Advice on re-sanding a block paving driveway

JohnB47

I'm planning on refreshing our, relatively small, block paved driveway - approx 6 - 8 square metres. It has a fair amount of moss and grass growing now. I wouldn't mind if it was all moss actually. It seems that we can no longer buy a weed killer that kills from the roots up - just the glyphosate type. A good thing I suppose.

On my walk to the bus most days, I'm surprised that some drives are like mine while others, although obviously not newly laid, are almost completely weed/grass/moss clear. How can that be?

I'm planning to clean the drive and blast the joints clear using my jet washer, let it dry and then brush in some sand. I've read up about sand types and they all seem to have some disadvantages - just the typical problem with reviews, I suppose.

Anyway, I thought I'd check for advice first. I'm not planning to use a sealant type mix, just a sand with preferably some weed inhibiting properties. I realise that I'll need to do this every 2 - 3 years ideally.

Any thoughts?

Silvertabby

We brush out the worst of the weeds/moss with one of those angled wire brushes (garden centres sell them) as and when needed.

Once a year it gets a good power blast and topped up with weed inhibiting sand.

We had a flyer through the door a couple of months ago - offered to clean, seal and re -sand the drive for £290. I won't repeat Mr S's comment on a family forum!

savemoney

remove weeds. I use a moss killer before hand and leave afew days something like patio magic kills moss and some weeds. I then sweep driveway clean of old weeds with stiff brush and then a soft brish brush in soft sand made for the job

benten69

I have JUST done this. Admittedly my drive is only 1 year old, but I have decided to keep on top of it and clean / seal yearly. I don't have the issue of weeds, but moss does appear. This is what I do....

1. Spray Karcher Stone / Paving Cleaner and let it soak
2. Clean with pressure washer using the round patio cleaning attachment (quicker)
3. Thoroughly rinse off with normal pressure washer head
4. Leave for 1 week of DRY weather, minimum of 3 days!!
5. Using KILN DRIED SAND brush between the joints
6. Seal same day as sanding!!

Obviously the VERY first thing to do is remove the bigger weeds and pour weed killer all over to kill them off. Only once you are satisfied they are all dead, do the above.

Use a good Kiln Dried Sand from a builders merchant, the cheaper stuff from B&Q, etc can still be wet. It should be VERY fine and 100% bone dry. I use Hanson Kiln Dried Sand (pic below) cheap from any builders merchant, 1 bag will do fine.

For sealing I use Swiss-Seal. Sealer helps because it keeps the jointing sand in place and stops it being washed away by rain, but better still it stops new weeds and / moss growing from the top down and will make it harder for them to break out from underneath as well. My drive also looks best when wet after some rain, so I got the Gloss version which leaves that "wet look" I was after. 2 coats about 3-4 hours between coats is ideal. They say you only need 1 coat, but after doing 1 coat last year and 2 coats this year I'll be sticking to 2 coats from now on.

Remember though, NO-ONE can walk on it for about 3 hours and NO CARS on it for 24 hours after being sealed.

DO NOT point the pressure washer directly into the joints, it will blast out the old jointing sand and can cause the blocks to move giving you bigger issues. Keep it at a fairly shallow angle, the patio cleaner attachment is ideal to be honest.

This is the sealer I use.... http://www.swiss-seal.co.uk/acatalog/block_paving.html

The one titled High Solids Block Paving Sealer - Gloss, but they also do a Satin & Matt version. To apply it I use their Professional Roller & Tray Set which is at the bottom of the page. What I like about their sealer is it's totally colourless. Some can make the blocks look darker, theirs doesn't do that.

A lot of useful information and pics here also....

http://www.pavingexpert.com/refurb_00.htm

getmore4less

Jet wash the lot and cheap kiln dried once a year(or two if not too bad)

The weed suppression stuff is not 100%.

JohnB47

Thanks everyone.

benten69 - I'm not sure I want to use a sealant. I'll try the basic sand first but thanks for the very detailed response.

getmore4less

I have blasted the sand out of my double drive(35sqm) a few times over the years. still nearly as new, still level even gaps, the only blocks that have moved are where ants moved in and they dropped and the edge soldier row to a border now have 5mm gaps as the haunch was not so good.

Pick a sunny day and 10sqm is a couple of hours with a decent jet wash and a bag of sand(£5) later in the day(or next day at latest)

keep an eye out for kiln dried or play pit on offer at the likes of Argos and have a couple of bags ready for the job and top ups

JohnB47

getmore4less wrote: »

I have blasted the sand out of my double drive(35sqm) a few times over the years. still nearly as new, still level even gaps, the only blocks that have moved are where ants moved in and they dropped and the edge soldier row to a border now have 5mm gaps as the haunch was not so good.

Pick a sunny day and 10sqm is a couple of hours with a decent jet wash and a bag of sand(£5) later in the day(or next day at latest)

keep an eye out for kiln dried or play pit on offer at the likes of Argos and have a couple of bags ready for the job and top ups

Thanks. But I assumed that I'd have to wait quite a few days before everything dried off before brushing in the sand. Certainly not next day at latest.

Also, my blocks are indented a bit where the car tyres repeatedly run over them. They're lowered also at the point just before and after the car moves over a manhole cover. Does that indicate that my drive has been poorly laid? It was levelled with a sort of pink agregate, then sand then the blocks.

Cheers.