you can get rid of the grass. Once that happens, there are things you can do to prevent new grass from growing.

White Vinegar

Though you can use chemicals, you don’t have to use them. White vinegar can kill unwanted grass and weeds. Just pour some into a clean, empty spray bottom. Spray all the cracks between the pavers and let it sit.

As it sits, it works its way into the sand below. After a few hours, use a garden hose to rinse away the vinegar. This simple remedy can kill some grasses and weeds, so it might not be fully effective.

Also, you should spray an inconspicuous area first. Though vinegar shouldn’t discolor your pavers, it’s best to be safe.

Pressure Wash

If you’ve got more grass than weeds, white vinegar might not be the first place to start. Instead, you can pressure wash the patio. This solution is going to remove plant growth from between the pavers and help the space look better.

You want the spray of water to go between the pavers, but you can’t use a jet nozzle. The pressure from the water is going to wash away your sand and could etch or mark the paver’s surface. Instead, make sure you utilize a rotating attachment with your pressure washer to avoid these issues.

By-Hand Removal

It’s possible to remove the grass by hand. However, you’ve got to remove the whole plant for it to be effective. This includes the root.

To do that, you can use a spade or plant grabbing tool. Position it at an angle and then lift up so that the grass root is removed.

Many times, it takes multiple sessions to completely eradicate the grass between the pavers. However, if you catch it in time, this shouldn’t be too labor-intensive.

Alternatively, you can use a crack scraper or action hoe to remove the grass. They have L-shaped blades that pull the stem and remove the grass at its base. You’re going to do this multiple times a season, though, because it doesn’t get rid of the root.

More Stabilizing Sand

Once you’ve used a method mentioned earlier, it’s best to use stabilizing sand. That way, new roots can’t grow back. When you add it, make sure that there are no weeds or grass, and the patio is dry.

You can find stabilizing sand with a pH level. They inhibit weeds from growing.

Weed Burner

Using a weed burner is the best way to remove weed and grass from growing between the pavers.

Seal

Once you’ve done all that, consider sealing the pavers and the grooves. That way, plants can’t grow in those spaces. There are plenty of sealing products on the market, though we think latex-based options are most appropriate.

Conclusion

If you’ve already got grass or weeds growing between your pavers, you need to know how to eliminate them. Once that is done, the next step is to learn how to prevent grass from growing between pavers.

We’ve talked about various ways to remove and prevent grass from growing between them. Now, you have the right knowledge and can get the tools needed to complete the job.