Continue adding more plywood forms, using the same method until you’ve finished one entire side of the forms. The next strip should butt tightly against the end of the first and be fastened with the same four-screw pattern. Continue attaching plywood to fill out the rest of the form. (Any more than that, and the concrete above it could be weak enough to crack.) Inside stakes don’t need to be screwed to the plywood forms. If you add them on the inside, just be sure to drive them deeper into the ground so that only one inch is exposed. Positioned inside or outside of the forms, extra stakes will help the plywood forms maintain the desired shape when the concrete is poured. Add additional support stakes every two to three feet between the end stakes. The extra set will ensure that the plywood form is securely attached-especially important if you’re forming the concrete edging in a curve. Use a cordless drill/driver to insert two 1½-inch screws through the stake and into the plywood form.Īt the opposite end, insert a 1×4 stake so that plywood strip overlaps only half of the wider stake. Attach the plywood to the stake using four screws this time (two rows spaced an inch apart). Remember: The form and stake should be no higher than the desired height of your border. Position the plywood in the trench along the guide, and drive a 12”-long 1×2 stake on the outside of it. Place your first plywood where you want to start your edging. Good for either curvy or straight designs, these bendable strips should be as wide your concrete edging’s desired depth (above and below ground) plus an extra inch for gravel in the trench. Use a circular saw to cut 4-foot-by-8-foot plywood sheets lengthwise to create the sides of the concrete forms. Photo: Step 2: Building the Forms Create your forms from strips from ¼”-thick plywood. Scrape the bottom of the trench even with a flat-head shovel to remove any rises in the soil or lingering dirt clods. When digging, try to keep the sides of the trench as vertical as possible. Your trench should be one inch deeper and two to three inches wider than the size of your concrete edging. Additionally, at least two inches of that depth should be below the surface of the soil this below-grade portion holds the border securely in place. The tops of your concrete edging can either be flush with the surface of the ground or rise a couple of inches above ground level, depending on your desired look. You can go as wide as you like, but the strongest concrete edging is at least 3½ inches wide and deep. Decide what size you’d like to make your edging. If you prefer a straight border, swap the garden hose for stakes and a string line. Lay out where you want to pour your new edging. Be creative! A meandering concrete border with graceful curves will help define the best aspects of your landscape use a long garden hose to guide this shape. Then, with a little help from Quikrete, we’ll walk you through the four main parts of the process. Go ahead and preview the project in this instructive video from the pros to get an idea of how it’s done. Use your next spare weekend to complete a concrete project that draws more attention to your well-manicured lawn and maintained flower beds. By all accounts, it’s a no-brainer means to boost your curb appeal. Best of all, concrete is affordable (approximately $2 per linear foot for poured concrete edging). It can be molded into curves or corners for a distinct separation between lawns and rock gardens or flowerbeds-by do-it-yourselfers of any skill level! Then there’s there’s durability to consider: Not only is concrete one of the strongest materials around, it’s virtually maintenance-free. While you’ll find a variety of edging materials at your local home improvement center, virtually nothing offers as much creative flexibility and as sharp of appearance as poured concrete. Lawn and garden edging elevates your landscape much like how a frame does a photo: The dramatic emphasis around the perimeter focuses attention on what’s within the borders.
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