# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Weeds Under the Deck

## Hoggy

G'day Gents, 
Am in the midst of building a low level deck over uneven ground and intend to fill and level the area before I start laying the joists (bearers are in already). Any recommendations on the best material to lay under a deck that might also help to discourage weed growth? Was thinking along the lines of crushed concrete, roadbase or just loose stone (fine topping)....any suggestions? Is it worth putting down weed mat as well? :Confused:  
Cheers,
Hoggy

----------


## murray44

Does the deck have a roof? If so, you'll find the lack of water prevents anything from growing. 
If it gets wet under the deck, try black plastic (with plenty of holes through it so you don't upset water flow too much). 
Crushed rock etc. will work for a while but you still get weeds through that. Judicious use of 'once a year path weeder' which poisons the ground would help too. 
Zero (and similar) only kill weeds by contact.

----------


## tcf

Gday Hoggy 
The mrs old man just put in a deck at his place similar to what you mention. He put weed mat down after all the stumps were in and punched a heap of holes in it with a pitch fork to allow drainage into the soil below. Apart from the obvious advantage it is also black which means all you can see when the decking timber is down is black  :2thumbsup:  
For what its worth (great expense, labour etc.) I wouldn't bother with crushed rock or a topping of any sort. I have layed approx. 50sqm of lilydale topping (fine grey coloured mix) at my place and it sets rock hard. Only trouble the weeds have just started growing in the top of it, even with weed mat underneath. I also have crushed rock over some garden beds and you need to put weed mat underneath that too. 
So either way you need weed mat, but once that is down the crushed rock or topping will provide no extra protection, let alone be a light colour under the deck. Just go with the weed mat for approx $10/25sqm.

----------


## binda

You could also try that weed matting. I have seen it cheap as chips at a local discount store. (The Warehouse)

----------


## Project1080

Hoggy,
Weedmat is your go. I put it under my deck with a bit of Gravel to stop it blowing away till the decking boards were on. I have verandah over top and 4 yrs later, no weeds yet. 
Regards, 
Project 1080.

----------


## Hoggy

Hi All, 
Thanks for the feedback, looks like weedmat is the go but I still need to build up the hollows with some kind of filling. Any votes on the best stuff to use? Gravel or crushed concrete maybe? It will still need to drain properly. 
Cheers,
Hoggy

----------


## Blu_Rock

I used weed mat with river pebbles and no appreciable weed growth 1 year on. I chose small/medium pebbles over gravel as less moisture is held by them and I reasoned that this would provide a less favourable medium for weeds to grow in.

----------

