What is the best edging for pavers

One of the most important stages in constructing a paver yard, pathway, or drive is installing edging. It is vital to set a border for your pavers not only because it improves their appearance but also for the structural integrity of the installation.. In this article, we will look at some different options to help you decide yourself what is the best edging for pavers.

Why Use Edging

Creating boundaries for an outdoor paved area addresses some specific problems. First and foremost 一 it prevents tiles from moving and spreading, which is often caused by weather extremities, driving, walking, and ground movement. And once a few pavers tiles begin to move and spread, the process of destruction starts and it will continue like a snowball effect. Tiles crack, shift, sink, weeds and moss grow between them. So if you want to keep your garden or drive aesthetically looking nice it is better to make sure the proper edging is selected in advancebefore laying bricks or tiles. Otherwise, it would demand much headache and repair to correct paver movement

Is paver edging necessary? Of course. iframing your pathway, patio, or drive will create a stunning visual look and with the correct perimeter edge restraint in place, protect your investment and save on repair budget in the long run.

Selecting a Paver Edge Restraint

A perfect paving edge restraint does not exist 一 everything depends solely on the application or use of the paver and the sub-base you lay it on. Issues usually arise either when an edge restraint used is meant for a different application or when installation is unprofessional. Make sure edge restraints fit over your base and pay attention to its depth. There are various types of paver edging: stone, plastic, concrete, aluminum. Let’s consider the pros and cons of each material and the factors that can make you choose this or that type.

Walls and Edging Stones

There is no need to install an edge restraint if your pavers are laid up against a hard surface like a building, wall or fixed curb. For better retaining of paver tiles laid against a landscape bed, turf, or other , you can opt to install vertical edging stones.you can embed them into your project using concrete. You’ll need to remove the first foundation layer for your pavers and put some concrete instead. Then wet the framing stones in water for better adherence with concrete and install them. Having done these steps, you can also apply one of the restraints mentioned below for it to support both your tiles and edging stones.

Plastic

One of the most frequent choices of material for edge restraints is plastic. You can often see them in DIY stores or even notice them while walking on pavers somewhere. Plastic edge restraints do not always perform their function properly in heavily trafficked areas or in extreme weather. Severe seasonal extremities can lead to some failures. Improper compaction of the base often causes deformation of plastic framing as well 一 as the pavers sink, the edging moves too, which is no good. Also, a frequent issue is that the base is installed too high without scraping enough of the foundation layer. It causes the exposure of the supporting construction.

Plastic edge restraint are installed with landscape nails or spikes driven into the sub-base and used mainly in non-vehicular appllicatoins.

Metal

This option is a bit more pricey than the plastic edging and typically used by professionals rather than DIY homeowners. But it has a big advantage as being more structurally sound than its plastic counterparts. It is also best used for straight runs rather than curved sections

Concrete

Concrete paver edging can be different: regular and with reinforcement elements. The latter is more durable. Concrete is resistant to moisture and is the strongest edge restraint. Concrete edging is always recommended for Vehicular applications and adheres very well to the base and paver tiles. The main disadvantage of concrete is that it cracks over time and consequently stops performing the function of preventing paver tiles from spreading especially in freeze/thaw climates. However, this problem is solved easily – you can add reinforcement elements to your concrete mixture with fiber mesh or rebars to prevent any cracking. Another pro of applying concrete as edging is that it can be laid to any shape. If you have a curved pathway, it will not cause any difficulties. Installation will probably be even easier than with metal. Also, concrete restraints are not costly.

Conclusion

We have given a few paver edging ideas in this article, and to choose the best material for yourself, we recommend you take into account your paver’s application, the material, base, budget, shape of a walkway, and climate you live in. Thus you will definitely select the restraint that will keep your pavers looking-good and let you avoid repairing them.