[steve42]

My wife is ready for me to put the base of sand down to prepare her new walkway for completion. The walkway is going to consist of 12" pavers with crusher run gravel in between them.

We need to make our decision on what kind of edging we are going to use because one side of the walkway will be the outer boundary for one of her new flower beds.

I didn't realize until I looked at the installation instructions on a box of black vinyl edging that every installation I have ever seen of it was wrong, and that was why it was flopped over on one side or the other. I've never seen anyone trench the ground and partially bury the edging, which is what the manufacturers recommend, so that only about 1-1/2 to 2 inches is actually above ground.

My question is this. For those of you who use the black vinyl edging and installed it that way, does it stand up to your string trimmer? I don't want to use it if the trimmer is going to chew it up.

The landscape edging stones from the paver company are too expensive for our needs right now, but we know we need to use edging to keep from having to weed our walkway to remove the creeping stuff.

Steve

 

[jdjoey]

Steve
I've used the plastic edging made by the OLY OLA co."edge king" style. yes that's the proper way to install it and in my case edging holds up great have it surrounding my sons play area. Another type of edging that might be better for your app. is alum.edging made by the PERM A LOCK CO. more expensive but maybe best for you in the long run. good luck

 

[Shack]

was going to suggest the metal edging jdjoey beat me too it. I use it for paver installs almost exclusively.

 

[LLigetfa]

The edging should be placed with the V lip at the bottom facing the sod or otherwise firm side so that it has something to bite into. The mistake most people make is to put the lip on the garden side where the soil is kept loose.

Also, it should be buried deep enough so that only the top half of the round "pipe" top is sticking up out of the ground. That way the mower blades can run right over top of them and the string trimmer can scalp it right down to the soil.

 

[DJ in WV]

If it were me, I wouldn't use any kind of edging except the edging designed to be used with the pavers to hold them in place. If not, the pavers will migrate and you will end up with an unstable walkway.

The edging that is designed to the used with the pavers is supposed to be placed with the top edge even with the surface of the finished grade around the walkway or patio or whatever.

 

[steve42]

If it were me, I wouldn't use any kind of edging except the edging designed to be used with the pavers to hold them in place. If not, the pavers will migrate and you will end up with an unstable walkway.

The edging that is designed to the used with the pavers is supposed to be placed with the top edge even with the surface of the finished grade around the walkway or patio or whatever.

The pavers aren't going to go anywhere near the edging.

We removed the sod and dug down to about 4" deep, smoothing the dirt as best we could. The walkway is a curve, about 21' long and 3' wide. We went ahead and pre-placed the pavers last month to decide if the distance apart was good for us, giving us a chance to make adjustments and buy more if needed.

Now we are putting a 1-1/2 to 2 inch bed of sand down for a base. We will wet it and tamp it. Then the pavers will go back in place. They will be in 2 curved "columns" with approximately 4" between the columns. The individual pavers in the columns will be 1" apart inside the curve (about 2-1/2" apart on the outside of it). Then we are filling the remainder of the walkway with "crusher run" gray gravel to match what is in our driveway. It will be similar to this, only with gray gravel.

We installed the edging last night. LLigetfa's installation instructions were just like the manufacturer's. If you go to their website, I selected the Professional Lawn Edging. It's a little more expensive, but it seemed much more durable.

We've got some progress photos, but I don't have the camera with me right now to post them.

 

[munderhill]

I use the commercial grade black edging. I put it in over 4 years ago and is holding up fine. Here are some pic's. I thought it'd get pushed out by now with the frost but has stayed put well. It's very rugged. I bump it, run over it and string trim against it every week. The walk way is new but the edging has been there. with the exception of the piece he put in on the left side leading up to the steps.

MU

 

[DJ in WV]

Sorry about that Steve, I misunderstood the kind of installation that you are doing. I thought that you were doing an install like Munderhill's instead of a "stepping stone" arrangment.

I'm glad that you found something that is working for you.

 

[steve42]

I use the commercial grade black edging. I put it in over 4 years ago and is holding up fine. Here are some pic's. I thought it'd get pushed out by now with the frost but has stayed put well.

Nice looking walkway.

I don't think I'll have to worry about frost here
<------

 

[LLigetfa]

LLigetfa's installation instructions were just like the manufacturer's. If you go to their website

Actually not. The instructions I saw following that link, shows the V lip facing the soft side and the spikes driven through the bottom of the V. The stuff I put in that way gets pushed up by the frost every year. I found that it stays down better if you turn them around so that the V hooks the hard (uncultivated) sod side.

I buy the pro edging that comes flat, not rolled up. It sure beats trying to bake the curl out of it by leaving it in the hot sun for days. I use uncoated steel spikes, not the galvanized ones. Once they crud up with rust, they won't pull out like the coated ones do.

If you the edging to hold a straighter line or more even curve, put some rebar inside the hollow "pipe".

 

[steve42]

Actually not. The instructions I saw following that link, shows the V lip facing the soft side and the spikes driven through the bottom of the V. The stuff I put in that way gets pushed up by the frost every year. I found that it stays down better if you turn them around so that the V hooks the hard (uncultivated) sod side.

I buy the pro edging that comes flat, not rolled up. It sure beats trying to bake the curl out of it by leaving it in the hot sun for days. I use uncoated steel spikes, not the galvanized ones. Once they crud up with rust, they won't pull out like the coated ones do.

If you the edging to hold a straighter line or more even curve, put some rebar inside the hollow "pipe".

I installed this with the V facing the walkway we are building. Since we are tamping in the sand right up to the edge, and then layering on some fine crusher-run gravel, it should hold down nicely. Especially in Central Alabama, where frost is something we only see about 1 month out of the year.

Plus, the sod on one side of the walkway WILL be taken up soon to turn it into a flower/hedge bed, so that will become the "softer" side.

The rebar idea is great, but the ladies are planning all curved-edge beds, so I won't get to use it for this particular project.

 

[Shack]

steve, a better base for your pavers would be a compacted layer of crusher run followed by stone dust. sand tends to stay fluid and does not compact well. over time you'll have movement with the pavers with a sand base.

 

[LLigetfa]

I like setting pavers into one inch of mortar set over the compacted crusher run base.

 

[steve42]

steve, a better base for your pavers would be a compacted layer of crusher run followed by stone dust. sand tends to stay fluid and does not compact well. over time you'll have movement with the pavers with a sand base.

Too late for that. The sand is down, and the wife is happy. Pavers are set, and she's adding the gravel today while I'm at work.

It's all more for appearances anyway. In the country, no one goes to the front door.