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Essex Artificial Grass Experts
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We Supply. We Install. We Do it All.
Essex Artificial Grass Experts
Undoubtedly, a clean and crisp finish isn’t possible without a sharp and defined edge. Whether that’s through curbing or landscape, edging systems are a necessity.
Furthermore, selecting the suitable edging system can be a dilemma on its own, but don’t fret because we’re here to present to you the complete guide to the artificial grass edging types.
Artificial grass edging is the process of installing various natural or manufactured border materials at proper elevations around the perimeter of the artificial grass to cover uneven edges and protect the integrity of subgrade soils and base materials.
If you’re looking for some assistance with edge installation, we at Essex Artificial Grass can help. Contact us to lay Sandstone sets, EverEdge, or Railway Sleepers for you. Not to mention, we can carry out the artificial lawn process installation from head to toe.
Here are the 6 main artificial grass edging types:
By far, timber edging is the most popular edging type due to its reasonable pricing and quick installation, as you can cut it into the needed size. This edging creates the ideal surface to secure the perimeter by using galvanized nails placed 100mm apart.
In pressure-treated timber edging, logs, lumber, and other timber forms are used for artificial lawn borders. Timber is pressure treated to withstand the moisture of the earth, granting it longevity.
Nevertheless, moisture will penetrate it and eventually damage it, and depending on the timber quality and moisture amount, a pressure-treated timber edge’s life expectancy is about 10 years.
Also, timber edging may not be the best at creating curves, rendering it unsuitable for some flower beds. It’s generally ideal for straight edges. Still, some timber options have small cut log sections driven into the ground, providing more flexibility for curved lawns.
If none of the previous concerns is relevant to you, or if you think the price is worth the sacrifice, you can use timber edging. To calculate the timber’s size, consider the sub-base’s deepness (the aggregate layer) and the laying course on top of it.
For instance, for a sub-base of 50mm deep and a laying course of 25mm deep, your lawn edging board measurement should be 75mm x 50mm, which requires a (3″ x 2″). Now that you have your timber, you can secure it down. Use a rubber hammer (rather than a metal one, as it could damage the wood) to push stakes into the ground.
Then, you can fix the edging in place with a decking screw. As for the artificial grass, you can either set it to the timber or cut it to suit the timber’s measurement. For a stronger edge, tuck your artificial grass’s edges around the wood.
If you’re willing to invest in edging with more durability, composite plastic-lumber edging lives up to 25 years since it’s moisture-resistant. Thus, it’s well-suited for environments high in moisture and heavy traffic. And the installation process isn’t significantly different from pressure-treated timber, so it’s quick and easy to install.
Tip: Be sure to ask your supplier for more accurate details about the product’s lifespan.
Our primary concern with plastic-lumber edging is its price range, which is 3 or 4 times that of the former type.
Steel edging is becoming increasingly popular because of its undeniable flexibility; you can bend it into numerous shapes and styles. Similar to composite plastic edging, steel edging has a longer lifespan than timber edging. Also, you can install it with no fuss.
Unfortunately, the similarities between steel and composite plastic edging don’t stop at longevity because they come at the same price point.
When installing the artificial lawn, you can lay it up and cut it into metal. Afterwards, it would help if you fixed it with standard 6-inch steel pins. Besides, you can find steel edging types with tabs, which you can glue to the artificial grass to facilitate that installation process.
However, when the glue dries, there’s no chance to fix any lingering creases or wrinkles. Instead, a safer method would be placing galvanized U-pins surrounding your lawn’s perimeter to hold the edges down.
These edging sleepers can withstand bad weather conditions thanks to their pressure treatment. And not only do they act as a perimeter for the sub-base, but they also act as an anchoring point for the artificial grass.
Tip: To render this system %100 weatherproof, you need to treat cut edges so that they don’t rot either. You can go to your local DIY store for end-grain preservatives.
To install the sleepers, you can lay them on a concrete bed or attach them to posts or stakes. Then, use decking screws or galvanized nails to secure the edge at a 45-degree angle.
Concrete gravel boards and gravel are acceptable if you want to run your artificial lawn up to a garden fence using existing concrete gravel boards to retain the aggregates. It’s best done with a new fence because once the grass is laid, it won’t be easy to replace the fence.
Like timber edging, your fence can live up to 10 years, provided it’s well-maintained, and you can use galvanized U-pins to fix it.
If you want to use regular gravel, it has some visual appeal, but note that it doesn’t make for a solid border. To overcome this, we’d advise you to add another type of edging to keep the gravel and artificial grass separate.
Paving stones are a good choice for impressive durability, and they’re aesthetically pleasing. Plus, they require little maintenance and are ideal for dry weather, making for a full patio or a slim border.
This is suitable for those who dislike having a raised edge surrounding their artificial lawn. You can take advantage of the patio or block pairing you already own in retaining the sub-base. You need to heighten the edging enough for that to happen, though.
Aside from that, you control its heights; the grass can be as high as its paved surrounding or slightly higher. And it can be cut up to the existing patio and fixed with 6-inch pins. Also, there’s the option of creating a lip surrounding the edge and glueing the grass to it.
Nonetheless, you’d be unable to smooth over any creases or wrinkles, so perhaps it’s better to secure your grass to allow you to replace the lawn or pave it easily.
All in all, artificial grass edging is a matter of evaluating your priorities. If that’s durability, maybe consider composite plastic lumber. If it’s affordability, perhaps a better fit for you would be pressure-treated timber edging.
Of course, nothing beats steel edging in terms of flexibility. And a pressure-treated edging sleeper is good for plant gardens, paving for low maintenance, and gravel for visual appeal.
If you’re unsure which to choose, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
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