Ethan Clarke
Plastic lawn edging is a great way to give your garden a neat and manicured look. It is an easy DIY project that can be completed in a few hours and is relatively inexpensive. The process is simple: you measure the perimeter of your garden bed, dig a trench, place the edging, and secure it with stakes. This guide will teach you how to install plastic lawn edging, giving your garden a clean and finished look.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To distinguish a garden bed from the rest of a lawn, making your garden look neat and tidy |
| Installation Difficulty | Easy, can be done in a few hours, and does not require a degree in DIY or landscaping |
| Installation Tools | Basic household tools, including a shovel or spade, a tape measure, a mallet or hammer, and a stake |
| Installation Steps | Measure the perimeter of the garden bed, dig a trench, place the edging, fill the trench with soil, and install stakes |
| Height | Typically ranges from 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm), with 3 inches being inexpensive and widely available, and 6 inches being more expensive and difficult to find |
| Materials | Plastic, metal, wood, concrete, bricks, or willow rolls |
| Cost | Plastic edging is wallet-friendly, with 60 feet of edging starting at around $30, while metal edging can be more expensive, ranging from £8-10 per meter |
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What You'll Learn
Planning and measuring
First, decide where you want your lawn border to be. Lawn edging is typically used to distinguish a garden bed from the rest of a lawn, but you can also install it around the perimeter of your outdoor living spaces.
Next, you need to measure the length you'll need to cover. You can do this by laying out a piece of rope along the bed in the shape you desire. If you're happy with the design, you can trace the curvature of the rope with environmentally safe marking paint. Once the rope is dry, cut it to size and use a tape measure to determine its length. This will give you an idea of how much edging you'll need to purchase. It's recommended that you add 10% to the total length to account for waste.
Before you start digging your trench, it's a good idea to unroll your plastic lawn edging and leave it in the sun. The sun will warm the plastic and make it less curled, and therefore easier to shape and use.
Finally, you can start digging your trench. It should be 3-6 inches deep and slightly wider than the width of your edging. If you're using a machine like a trenchmaster or E-Z Trencher, this step will be much easier. Otherwise, you can use a round point shovel or spade to dig a neat trench.
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Digging a trench
To begin, use a tape measure to work out the length and depth of the trench. The standard depth for a plastic lawn border is between 3 and 6 inches, with a width of around 2 inches. Mark out the trench with environmentally safe marking paint to ensure a straight line. You can also lay out a piece of rope to map out the trench and measure the rope with a tape measure to determine the length.
Once you have measured and marked the outline, it's time to start digging. A round-point shovel or a spade is best for this job. Dig along the marked line, ensuring the trench is deep and wide enough to fit the plastic edging. If you are using a spade, a sharp one will help create a neat trench. Alternatively, you can use a machine such as a trenchmaster or E-Z Trencher to make the job easier.
After digging the trench, cut away any roots that are in the way. You can use a pick or a pitchfork to remove grass and roots from the trench.
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Placing the edging
Next, you will need to dig a trench around your garden bed. The trench should be deep enough (3-6 inches) and slightly wider than the width of your chosen edging. Use a round point shovel or spade to dig a neat trench, following the marking paint as your guide. Make sure to cut away any roots that may interfere with the edging.
Now, you can place the plastic edging into the trench. Ensure that the lip on the bottom of the edging is pointing towards your garden bed and not the lawn. If you are using multiple rolls of edging, connect the ends of the rolls with a connector or plastic coupling.
Finally, fill the trench back in with soil, packing it down as you go. Install edging stakes every 5 feet (1.5 meters) along the edging to secure it in place. Hammer the stakes into the soil, positioning them next to the top of the edging with the pointed tip facing towards the "V" shape at the bottom. Stomp along the curves of the edging with your feet to compact the soil and prevent any further movement.
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Filling the trench
Firstly, keep the soil that you dug out from the trench close by, as you will be using it to fill the trench back in. If you have good topsoil in your yard, you can use that, or you could purchase some from a garden centre.
Next, place the plastic edging in the trench, ensuring that the lip on the bottom is pointing towards your garden bed and not the lawn. Push the edging firmly into the trench and against the garden bed. If you need multiple rolls of edging, use a connector to attach the ends of the rolls.
Now, backfill the trench with loose soil, packing it down firmly. You can stomp along the curves of the edging with your feet to flatten the soil and make it compact. This will push the edging outwards along the curve.
Finally, install a stake every 5 feet (1.5 m) along the edging. Place the stake right next to the top of the edging, with the pointed tip facing towards the "V" shape at the bottom. Hammer the part of the stake that is above the soil to make the pointed tip go through the edging.
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Installing stakes
First, you need to determine how many stakes you will need. It is recommended that you install a stake every 5 feet (1.5 m) along the edging. Therefore, you should measure the length of your garden bed's perimeter and divide it by 5 feet (1.5 m) to estimate the number of stakes required.
Next, you can begin installing the stakes. Place each stake into the soil right next to the top of the edging, ensuring that the pointed tip is facing towards the "V" shape at the bottom. Once the stake is in position, use a mallet or hammer to pound it into the ground. This will help secure the edging in place and prevent it from moving over time.
If you are installing black plastic edging, you may need to angle the stakes near the bottom of the edging. This can be done by trenching behind the edging and using a pick or a pitchfork to grab the soil from the other side.
Stakes play a crucial role in sturdying the garden bed and edging. They provide stability and ensure that the edging remains securely in place as the soil shifts and moves over time.
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Frequently asked questions
Measure the outline of your garden bed using rope, then use a tape measure to determine the length of edging required.
Dig a trench that is 3-6 inches deep and slightly wider than the width of the edging.
You can use a mallet to hammer stakes into the edging to keep it in place. Alternatively, you can tie pieces together with plastic coupling.
