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Stop Weeds From Growing in the Cracks of Your Cement Driveway

2 August 2017

Tommy Franklin

Don't like the look of weeds popping up through your driveway? Well, there are several things you can do to prevent that. Take a look at these tips.

1. Think About Weeds When Installing Your Concrete Driveway

When trying to keep weeds at bay, it's easier to be proactive than reactive. In that regard, consider putting a weed barrier underneath the gravel that you put down before pouring the concrete. If possible, also opt for a design that focuses on as large of pieces of concrete as possible.

You need to strike the perfect balance. In particular, you don't want lots of little paving stones or small sections, as that creates spaces that may be hospitable to weeds. However, on the other hand, you don't want the pad to be so unwieldy and large that it's susceptible to cracking. A professional can help you hone in on the right approach.

2. Repair Cracks as Needed

When you see cracks in your concrete driveway, try to repair them as soon as possible. If the seeds can't access dirt, they won't be able to take hold. You can hire a professional to repair cracks, or you can fix them yourself with a patching compound.

3. Clean Cracks

If you can't repair the cracks right away, you may want to clean them. Spraying a power washer over them helps flush out seeds and washes away the dirt that nourishes the seeds. It's also critical to wash out debris before you put in any patching compound or cement.

4. Stop the Spread of Weeds From Your Yard

For weeds to grow in your cement driveway, the seeds need to come from somewhere, and typically, they are coming from your yard. Treat your grass regularly with weed killer, and if you have weeds, make sure that you have the bag on your mower when you use it.

If you mow with a bagless mower, any weed seeds that you come into contact with will be thrown to the side and potentially on your driveway. A bag helps keep that all contained. If you have grass growing in the cracks of your cement driveway, you may need to cut your grass sooner before it gets tall enough to go to seed.

5. Use Weed Killer

Finally, just apply weed killer liberally to the cracks in your concrete driveway. With those chemicals in place, the existing weeds will die, and new weeds will find it hard to grow.

 

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