How to stop weeds and fix rotting timber steps?

[nishtha]

 

 

We have a few wooden steps in our backyard which are rotting.

We got a few quotes and both the carpenters mentioned that removing them would be too much work and that we should spray them and then they can put a fresh slab of wood on top of the existing steps.

My question is will that stop the weeds from growing as it's too close to the soil?

Or do we really need to do the hard yards and have them removed.

Even if we have them removed then do we need to take any additional steps to make sure weeds don't grow in between them?