What do you recommend for a weed barrier under 3/4-inch stone?
Question:
What material do you recommend for a weed barrier under 3/4-inch stone? I was hoping to avoid a plastic product so I tried cardboard which failed miserably. I am willing to use a plastic product if it will work. Can you recommend something effective and durable? I have busy young children so the stones often get rearranged and then the barrier may get tread on by our dog.
Answer:
Liz Stanley, Horticulture Community Education Assistant
Weed barrier under crushed stone: Look for high-quality commercial grade woven polypropylene. It comes in rolls of various widths and lengths. Secure it in place with landscape staples every 2′ along the finished edge.
Crushed stone or gravel paths and patios are made with infertile, well-drained materials layered into a trench.
Here are the basics:
Dig the area down about 6″ deep.
Layer 1 – 3″ of packed dead-sand, which has low fertility and allows the area to be level and well-drained.
Layer 2 – weed barrier, which lets water percolate, discourages weeds, and prevents crushed rock from mingling with the sand. Staple in place (see above).
Layer 3 – 3″ crushed stone (broken into pieces less than 3/4″) or gravel (naturally eroded stone with smoother edges, screened to less than 3/4″).
(The terms gravel and crushed stone are often used interchangeably, so be sure that you’re ordering what you want.)
For patios and walkways, some sort of edging can be used to keep materials in place (especially gravel which rolls and moves more readily under foot). Edging can be made with wood, stone, commercial edging, etc.