Paver Walkway and Landscape Fabric
Should Landscape Fabric be Used with a
Paver Walkway?
By: Mark J. Donovan
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QUESTION: I am in the process
of installing a paver walkway and my husband and I are debating whether or not
we should install a landscape fabric below the pavers to prevent weed growth. My
husband says it is critical that we install the landscape fabric, whereas I am
of the mindset that it is really not necessary. Can you shed some light on
whether or not we should install a landscape fabric in our paver walkway bed,
prior to laying down the pavers?
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ANSWER: A properly constructed
walkway bed consists of several inches of compacted gravel material followed by
2-3”s of compacted sand. The pavers are then typically placed on top of the
sand.
Putting down a layer of landscape
fabric may help to reduce some weed growth, however, do not expect it to
eliminate the problem altogether. A few years back, I left a wheelbarrow in a
poorly lit garage that contained sand and a few grains of grass seed. Two weeks
later when I went into the garage, there was grass sprigs 2" tall growing from
the wheelbarrow. The point of this story is that weeds and grass can grow in
almost any soil condition, and they will certainly still grow on top of a weed
barrier over time.
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Installing a landscape fabric can also lead to other problems with your walkway
that could be more detrimental to it over time than having to remove a few weeds
from it occasionally. One of the chief reasons sand is used over stone dust in
building a paver walkway is that it is porous and will allow for better water
drainage. Good drainage is critical for having a long lasting paver walkway. |
Over time lawn clippings and other debris work their way down between the pavers
to the sand diminishing the drainage capability of the paver bed. Though
landscape fabric is designed to allow water to flow through it, it also
negatively impacts normal drainage flow. Combined, the debris and landscape
fabric can quickly cause water to not drain properly from the walkway. Besides
becoming a great environment for growing weeds, this situation can become a
particularly big problem in colder climates. As the trapped water freezes it
heaves the concrete pavers.
Yes, there can be some benefits of putting down a landscape fabric, however
those benefits are usually short lived. If you and your husband decide to
install a landscape fabric, you should put it down between your hard pack and
the sand layer. The pavers should rest directly on the sand. However, keep in
mind that over time you will still need to occasionally apply a herbicide to
your walkway as weeds will eventually take root, even with the landscape fabric.
Find a Pre-Screened Landscaping Contractor in Your Area
Planning to have a Brick or Paver Walkway Installed
by a Landscaping Contractor
but not sure what questions to ask to ensure you hire the right one? See HomeAdditionPlus.com's
Brick and Paver Walkway Bid Sheet. The
Brick and Paver Walkway Bid Sheet
will help ensure that your walkway project goes smoothly and you get the
finished walkway you are looking for.
How to Finance your
New Home Project
- LendingTree's
Home Equity Loans
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if
financing is required.
Additional Brick Paver Walkway Resources
Walkway Lighting and Key Walkway Installation
Tools from Amazon.com
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