Lawn Edging Help

[Rabt]

Hi there

i'm new to this so apologies I'm this has been asked before. I would like to create some borders in my garden cut out from the lawn and use block paving stones as edging so that I can mow the lawn over the stones.

I'm just not sure how to lay them. Do I need to cement them in? Any help or opinions would be great before I write my first entry in the DIY disasters section ha ha.

Thanks

 

[r896neo]

just finished doing 60m of this today. Bed them on about 3-4 inches of semi dry lean concrete with a small haunch behind.

Something like 4 stone 3 sand 1 cement. same mix for haunching but a bit wetter.

 

[Rabt]

just finished doing 60m of this today. Bed them on about 3-4 inches of semi dry lean concrete with a small haunch behind.

Something like 4 stone 3 sand 1 cement. same mix for haunching but a bit wetter.

Sorry for my ignorance but can you explain again. I'm a total novice so don't even know what a haunch is. When you're talking about the cement mix can you explain the quantities please. You mentioned 4 stone 3 sand 1 cement?

Can I also ask if it's easy enough to make curves with the block paving. I plan to keep it relatively straight as that seems simpler.

I'm starting to worry that maybe this job is a bit advanced for me but I'm willing to learn.

 

[r896neo]

Its honestly very simple. Dig as trench a spades width than and about 6 inches deep (assuming your blocks are 50mm)

The quantities i mentioned are purely a ratio by volume. 4 shovels of stone (10mm) 3 shovels of sand (any will do but sharp or plastering best) 1 shovel of cement.

Obviously the smaller the paving block the tighter a curve you can make without cutting. You can make sharper curves but then that will leave gaps on the outside of the curve.

Mix up your concrete quite dry and then set your blocks on it and tap them in firmly with either the wooden shaft of a lump hammer or a rubber mallet. You will soon see if your concrete is too wet when hammering in the block as it will sort of make the previous one float/wobble.

haunching is simply referring to bringing the concrete part way up the back of the block as you would do a kerb to stop it being moved/ kicked sideways.

 

[Rabt]

Its honestly very simple. Dig as trench a spades width than and about 6 inches deep (assuming your blocks are 50mm)

The quantities i mentioned are purely a ratio by volume. 4 shovels of stone (10mm) 3 shovels of sand (any will do but sharp or plastering best) 1 shovel of cement.

Obviously the smaller the paving block the tighter a curve you can make without cutting. You can make sharper curves but then that will leave gaps on the outside of the curve.

Mix up your concrete quite dry and then set your blocks on it and tap them in firmly with either the wooden shaft of a lump hammer or a rubber mallet. You will soon see if your concrete is too wet when hammering in the block as it will sort of make the previous one float/wobble.

haunching is simply referring to bringing the concrete part way up the back of the block as you would do a kerb to stop it being moved/ kicked sideways.

That's brilliant thanks very much. I will try on a small area in the next couple of weeks and then if I manage that I will go for the border.

 

[r896neo]

its really worth doing and can make cutting a small lawn twice as fast due to not needing to strim.