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Nothing destroys the look of a beautiful brick patio like weeds pushing their way between the carefully laid pavers. You can treat existing weeds and take steps to prevent them from sprouting, both before you lay your brick patio or after years of enjoying it.

Before the Fact

The first line of defense against weeds marring your brick patio is to lay landscaping cloth beneath the sand bed on which the bricks sit. The cloth allows water to drain through while blocking plant growth from below. It will also help to keep your sand bed in place, reducing the erosion that leads to loose and uneven bricks.

Dig about six inches down and set up a border for you patio with 2"x6" boards treated to resist rot. Lay landscaping cloth to the edges of your frame. If you have very loose soil, lay two inches of gravel on the cloth first and sand atop that. While forming and leveling the area remains crucial, it goes beyond the scope of this article.

Use enough sand that the bricks lift the bricks to lay evenly with the tops of the wood borders. As you are laying pavers, spray the sand with a heavy layer of pre-emergent weed killer such as Preen. Cover just the section with which you are working so that the treated sand poses no threat to children or animals and is not exposed to the weather.

Once you have laid your bricks, brush fine sand into the gaps between them. This helps to hold the bricks in place and the finer sand compacts enough to discourage weed growth.

After the Fact

Once weeds, grass, and even ants have begun to dig themselves between your brick pavers, your first step is to remove the offending parties. Spray down your patio with an herbicide to kill off the weeds and make them easier to pull. You can find home remedies to knock out the weeds and bugs without harming your lawn or your family.

Pull the dead weeds and replace the sand between the bricks, making sure you work it down between them with a broom or brush. It will likely take two or three passes with the sand, including a thorough soaking between, to fill the gaps.

After you have cleaned your brick patio and allowed it to dry, apply a masonry sealer. Polyurethane sealers provide a good bond between the brick and the sand and make it difficult for seeds to germinate between them. You must reapply such sealants every few years, but the time and frustration that they save you will more than pay for their upkeep.

A brick patio gives texture and beauty to any yard. Defeat insidious weeds and preserve your patio for human enjoyment by taking a few simple measures.

Learn more about this author, Mel Bergen.
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