Driveway Edging

[bookman51]

I live in the country and have a circular driveway lined with railroad ties. I am thinking of upgrading the part near the house with Curb Style Edgers sold by Menards. They are 8" wide, 6" deep, and 4 3/4" tall in the back and 2 3/8" tall in the front

I watched a video on the Internet on "No Dig Borders." I do not know if I can provide a link here or not. The fellow used no-dig edging, fast setting quickcrete, galvanized 8" spikes. The fellow laid the no-dig edging and fastened it down. He then put the quickcrete as a base about a foot wide and the depth of the border (maybe four or five inches, I could not tell). He then laid the curbing blocks into the dry quickcrete. He made it look easy!! He filled in any gaps with the cement but the Menard curb edgers do not have gaps or much of one. I suppose one could use landscape glue to fasten them together, but I do not know. Next he just misted the quickcrete and said it would soak up just the right amount of water and would set up quickly. He said it is easy as it looks.

Anyone with experience with putting in edgers using this method? I am looking at about 80 feet bordering a crushed rock driveway. Should I put in any rebar? Welcome any and all advice.

`The edgers run $1.77 each with rebate. I need about 120, plus the no dig edging and the quickcrete. He said each sack runs about 5 linear feet....so 13 to 15 sacks. So I suppose I could get $400 to $500 plus wrapped up in materials. Seems not too bad for 80 feet, but a bit of change if I am missing something or the edgers begin to move in a few years. I am in central Nebraska with a pretty good feezing and thawing cycle, and we get frost down to at least three feet typically.

Any thoughts and suggestions.

 

[vavet]

Sounds like an interesting idea. Was this a YouTube video you saw? I'd love to see it.

 

[Lynden]

This might be the video.

 

[vavet]

That’s awesome. Now I want to do it.

 

[bookman51]

This might be the video.

Yes, that is it. I did not if I could post referrals to other sites. Thanks. Other methods of laying curbing stones involve leveling and fill sands. I suppose work but it would seem more chance of settling and other effects of a freeze and thaw cycle. Use of quickcrete definitely more permanent...for good and bad. Maybe there other downsides I do not know about. Thanks again.

 

[Bent Handle]

Do yourself a favor and use good quality pavers.

 

[rburke65]

Well it LOOKS easy enough

 

[bookman51]

Do yourself a favor and use good quality pavers.

Thanks, but how can I tell what is a good quality paver and what is not?

 

[bookman51]

Well it LOOKS easy enough

Yeh, the is the troublesome part! A lot of jobs looks easy on the Internet but then some details are left out. I have never worked with quickset concrete before. I do not know what challenges are involved in getting the stones in a straight line and level. I assume I can do a string and use a level but never know until I get into the middle of project just what is left out or different in my situation. Thanks

 

[jimindm]

You mentioned a circular drive. Are you not putting in the circular part. If so it seems to me that depending on the radius of the drive, you will have to cut the bricks, or have a space at the back.

I am having a hard time picturing this. No dig, but the front edge is over two inches. Is that the way it is sort of finished?

 

[bookman51]

You mentioned a circular drive. Are you not putting in the circular part. If so it seems to me that depending on the radius of the drive, you will have to cut the bricks, or have a space at the back.

I am having a hard time picturing this. No dig, but the front edge is over two inches. Is that the way it is sort of finished?

It is more like a square driveway with rounding at the corners. The paving edgers are only 8 inches long. So some curving at one end of where I want to put edgers, but most of what I want to do is a straight line. Thanks

 

[Higgins]

Yeh, the is the troublesome part! A lot of jobs looks easy on the Internet but then some details are left out. I have never worked with quickset concrete before. I do not know what challenges are involved in getting the stones in a straight line and level. I assume I can do a string and use a level but never know until I get into the middle of project just what is left out or different in my situation. Thanks

The video is only laying down a single row of block. As such, there really isn't any concerns about the blocks really being level. Also, they are installing the block on top of the plastic edging, and they are not doing a straight line, so no line is required.

Now if the project was going to be 2 or three block high, the game changes big time!

AL

 

[Kaizen]

Yes, that is it. I did not if I could post referrals to other sites. Thanks. Other methods of laying curbing stones involve leveling and fill sands. I suppose work but it would seem more chance of settling and other effects of a freeze and thaw cycle. Use of quickcrete definitely more permanent...for good and bad. Maybe there other downsides I do not know about. Thanks again.

Twice the materials
Twice the cost
Twice the work as just digging a few inches down.
I disagree with much of what he is saying. In cold country that concrete will break into pieces. Those blocks alone with no concrete under them will go up and down with the frost heave no problem. Most of weeds fly in and if you have mulch on the other side like he did they will grow just fine.
For a driveway also consider snow blower/plow and drivers running over it.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

Yeah... No. I think this might look good for a year, but by 5 will result in a crumbly **** concrete.

I mean, it's so sloppy, why put the concrete base in at all? I can't imagine that base being significantly rigid or supportive... I'd just lay the blocks without it if I wanted a border like that. Really! Just put in the edging and the blocks, skip the concrete if you are doing it that poorly.

 

[Bent Handle]

Go to Kearney fireplace stone and patio center. See what blocks they carry. I’ve found box store products to be soft and inconsistent. I work with these types of products often and a company like unilock or similar spend a lot of time and money on creating s consistent durable product.

 

[ndfastang]

I'm next door to you in Wyoming. I'm also doing a RR tie drive border from my shop to my current asphault drive. I have gone round and round with these same ideas but it always comes back to the fact that someone WILL drive over a part of it, snowblowing as was mentioned and the ground moving with cold and hot dirt. The concrete WILL crack as was also mentioned. We are in an area where it's just not feasable to do the cheap quick ideas. If you are going to do it, you will have to make a solid base, and expect cracks. I have many friends with half million dollar homes here and we are all of the same mindframe. It looks neat at the beginning but is not practical. Your call though. You know what you have and how it looks and how you drive. I have a 15.5 year old driving now and a 14 year old that will soon enough and then my 10 year old will follow. One of them is surely going to do damage to it. I'll stick to the long heavy ties half burried and retaining the drive. Good luck with what ever you decide thought!!

 

[toolmiser]

I've done basically that without the concrete (in Wisconsin). Been in 15 years and looks good. Some sections in two rows. I don't think the concrete at that shallow depth will hold up.