Clear weeds from block paving joints, then brush in fresh sand to stop regrowth and keep paviours stable.
WP-01Pick a dry day and gather your toolsChoose a spell of dry weather — you need the paving bone dry before sanding, and rain washes new sand straight back out. Lay everything out: weeding tool, stiff broom, jointing sand, and bin bags for waste. Wear knee pads if you're working on hard ground for a while.
WP-02Pull out weeds and moss by handRun the weeding tool along each joint to lift weeds and moss out with their roots. Work in short sections so you can see what you've missed. Bag the waste as you go rather than leaving it in piles to blow about.
WP-03Treat stubborn regrowth with a path weedkillerIf weeds keep coming back in the same spots, apply a path or patio weedkiller straight after weeding, following the dilution and dosing on the label. Keep it off nearby plants and lawn edges — overspray will kill them too. Wait for the number of dry days stated on the bottle before doing anything else.
WP-04Sweep the whole area cleanBrush the paving with a stiff yard broom to lift loose grit, dead moss and any dried weedkiller residue. Sweep towards a dustpan or into a bag rather than into a drain — plant debris and chemical residue shouldn't go down surface drains. Check joints are properly empty before moving on.
WP-05Let the paving dry fullyLeave the surface to dry out completely, ideally for a full dry day. Sand won't bond or settle properly into damp joints. If rain is forecast, wait for the next dry window rather than pushing on.
WP-06Brush kiln-dried sand into the jointsTip kiln-dried jointing sand over a small area and work it into the joints with the broom, moving in different directions to fill gaps fully. Keep adding sand and brushing until each joint is packed level with the top of the paviours. Wear a dust mask — kiln-dried sand is fine and gets into the air easily.
WP-07Compact the sand downTamp the sanded area gently with a rubber mallet or a length of timber to help the sand settle deeper into the joints. This usually leaves the sand slightly below the surface, so you'll need to top it up. Don't use a plate compactor on block paving without checking it's suitable — it can crack thin paviours.
WP-08Top up and sweep off the excessAdd more sand to any joints that have dropped, then brush again until they're full and level with the paviour edges. Sweep the surface diagonally to clear off any sand left sitting on top of the blocks. A clean surface stops sand grinding into the paving finish over time.
WP-09Settle the sand with water if neededIf you've used a polymeric jointing sand rather than plain kiln-dried sand, follow the pack instructions to lightly water the joints — this activates the binder that locks the sand in place. For plain kiln-dried sand, skip watering and just let it settle naturally with foot traffic and light rain over the next few days.
WP-10Clear up and check the jointsBag up leftover sand, weeds and any packaging, and store spare sand somewhere dry for next time. Walk the area a day or two later and top up any joints that have dropped further. Keep an eye on the same spots over the following weeks — new weeds are easiest to pull while small.
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