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Wood edging is a natural and practical choice for the
borders of most garden beds. You can create a border that
isn't obtrusive with 1-by or 2-by dimensional lumber. For
a bolder, more rustic look, go with landscape timbers.
Because wood edging is in constant contact with the
ground, it needs to be highly resistant to rot if it's to
last more than a season or two. For durability, buy
.40-pressure-treated lumber, which is rated for ground
contact. Since the treating does not reach the interior of
the wood, you need to treat cut ends with a
sealer-preservative– otherwise you'll void the
manufacturer's warranty. |
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 Lay out the
bed and dig a trench for the edging. Tamp the bottom of
the trench firmly with the end of a 2x4. |
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 Check that
the depth of the trench is uniform with an edging board.
Build up low spots and tamp. |
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 Line up
edging boards along the outside of the trench. Trim boards
to length, if necessary, with a circular saw. Place 2x2
stakes at the ends and every 4 feet along the boards about
1 inch below the top of them. Fasten the boards to the
stakes with 6d (2-inch) galvanized nails or No. 8 2-inch
deck screws. |
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 Place the
edging boards in the trench with the stakes on the outside
of the bed. With a 3-pound sledgehammer, drive the stakes
into the ground to anchor the boards. Check that the
edging sits level and adjust it as necessary by driving
stakes in deeper. |
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 Add soil
along the outside of the bed with a spade, then tamp and
rake. Add soil to the inside of the bed and rake it
smooth. |
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 Trim strips
of sod saved from inside the bed and place them along the
outside of the bed against the edging, covering the
stakes. |
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RELATED PROJECTS
Installing Plastic
Edging
Installing Metal Edging
Installing Landscape
Timber Edging
Installing Sawtooth
Brick Edging
Installing Flat Brick
Edging
Installing Precast
Concrete Edging
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