Weed Barrier over tanbark?

Question

We are slowly working to refurbish our landscaping. There is an area next to the driveway the previous owner had covered with weed barrier and tanbark. The barrier is ineffective against weeds, but I have now gained the advantage over the weeds and want to put pavers down in place of the tanbark. Can I place another layer of a better quality weed barrier over the tanbark as preparation for placing paver sand, since we're looking only as using the area for appearance only, and not foot traffic, or is it better to remove the tanbark entirely, put down the better quality weed barrier, and then use the paver sand. Thanks.

Answer 1

Tanbark (I had never heard of it) appears to be small bits of chipped or shredded wood from a specific tree (usually oak).

If you want your pavers to sit evenly, remove the tanbark mulch; over time, it will degrade and cause the pavers to wobble about and slip around, even if you manage to get them looking even in the first place. However, if the paving is not intended to be used as something to walk on, have you thought about using something like cobbles or large pebbles instead...

Whatever hard product you choose to use, if the tanbark has weeds growing in or through it, its better to remove the bark as well as the weeds prior to placing anything else in the area. Whilst landscaping fabric (weed barrier) with mulch on top works well initially, over time, persistent weeds which might be present beneath the barrier may well grow through to the surface. More commonly though. particles of soil that collect in the mulch, as well as degraded material from the mulch itself, create an environment for weed seedlings to germinate and grow, so deal with the weeds prior to laying anything else.