I need to add some type of edging where the grass lawn meets the edge of my driveway. Since the driveway is below soil level, the soil migrates onto the driveway with each rainfall, creating a maintenance headache of soil and southern wiregrass constantly creeping out onto the pad. The more I recut the line and shovel the mess off, the soil destabilizes further and makes the problem progressively worse. After 13 years of cutting, shoveling, and blowing, I want to fix this problem for good.

So, I'd like to install about 50 ft. of some type of hard edging that's durable and doesn't stand out. With that in mind, I don't want bricks or plastic roll edging you buy at local hardware store. The plastic edging would work ok for a while, but it wouldn't last forever and doesn't look good enough. Bricks look good if that's what you want, but bricks are a maintenance headache over time as they destabilize, shift, and let grass grow thru the cracks.

So I'm thinking about some type of metal edging, but I don't want anything that would rust. Unfortunately I don't know what professional landscapers use, but I know it's good stuff with a very clean appearance. So I'd like to use the same stuff they use, which I could install myself since the edge will be a straight line without any custom contouring or bending needed. My thinking is I'd just cut any grass wires shoots that made if over the top, if any, and that would be it. And it would help that side of my lawn properly stabilize and grow better grass without all the soil and expensive weed and feed chemicals I use over the season constantly running off. I also think that type of edging would be the most stable and more or less permanent, at least for me.

So do any of you guys know what this stuff is called, and what would be recommended in terms of thickness and/or depth etc., along with any brands you've had success with ? And is this stuff typically steel or aluminum ? I do pretty much everything on my own house and vehicles etc., and enjoy those types of projects, including landscaping etc.

Any advice and recommendations would be much appreciated.

Stay away from metal every time some one runs it over.....

about
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...3001HD-60C/205959993

Or this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...221E-60HDC/316348292

Depending on how high you need it, the 2nd even has a choice of colors, if you're married.

I'm not worried about running over it, and that particular nylon product doesn't bury below grade, the wiregrass would find a way, literally.

I’ve recently seen concrete edging poured around garden borders. It can look good if done right. It can be stamped and colored. Some examples…

https://nocoprotectivecoatings...om-concrete-curbing/

That looks great, but my driveway is really old, and the neighborhood nice, but not fancy enough or the lots large enough for that treatment. It is really nice though.

quote:

Originally posted by yucaipa:
Stay away from metal every time some one runs it over.....

about
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...3001HD-60C/205959993

Or this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...221E-60HDC/316348292

Depending on how high you need it, the 2nd even has a choice of colors, if you're married.

I just replied to this, but I missed your point about color choices for spousal units. That's pretty funny. Sometimes they think they want something that's really a bad idea, and nothing you say can convince them otherwise. My wife currently wants to paint everyting black, not the wall mind you, but practically everything else. I can't wait until the next shiny bullet passes by, so I can get off the don't paint it black over my dead body track. Geez o petes. I'm guessing at least those edging color choices aren't any of the basic rainbow colors.

We have some steel edging around some of our gardens. It's held up really well. It's been in the ground better than ten years and still no sign of rust.

I believe this is the stuff: https://www.lowes.com/pd/COL-M...ging-Section/3044562

Back in prehistoric times, when I was doing landscaping, we used a lot of the Col-Met stuff for this sort of application. It works very well, and maintains its appearance for years. The manufacturer used to drop ship this to our job sites at no shipping charge. Make sure you have a decent sledge and a nice long digging bar, and a young husky helper, especially if you are going to be bending the steel. Note that this is available in various thicknesses, the hardware stores only carry the thinner stuff (which is not what you want).

Another option might be to edge with pressure treated landscape timbers, 4x4 or 6x6, held in place by through-driven rebar (you will want to drill pilot holes). The latter is very sturdy and will resist most vehicular assaults, however, it is challenging to install against curved pavement. I have also used 1x6 PT lumber for this sort of thing, looks good, but it does not last more than a couple of years.

I think your best option will depend on the drop from turf to the pavement. If more than about 4" or so, a concrete curb is going to be hard to beat. The edging solutions, even timbers, will not stand up to the amount of twisting force that a car will put on it, and drivers respect concrete curbs. There is a reason that millions of miles of public roads are edged in concrete.

Composite deck board installed vertically. I would find one that is fully encapsulated and then seal the ends with some kind of flexseal product. It should last many years and can set to your custom depth and flexible enough to contour the driveway.

quote:

Since the driveway is below soil level, the soil migrates onto the driveway

I think that puts you in a tight spot.

Have you thought about creating a border area along the drive more-or-less at driveway level, with well-behaved landscape plants, or rock, and moving the border/slope/drainage war from the edge of the driveway to the boundary between that new border area and the invasive grass?



That way the grass would be invading the border area instead of the driveway, and you'd have more flexibility about what to do on the grass/landscaping border re: grade/drainage/edging.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by yucaipa:
Stay away from metal every time some one runs it over.....

about
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...3001HD-60C/205959993

Or this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...221E-60HDC/316348292

Depending on how high you need it, the 2nd even has a choice of colors, if you're married.

I just replied to this, but I missed your point about color choices for spousal units. That's pretty funny. Sometimes they think they want something that's really a bad idea, and nothing you say can convince them otherwise. My wife currently wants to paint everyting black, not the wall mind you, but practically everything else. I can't wait until the next shiny bullet passes by, so I can get off the don't paint it black over my dead body track. Geez o petes. I'm guessing at least those edging color choices aren't any of the basic rainbow colors.

The edging comes in black.

They used to make steel edging for paver sidewalks but I am not sure if they do anymore.

Is Belgian block an option for you?

You have a picture of the area?

How high is the yard over the driveway.
IF you have a good enough slope then maybe a border. We used Railroad ties when I lived in Ohio and had a sloped yard next to the drive, dug a trench, put in a French drain with rock and laid the ties on top.

Or you could put in a french drain along side the drive to catch the water and run it down the side to the street

quote:

Originally posted by yucaipa:

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by yucaipa:
Stay away from metal every time some one runs it over.....

about
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...3001HD-60C/205959993

Or this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pr...221E-60HDC/316348292

Depending on how high you need it, the 2nd even has a choice of colors, if you're married.

I just replied to this, but I missed your point about color choices for spousal units. That's pretty funny. Sometimes they think they want something that's really a bad idea, and nothing you say can convince them otherwise. My wife currently wants to paint everyting black, not the wall mind you, but practically everything else. I can't wait until the next shiny bullet passes by, so I can get off the don't paint it black over my dead body track. Geez o petes. I'm guessing at least those edging color choices aren't any of the basic rainbow colors.

The edging comes in black.

Ha ! you got me.

Where can I put a picture on the internet to link to it here ? I'd like to add a picture of my situation. I've never put a picture on the net, but may have to since we can't embed photos on this forum. Security and all that.