When you pour a new concrete path against a brick home, pay close attention to where the path meets the wall. The concrete can cover a section of brickwork that was previously visible during termite inspections. If that junction is left unprotected, termites may be able to travel up the outside of the bricks undetected and bypass the home’s existing termite barrier.
For this installation, Urban Pest & Termite Solutions fitted grey GREENZONE® Expansion Foam between the existing brick wall and the planned edge of the new path before the concrete was poured. We chose grey so the joint would blend in with the finished concrete.
How a concrete path can create concealed termite entry
Picture the side of your house before the path goes in. You can see the lower courses of brickwork, and a termite inspector can look for the mud tubes termites build as they travel up from the soil. Now picture the same wall with a concrete path covering those bricks. The face of the wall is still there, but part of it is hidden behind the edge of the path.
That change in level matters even when the home already has a termite management system. If the new path bridges the existing barrier, termites can use the junction between the concrete and the wall to get past it. This is why we look at both the proposed path height and the position of the existing barrier when planning termite protection for new concrete paths.
Why we used grey GREENZONE Expansion Foam
The joint between the path and the house needs to allow for movement as the concrete expands and contracts. GREENZONE Expansion Foam serves two purposes in that space. The compressible foam accommodates movement, and the termite treatment incorporated into the foam helps prevent concealed entry through the protected joint.
Installing the foam before the concrete pour gave us access to the brick face along the planned path. We could position the barrier where the new concrete would meet the house, while the full length of the joint was still accessible. Once the path is poured, that same section of brickwork is hidden.
Planning a concrete path in South East Queensland?
If you’re getting quotes for a new path beside your home, ask how the finished concrete level will sit in relation to your existing termite barrier and what will remain visible for future inspections. The best time to work through those details is while the path height and layout can still be adjusted.
Urban Pest & Termite Solutions installs physical termite barriers for renovations and new concrete paths across South East Queensland. Call 07 3889 5159 before your concrete pour to discuss termite protection where your new path meets your home.
