PATH PROTECTION THAT LASTS
18 Oct 2018
Under Path Growth Inhibitor is the first environmentally-friendly root barrier product that protects pipes under pathways from roots, doubling the life expectancy of tree-surrounded concrete pathways. Do you need protection from tree roots?
Before/After - Montpelier Street, Wilston | Queensland
Under Path Growth Inhibitor is a patented product by Root Barrier™ that has been developed over the past 15 years to provide an economical foundation design for slabs that are built on reactive clay sites. In 2010 a tree-damaged path was replaced with a new footpath, under which the Under Path Growth Inhibitor was laid. Eight years later, the team at Root Barrier™ revisited the site and were thrilled to see that the footpath is in near-perfect condition, with the footpaths yet to show any signs of tree root damage.
This result, alongside many other cases, shows that Root Barrier’s™ product is far surpassing the original predictions for longevity. 
HOW IT WORKS
Food for nearby trees is provided by the concrete moisture that is trapped naturally under pavement surfaces. The tree roots find this food and transport it back to the tree, and the root that finds the most food grows the biggest, which can become a dangerous and unsightly obstacle for a public footpath. Root Barrier™ Under Path Growth Inhibitor creates a 50mm deep zone under the concrete, outside the pH range that trees like to feed on. Roots in this immediate area will be prohibited from growing to damage the path. Other roots will therefore find a more suitable food source, allowing them to support and feed the plant without damaging the selected area.
This product is 100 percent natural with no manufactured chemicals and a salinity that mimics sea water. The product is stabilised to prevent active components leaching from under the path. The product is DPI tested and meets EPA guidelines to protect the local environment.
Root Barrier™ mixed the Under Path Growth Inhibitor with plumbing trench sand and discovered that this mixture root-proofs the sand and protects pipes from tree roots. It is the first environmentally friendly product to achieve this goal and meets the QUU requirements of developers to protect underground services from tree on new housing development ands sub-divisions.
