What Landscape Edging Should You Choose

There are so many options to choose from when considering a form of edging for your garden beds: plastic, steel, aluminum, brick, stone, poured and formed concrete curbing, and natural spade edge.  I will explain the "spade edge" later.  The others are fairly self explanatory.  In this blog, I will lay out the pros and cons of each and the effort needed to install each.

Plastic Edging: 
For years, I have been telling my clients to stay away from plastic edging.   You know the kind: Three or  four inches tall, flimsy, with a tubular top designed to remain above ground and help delineate the space between garden and lawn.  I can't tell you how many times I have pulled plastic edging up at a project.  Usually, it is already broken and pushed several inches above its original installed position. 

The stuff is badly designed.  The six to eight inch spikes are too short and too few to hold the plastic in place, even when the soil has been packed around it as per manufacturer's specs. The spikes are generally spiked through the plastic, thus creating a break that will eventually assist in the failure of the edging.  Many of the manufacturers use flimsy plastic spikes that break easily.  The freeze-thaw cycles experienced in much of the country degrades the plastic, causing it to become brittle rather than flexible.  The same freeze-thaw cycle makes use of that tubular top to shove the plastic out of the ground within a few seasons.  Plastic edging is impossible to mow over or weed whip without breaking it.  Considering the amount of work required to install this edging (you have to dig a trench 3-4" deep and wide enough to slide the edging in and still have room to nail the spike in using a hammer), and the relatively short life-cycle of plastic edging, I say stay away from it altogether. 

Steel Edging:
Because steel is very strong, it would seem a good option for edging.  It should stand up to the abuse of mowers and weed wackers, shovels and rakes and weather.  However, steel edging is generally powder coated (painted) in order to protect the steel from rusting and breaking down over years of in ground application.  The green, black, or brown paint tends to chip off when run over by a mower, thus creating an opening for rust to take hold.  So much for rust protection.

Steel edging is heavy weight and tends to be less affected by frost heave than plastic edging and will, therefore, stay in place.  However, it is also more difficult to work with.  It does not flex well on tight turns, and requires more effort to trim in order to fit the beds you lay out.  In addition, obviously, steel edging is heavy.  It usually comes in 6-8' sections which must be connected using a built in locking mechanism.  This can be a challenge.  So, though steel will outlast plastic edging, I do not recommend using it for most applications.  Possible use: separating areas that will not be disturbed by mowing, weed whacking or digging.

Aluminum Edging:

Aluminum edging varies in quality greatly.  Low quality aluminum edging such as that found in big box stores is also flimsy.  When purchasing aluminum edging, choose heavier grade material, either 1/8 or 3/16" thick.  In Michigan, I purchase all of my aluminum edging from Curv Rite which is based in Wayland, MI.  They offer a wide variety of aluminum restrain systems.  I most often use either their 2000 series (1/8") or 3000 series (3/16") for garden or lawn edging projects.  These products come in 4" and 5.5" heights and 8' and 16' lengths.  Check their products out http://www.curv-rite.com/landscapeedgnig.html. 

Aluminum edging has com a long way in the past 15 years.  The quality and durability of professional grade edging is excellent.  The biggest problem I still see today, is with improper installation practices.  The edging is meant to separate lawns, and beds.  It is not meant to be decorative edging.  Bury the aluminum edging so no more than 1/2" sticks above the ground.  Grass and stone or mulch can hide the rest.  Leave it too high, and it will be damaged by mowers. 

This product still requires you to dig a trench deep enough and wide enough to set the edging in and nail the stakes in place.  Before you begin trenching, make sure you know where your utilities and irrigation and landscape lighting lines are.  It is easy to damage them when you are digging four or five inches deep.  Be very warry of using a trenching machine.  Better to do it by hand if you are not sure where all those lines run.  Then at least you will know if and when and where damage has occurred and can fix it before it becomes a larger and more costly issue.  

Unlike plastic, it takes a lot to damage the aluminum edging.  It won't break down like plastic or steel.  And it is easier to install than steel because it is light weight.  Overall, I believe aluminum edging is the most cost effective, long-lasting option available. And, you can do it yourself if you have the strength, skill and patience to dig your trench.

Brick and natural stone edging or borders can add character, depth and sense of permanence not encounter when using plastic, steel or aluminum edging.  Because of the innate color and texture variance of brick and stone, they provide another dimension of character to the landscape.  Chosen carefully, these edging options can also help tie structures to the landscape through those colors and textures found in the siding and roof of your home.  This continuity adds depth to both the house and garden. 

The literal weight of the brick or stone edging/border can be felt.  Our understanding and sense of awe at the structure of brick and stone buildings, castles, carvings, monuments etc. carries over into the garden.  It makes us feel like the garden has been around for a long time and will continue long into the future.  And properly installed, it can.

Proper installation of brick and natural stone edging varies based on the size of the individual pieces being laid.  Typical bricks weigh only a few pounds and therefore require some type of base to ensure they remain in place through the tough freeze and thaw cycles of Michigan.  The same goes for relatively small and thin natural stone (i.e. flagstone).  This will keep the bricks or stones from becoming uneven as the years go by.

When I lay brick and flagstone borders, I dig approximately 6 inches below the finished level and 2 inches wider than the width of the border.  So, if your brick is 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, and you are laying your bricks side by side with the long sides against each other (this is called a soldier run), your border will be 4 inches wide.  You will dig your trench a total of 6 inches wide to allow for 1 inch at either end of the 4 inch long brick.  Dig the full length of the trench before moving on the next step. 

Next, you will put 4 inches of crushed concrete or chips n dust at the bottom of the trench.  Chips n Dust is easier to work with that crushed concrete because it can be leveled more evenly.  Another option is stone dust.  Sand shifts too much.  You won't be able to compact it sufficiently, which leads to shifting of the stone or brick when any weight is applied, (i.e. running a lawn mower or wheelbarrow over the border).  Using a 4-6 inch wide tamper, thoroughly compact the crushed concrete, chips n dust or stone dust.  Use your brick or stone to check the depth of the trench to make sure there is enough base for the finished border to be approximately 1/4" above the grade of your lawn or garden bed.  Add or remove base material as needed.

Now start laying the brick or stone side by side, eliminating any gaps between by trimming with either a chisel and hammer or a diamond bladed saw.  Lay a several pieces and then check for smooth surface by laying a straight edge or level across the top surface.  Using a rubber mallet, tap any areas that are too high.  Add chips n dust or stone dust as needed to raise low bricks or stones.  Once an area of several linear feet has been laid, tamp soil at along the ends of the bricks to help hold them in place.  Using brick edging along the garden bed side of the border may be helpful because you probably add mulch to the beds on regular basis and will want to push back soil and mulch each year to make sure it does not overflow the border.  The brick edge ensures the bricks stay put in the process.

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How to Install a Base for Natural Stone Patios

In order to create a firm foundation for your stone patio, you generally have to start by digging. Sorry. Its almost inevitable. However, if you plan on creating a raised patio, you may only have to dig the base for the wall you'll use to raise it.

Before building your natural stone patio determine the best place for your patio.  Many patios are ajacent to the house. This allows for easy transfer of food and supplies from the house to the patio during dinner parties.  If you do choose to place the patio adjactent to your house, leave a few feet between the bulk of the patio and the side of the house. You can soften the edges of the patio and feather in the height difference between the house and patio using various plantings. Without plantings, this area could appear stark.

When determining your patio's position, consider various views: go inside your house.  Look out your windows. How will your patio look from inside?  How will your patio appear from various places in your yard, from yard entrances?  Your inside and outside vistas should be rewarding to view. 

What views will your flagstone patio offer?  Are there gardens or features that you would like to enjoy while sitting on you patio?  Will you add water features or planters that can be enjoyed from the patio?  Place your patio accordingly.  Spray the outline of your patio on the ground.  Draw another line 4" outside your patio outline. 

If you are going to create a patio more than one hundred square feet, you won't want to do this on your own. All soil gets heavy after a while. Clay, is horrendous.  Sometimes, it is easiest to till the soil before you remove it.  Remember, if you have to move the soil a significant distance, or need to dispose of it, you will need to load it into a wheelbarrow.  Don't overfill that barrow or you will tip it and have to reload it.

So, Time to Start Digging.  Dig along the outside line using a flat shovel, working from the area furthest from the soil's final destination.  You don't want to traverse areas you already dug out.  The wheels of you wheelbarrow will bog down in any loose soil and getting it out of the hole you've dug out will not be easy. 

Keep in mind, you have to put that soil somewhere. If you have any low spots on your property, consider using the top soil to fill these. Usually, the topsoil is only three or four inches deep. Anything below that level is usually useful only for creating raised areas, mix this soil with compost for planting, or filling areas in which you will never plant.

At my own home, I mixed the soil from the hole with compost to create a mounded garden bed.  This is preferable to removing the soil from the sight, if at all possible.

Finding a company that is willing to haul away fill soil, any soil not immediately useful for planting, can be a challenge because they need a place to dispose of the soil.  Disposal sites are limited.  If you must remove the soil from the site, look on craigslist.  I have found many people looking for free fill soil.  You just have to get it to their site.

Digging your patio or walkway base to the right depth and width is essential.  Determine the range of thickness of your flagstone.  Most natural flagstone comes in thickness between one (1) inch and three (3) inches. Generally, it will be sold in range between 1-1 1/2" or 2-3", with a wider actual range to be expected. It is always easier to handle thinner pieces because they are lighter weight. However, keep in mind, thicker pieces are less likely to break if dropped. In addition, the joints will set more firmly with thicker stone. Thin flagstone is best used in mortared applications. Most 2-3" thick flagstone covers between 60-90 square feet depending on the thickness

Add the greatest thickness of the flagstone (i.e. for 1-2" stone, you will use 2") to the depth of the road gravel or crushed concrete base, generally 4-6" deep and the depth of the bed of "chips n dust" or stone dust in which you will lay the stone (1-2").  Plan on digging approximately 8-10" deep.  Better to do the extra work now than to watch your hard earned patio collapse a few years down the road because the base was not deep enough.

I generally dig an area 4" wider on all sides than the finished patio will be.  This allows the crushed stone base to support the edges of the patio sufficiently.  Remember to slope the subsoil away from any buildings.  You don't want water collecting against the foundation of your house.  Make sure to eliminate any low spots that could fill up with water during winter and cause frost heave.  Use a landscape rake to level/smooth the foundation soil. 

Yes, this much digging can be difficult.  Especially if you are digging by hand or have to move the soil a significant distance in a wheel barrow.  The soil removed from a 100 square foot patio will be 2.5 yards or 3.5 tons, minimum.  You will be bringing in just as much material.  Don't let this discourage you.  Take your time.  Bring in help if needed.  The end result can be well worth the effort.

Once the soil has been removed to its new location, start bringing in the gravel or crushed concrete.  I prefer to use crushed concrete.  It is recycled material and compacts better than road gravel which has rounded stone.  Place 2-3" inches of crushed concrete evenly across the patio area.  Hose down the crushed concrete with a nozzle set on "shower".  Too much or too little water and the base will not compact properly.  You can tell when the base material is properly watered by taking a handful and creating a ball.  No water should drain out and the ball should hold together fairly well.

Next, compact the first layer of crushed concrete.  It is best to use a plate compactor.  Tamping by hand can be exhausting and leave your arms and shoulders hurting for days after.  In addition, most people can not muster enough strength to compact the stone sufficiently.  You may still need to use a tamper in areas the plate compactor cannot go: corners and tight curves.  You can rent a compactor for four hours at most tool rental places including Home Depot.  Run the plate compactor over the entire area, starting along the outside and working your way in.  Repeat this 2-3 times. 

Lay down the second layer of crushed concrete and repeat the compaction process as mentioned above.  Make sure to eliminate any dips in the stone base.  To fill dips, use a shovel to add crushed concrete.  Raking with the tooth side of a garden landscape rake will sift the stone and separate the larger and smaller particles.  Avoid this.  Once all the dips are filled, run the compactor over the patio base two more times.

Install aluminum edging along the outside of the patio area, remembering to move the edging in 3-4 inches to allow for proper support of the flagstone.

Finally, spread two inches of chips n dust or stone dust.  Compact this layer as well.  As you lay down individual pieces of flagstone, you will need to remove or add to this top layer according to the thickness of the pieces. 

Coming soon: How to Install Flagstone.

Good luck.

Pictures will be added soon.

If you have any questions, or would like assistance in designing or installing your patio and live in the Grand Rapids, MI area, feel free to email me at omegabrickandlandscaping@hotmail.com or call Brent at (616) 328-3258.
 

East Grand Rapids, MI Based Landscape Company: Omega Brick & Landscaping

Omega Brick and Landscaping specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of intimate gardens and outdoor living spaces.  Most of my landscape design and installation projects include unique and beautiful brick and natural stone patios, walkways and walls surrounded by lush, mixed, low-maintenance gardens.

A clear sense of spacial relationships, an eye for aesthetics, and the ability to balance art and the natural environment, enable me to transform your vision and goals for your property, into a private sanctuary, a peaceful gathering place, or fun resort.

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