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Weeds between patio slabs

Updated: October 2026

You are on a firm patio, and the green is only in the gaps. Weeds between patio slabs look like a reason to buy a stone puller, yet the plants are in the joint if the units have not loosened. The Royal Horticultural Society describes a weeding knife along the crack, and Pavingexpert treats most of this growth as plants in sand and detritus, which only rarely means growth through a full pavement. Our [stone puller comparison](/hub/weed-control/stone-puller) is for a unit that is already loose, rocking, or sunken. The Products Compared editorial team wrote this on 16 October 2026 from the RHS, Pavingexpert, Homebuilding, and Marshalls, without a lab test, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are on a firm patio, and the green is only in the gaps. Weeds between patio slabs look like a reason to buy a stone puller, yet the plants are in the joint if the units have not loosened.

Our top picks

OEBUAFI OEBUAFI paver puller

Best overall

OEBUAFI OEBUAFI paver puller
7.8/10about £17.50
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ShanBye ShanBye 2-piece paver puller

Preis-Tipp

ShanBye ShanBye 2-piece paver puller
7.2/10about £5.99
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Betinyar Betinyar DSCNUK-230 2-piece

Alternative

Betinyar Betinyar DSCNUK-230 2-piece
6.1/10about £15.49
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Where patio weeds actually grow
  2. 2.Clear the joint without lifting
  3. 3.What not to blast out
  4. 4.The case that does need a puller

Where patio weeds actually grow

The plant you can see is usually living in the joint. Pavingexpert describes weeds colonising sand joints and the detritus that collects there. Ordinary weeds rarely come through a full pavement, so the green line is more often a seeded crack than a root through the base. Here the bed is jointing sand and the debris packed into the gap. Japanese knotweed and some horsetails are the named exceptions, and Pavingexpert says they can come through a full pavement. Clearing one joint will not settle either of those, and a stone puller is the wrong purchase. Pavingexpert notes that an empty joint weakens the paving, because the sand is what locks the units. Moss in a sand-filled crack is the ordinary case. Clear that moss and refill the joint, with the slab left down. A unit that rocks when you stand on a corner is a different job.

Clear the joint without lifting

Start with a knife while the slab is still firm. The RHS points to a weeding knife along the crack, an angled wire brush for moss and seedlings, and a dandelion weeder for a taproot. It also names a hooked weeding knife for slab gaps, and Homebuilding puts the knife first. Compared with pulling a block, those tools stay in the joint you can see. A brush leaves a deep taproot in place, so the weeder is a separate tool. Repoint loose gaps, which is the RHS line. Pavingexpert notes that empty joints weaken the paving, so fill an emptied joint again. Sand goes back where the joint was sand. Failed mortar needs a repoint, because loose grit washes out in the next shower. A large area is a professional job, rather than a reason to buy a heavier tool. Betinyar's amazon.co.uk listing says its puller cleans weeds and dirt in cracks. It does not say the tool pulls roots, and there is no buyer-review text for it. Firm slabs leave the purchase unchanged.
OEBUAFI OEBUAFI paver puller

Testsieger

OEBUAFI OEBUAFI paver puller
7.8/10about £17.50
View offer

What not to blast out

A pressure washer feels quicker, and it can make the next weed easier. Homebuilding warns that washing can damage joints, so the knife comes first. Marshalls, if you do wash, asks for medium pressure, an oblique lance, at least 200 mm off the face, then re-sanding. Those figures are for its own paving. A closer lance, or one square to the face, sits outside that method. The mistake is one green joint whose sand leaves with the moss, so you finish with a clean slot. The next seedling then has a better bed than compacted sand gave it. Re-sand in the same session, which is how Marshalls orders the work. Crumbling mortar across many courses opens further under a wash. A large repoint is professional work once the joints have failed. The knife stays first when the joint is sound and only the weed is the problem.

The case that does need a puller

Lift when a slab or block is loose, rocking, or sunken. A surface that stays put has a joint problem, so the weeds do not call for a puller. Moss in the crack is the wrong reason to buy, because the unit never had to come up. Block paving joints follow the same rule while the units stay firm. A narrow crack still leaves you with a lifting bar, which will not weed it. A large repoint, a sunk drive, or suspected Japanese knotweed needs a professional. A puller will not repair a failed base. One rocking block on a sand bed can justify the tool, once you have ruled out a firm joint. Buy for that moving unit alone. The lift sequence sits on another page. Follow how to use a paver puller once a single loose unit is actually the job.

Common questions

Should I lift patio slabs to remove weeds?
Leave the slabs down while they are firm. Weeds between patio slabs usually sit in the sand and detritus of the joint, and Pavingexpert notes that ordinary weeds rarely come through a full pavement. Lift when a unit is loose, rocking, or sunken. Japanese knotweed and some horsetails are the named exceptions, and those need a professional.
What tool do I use in a narrow joint?
Use a weeding knife along the crack, the RHS method for hard surfaces, and a hooked weeding knife for slab gaps. An angled wire brush suits moss and seedlings. A dandelion weeder is for a taproot, rather than a seedling sitting in the sand. A paver puller is a poor substitute in a narrow, firm joint, because the unit does not need to move.
Will the weeds come back if the root stays?
They can, if you only remove the leaves. The RHS separates a knife or brush in the crack from a dandelion weeder for a taproot. Topping a dandelion and leaving the root lets the same plant return in that gap. Refilling does not kill the root. It closes the open sand the next seed would use.
Is a pressure washer a good idea?
It is a limited option, and the knife comes first. Homebuilding warns that pressure washing can damage joints and make the next weed easier. If you wash, Marshalls specifies medium pressure, an oblique lance, and at least 200 mm off the face, then re-sanding. An emptied crack leaves the paving weaker until you refill it.
Does a paver puller double as a weeding knife?
A hooked weeding knife is the RHS tool for slab gaps. Betinyar's amazon.co.uk listing says the puller cleans weeds and dirt in cracks, and it does not say the tool pulls roots. There is no buyer-review text for that listing. Compared with a knife on a firm joint, a puller is built to lift a paving unit. Buy one when a unit rocks or has sunk.
When should I stop DIY on patio weeds?
Stop when the fault is bigger than one firm joint. The RHS sends a large area to a professional for a widespread repoint. A sunk drive is a base problem, and a puller will not rebuild it. Suspected Japanese knotweed is the other stop. Pavingexpert names it, with some horsetails, as able to come through a full pavement. Firm block paving joints stay a knife, brush, and refill.

Related pages

Paving stone puller buying guide

Best paver puller

Stone puller

How to use a paver puller on one loose patio block

Paver puller vs slab lifter for a sunk 600 mm flag

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 16 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file. No working-load limit was tested, because none of these listings states one.

  1. HSE: kerbs and paving (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. HSE: construction manual-handling FAQ (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. HSE: manual handling overview (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. RHS: weeds on hard surfaces (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Pavingexpert: repair (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Pavingexpert: maintenance (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. BSI: BS 7533-11:2003 scope (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 16 October 2026)