Question
I have pencil pine trees (mature) along side my paved driveway and now find they are lifting the pavers. How robust are these roots if I shave them and paint them will these stop their further growth of these areas and will this damage the tree?

Answer
These trees have a aggressive root system and are know for causing problems with patios and driveways. Yes if you "shave" the roots this will damage the root and allow fungi to enter and may eventually kill the tree. Instead of shaving the roots I would cut a trench along the patio and cut the roots that are going under the patio. You will need to dig down about 2 feet to get the major roots. Then in several year you may need to re dig the trench and cut roots that have grown back. This is a large tree and really should not be this close to the patio or house for the root problem and as a fire hazard--the needles are quite flammable.