Sand and cement between block paving??

[King Herald]

I just spent a happy couple of hours scraping the moss from between the paving blocks in the back yard, so, I'm wondering if I re-sand it, would it be an idea to mix a little cement powder in with the silver sand, so it sets a bit harder and the moss and ants and stuff doesn't breed so avidly?

Or will it make a mess where it is scattered on the blocks?

Or is there anything else worth putting down to keep the maintenance to a minimum?

[CatherineJ]

New Kiln Dried Sand and a Stabelising Solution. I've forgotten the name of itb but Marshalls do it and it can be ordered from your local builders merchants if you tell them what you are looking for.

I have the same problem and have the joy of doing this in a week or so. I sprayed off all the yuk with weedkiller last Friday.

[King Herald]

CatherineJ said:

New Kiln Dried Sand and a Stabelising Solution. I've forgotten the name of itb but Marshalls do it and it can be ordered from your local builders merchants if you tell them what you are looking for.

I have the same problem and have the joy of doing this in a week or so. I sprayed off all the yuk with weedkiller last Friday.

Thanks, I'll look into it.

[eddy.whale]

King Herald said:

Or will it make a mess where it is scattered on the blocks?

Yes it will - I learned the hard way.

[mrmaggit]

King Herald said:

I just spent a happy couple of hours scraping the moss from between the paving blocks in the back yard, so, I'm wondering if I re-sand it, would it be an idea to mix a little cement powder in with the silver sand, so it sets a bit harder and the moss and ants and stuff doesn't breed so avidly?

Or will it make a mess where it is scattered on the blocks?

Or is there anything else worth putting down to keep the maintenance to a minimum?

1/ Why do people always scrape the weeds out by hand, together with piles of the sand, wasting hours and hours then come on here asking what to do, when they could have had the answer before they started that would have saved them hours? (no offence meant KH). They solution (before you started doing what you've just done) is to coat the area with Sodium Chlorate weedkiller. This is indiscriminate, so be careful if the run-off is into flowerbeds or onto a lawn. Leave to activate, brush away detritus a few days later.

After what you've now done, the answer is to re-sand the area with Kiln Dried sand, then treat with weedkiller once or twice a year. Only use Stabilising solution if your paved area is on a slope, or you have the tumbled type of paving. Otherwise you're wasting your money, as you don't need it.

Do not use cement under any circumstances, it will spoil the surface and be a general nuisance.

The same goes for blasting out all the gunge with a jet-washer. Don't!

HTH

maggit

[Strangely Brown]

I use one of these. Dead easy and does the job a treat.

http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/miracle-block-p...

[King Herald]

mrmaggit said:

1/ Why do people always scrape the weeds out by hand, together with piles of the sand, wasting hours and hours then come on here asking what to do, when they could have had the answer before they started that would have saved them hours? (no offence meant KH). They solution (before you started doing what you've just done) is to coat the area with Sodium Chlorate weedkiller. This is indiscriminate, so be careful if the run-off is into flowerbeds or onto a lawn. Leave to activate, brush away detritus a few days later.

I actually only did a smallish portion, and came fishing here for better ideas. Hey presto, I got them.

Off to the garden shop for some Sodium Chlorate weed killer I reckons.

Strangely Brown said:

I use one of these. Dead easy and does the job a treat.

http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/miracle-block-p...

That looks like a good invention. If Mr maggits chemical warfare doesn't work I'll be buying one of those brushes.

[mrmaggit]

King Herald said:

mrmaggit said:

1/ Why do people always scrape the weeds out by hand, together with piles of the sand, wasting hours and hours then come on here asking what to do, when they could have had the answer before they started that would have saved them hours? (no offence meant KH). They solution (before you started doing what you've just done) is to coat the area with Sodium Chlorate weedkiller. This is indiscriminate, so be careful if the run-off is into flowerbeds or onto a lawn. Leave to activate, brush away detritus a few days later.

I actually only did a smallish portion, and came fishing here for better ideas. Hey presto, I got them.

Off to the garden shop for some Sodium Chlorate weed killer I reckons.

Strangely Brown said:

I use one of these. Dead easy and does the job a treat.

http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/miracle-block-p...

That looks like a good invention. If Mr maggits chemical warfare doesn't work I'll be buying one of those brushes.

Sorry if I came across a bit tearing hair out KH, but I get this maybe 6 times every Saturday morning.

Sometimes when we go to see Lorraines' parents her Dad is on the drive, covered from head to foot in sand and weeds, jet-wash in hand, bemoaning the weeds growing "through" his block paving. I must have told him a dozen what to do, but he just kinda looks blank and carries on with the jet-wash.

[King Herald]

mrmaggit said:

Sorry if I came across a bit tearing hair out KH, but I get this maybe 6 times every Saturday morning.

Sometimes when we go to see Lorraines' parents her Dad is on the drive, covered from head to foot in sand and weeds, jet-wash in hand, bemoaning the weeds growing "through" his block paving. I must have told him a dozen what to do, but he just kinda looks blank and carries on with the jet-wash.

My first and easiest method was to do nothing, just wait and see if the wife or mum in law would do it while was away offshore half my life.

But a year has gone, nothing has been done, there is now weeds and grass growing out like hair from an old mans ear 'ole.



Chemical weaponry will soon be introduced to the arena.

[Wings]

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

[Egbert Nobacon]

Strangely Brown said:

I use one of these. Dead easy and does the job a treat.

http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/miracle-block-p...

Excellent - I'll get one for the wife's birthday present

[Mr Whippy]

Wings said:

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

Weeds still come round the cement though, the buggers

Still, looks nice when it's all nicely done again

[mrmaggit]

Wings said:

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

No. Don't. Seriously. Not on block paving. OK for pointed-up slabs, not for block paving, which was the original post. Don't let cement of any sort get near block paving. Unless it's mortar spill from pointing, which you should remove asap anyway.

[edwardsje]

mrmaggit said:

Wings said:

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

No. Don't. Seriously. Not on block paving. OK for pointed-up slabs, not for block paving, which was the original post. Don't let cement of any sort get near block paving. Unless it's mortar spill from pointing, which you should remove asap anyway.

So for the avoidance of doubt, this IS the right approach on my paving slabs in my garden?

[Wings]

mrmaggit said:

Wings said:

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

No. Don't. Seriously. Not on block paving. OK for pointed-up slabs, not for block paving, which was the original post. Don't let cement of any sort get near block paving. Unless it's mortar spill from pointing, which you should remove asap anyway.

Agree, sorry I miss read the OP's original posting, long day. Incidentally, Sodium Chlorate will shortly be withdrawn from sale, so buy whilst you can.

[mrmaggit]

edwardsje said:

mrmaggit said:

Wings said:

Remove moss, weeds and loose cement, then dry mix sand and cement, hand brush the same into/between paving stones, then use watering can to wet/set sand/cement mix.

No. Don't. Seriously. Not on block paving. OK for pointed-up slabs, not for block paving, which was the original post. Don't let cement of any sort get near block paving. Unless it's mortar spill from pointing, which you should remove asap anyway.

So for the avoidance of doubt, this IS the right approach on my paving slabs in my garden?

For Paving Slabs, if the joints are failing, then clean out all debris, chase out deep enough to get a good joint of mortar in, re-point as you would for a brick wall.

For Block Paving, weedkiller (taking care it goes where you want it and not on grass etc. as it will kill these too) and a stiff brush or jetwash at a low power, and at a low angle ACROSS THE JOINT, not along it. Re-sand with kiln dried sand if you've removed any sand, otherwise, nothing else to do.

It is important to remember about block paving that the joints full of sand allow the whole area to settle without the cracks that accompany the same movement in areas of cast concrete. The blocks settle independantly of each other (which is why you sometimes see sink areas in block paving). Should it get too bad, smash one block out, remove the others over the affected area, fill the depressed or sunken part with washed concreting sand to level with the bottom of the pavers, re-lay and re-sand, using a vibrating plate if it's a large area.

You should only be using cement around block paving to concrete in the edgings/manhole covers.

Hope this clarifies it a bit.

[King Herald]

I found a bottle of Sodium Chlorate crystal in the shed, so I've liberally does some areas of the front year block paving. I shall do some more in a moment. Too hot earlier I think, as the stuff evaporated before it had time to settle in for the kill.