When you are trying to create a beautiful landscape that includes sidewalks, flower gardens, and other others, you need to have a material in place that will keep weeds from growing and create a great border. There are two basic types available and those include composite and plastic bender board. One lasts longer than the other but both are great for the job.
Wood fibers and glue are used to make the composite borders. They retain some flexibility but may be a bit harder to work with. Often you will use water to help shape them. The nice thing about them is that they deteriorate over time. If you aren't wanting this to be a permanent solution, this is the way to go. They'll naturally rejoin the soil over a matter of years.
The other type is made from recycled plastic. This helps the environment by keeping it out of the landfill and putting it to good use. Being plastic, it will be able to last a very long time and you won't need to replace it. Plus, if you decide to move the border and redo some of the landscaping, you can dig it up and use it again.
Installing both of them requires the same steps. The first being measurements. Put stakes in the ground in various places along the path where the material will be installed. Wrap a string along with the stakes and measure how much string you used. This will tell you how much material you need without having to use an inflexible metal tape measure that will give inaccurate measurements for circle or wandering angles.
When you have your shovel ready and you've marked where the border will go, start digging. The trench you dig needs to be at least six inches wide to hold the border and deep enough that it will sit below the turf line. Put in stakes on the side that is away from the turf to be able to hold the material in place. Later, when you're putting the material down, you'll need to add a stake every spot that has a break in the material to hold both ends together.
Lay out the material to put in the trench. You can lay it next to it or just put it right in the hole. Make sure it sits below the line and dig out any extra dirt to get it deep enough. Attach it to the stakes and put in an extra stake every time there is a break in the material.
Push the dirt into the hole. The whole reason for keeping the dirt nearby is to make it easy to fill it back in. You'll have more than you need but you want to pack it down. It will settle over time, so don't worry too much if it creates a bit of a mound. Use your feet or a tamping tool to pack it in nice and tight.
It's not hard to make a nice border to keep the weeds from growing into the flower bed or decorative rocks. After you've dug the trench and put in the border, you'll be well on your way to creating a great looking landscaped yard. Having a border between areas is essential to keeping it looking great over time.
Wood fibers and glue are used to make the composite borders. They retain some flexibility but may be a bit harder to work with. Often you will use water to help shape them. The nice thing about them is that they deteriorate over time. If you aren't wanting this to be a permanent solution, this is the way to go. They'll naturally rejoin the soil over a matter of years.
The other type is made from recycled plastic. This helps the environment by keeping it out of the landfill and putting it to good use. Being plastic, it will be able to last a very long time and you won't need to replace it. Plus, if you decide to move the border and redo some of the landscaping, you can dig it up and use it again.
Installing both of them requires the same steps. The first being measurements. Put stakes in the ground in various places along the path where the material will be installed. Wrap a string along with the stakes and measure how much string you used. This will tell you how much material you need without having to use an inflexible metal tape measure that will give inaccurate measurements for circle or wandering angles.
When you have your shovel ready and you've marked where the border will go, start digging. The trench you dig needs to be at least six inches wide to hold the border and deep enough that it will sit below the turf line. Put in stakes on the side that is away from the turf to be able to hold the material in place. Later, when you're putting the material down, you'll need to add a stake every spot that has a break in the material to hold both ends together.
Lay out the material to put in the trench. You can lay it next to it or just put it right in the hole. Make sure it sits below the line and dig out any extra dirt to get it deep enough. Attach it to the stakes and put in an extra stake every time there is a break in the material.
Push the dirt into the hole. The whole reason for keeping the dirt nearby is to make it easy to fill it back in. You'll have more than you need but you want to pack it down. It will settle over time, so don't worry too much if it creates a bit of a mound. Use your feet or a tamping tool to pack it in nice and tight.
It's not hard to make a nice border to keep the weeds from growing into the flower bed or decorative rocks. After you've dug the trench and put in the border, you'll be well on your way to creating a great looking landscaped yard. Having a border between areas is essential to keeping it looking great over time.
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