How to cover a brick path to stop weeds?

Question

I have brick paths around the house

They love to grow moss and weeds especially after it rains.

Have tried weeding, Glyphosate, and the sand that turns hard after you wet it

All is crap as the weeds keep on weeding!

So now I want to render it.. can I do this and will it work?

JacobZ · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Vickiahern, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Unfortunately, rendering the path is not really an option because it is not designed or intended for this purpose. Render is a thin coating that is applied over a stable, unmoving surface. In a path, the bricks and the joints between them will move slightly with changes in moisture and temperature, as well as with any weight being applied, so a thin rendered coating would crack, lift and break away extremely quickly.

The unfortunate reality is that there isn't much you can do to completely eradicate weeds with this style of paved pathway. You can continue with the use of herbicides, and top up the joints with polymeric sand, but the chances of weeds returning over time are still pretty high.

A better long-term option would be to lift the bricks, remove the existing base and install weed mat before adding a fresh compacted base. This should be laid in suitable layers, lightly dampened and heavily compacted so the bricks have a firm, stable foundation. The pavers can then be relaid on a thin layer of bedding sand, with the joints refilled using a suitable paving sand.

Check out

https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/paths-and-paving/how-to-lay-a-base-for-pavers

and

https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/paths-and-paving/how-to-pave-a-pathway

for some guidance.

The addition of weedmat and the freshly compacted base will go a long way to preventing weeds from returning, but it is still not 100% guaranteed that weeds won't return. If you were determined to get rid of weeds completely, I'd consider having a concrete path poured.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob