How To Lay Bricks For Garden Edging?

If your garden has a tendency to sprawl, you might be looking for ways to neaten it up a bit. With this is mind, how to lay bricks for garden edging? I’m glad you asked!

It can be a bit tricky if it’s your first time, but you certainly don’t need a degree in construction to lay a pretty edge for your garden using bricks.

How Do You Lay A Brick Border In A Garden?

This is a fairly easy process, although it may seem daunting to think about!

  1. First work out where your brick border is going to go, and clear the area of grass and weeds.
  2. Mix sand and cement in a ratio of 4:1 with water, until you get a thick, cake mixture like substance.
  3. Spread a layer of cement the width of a brick in the area you want to lay the brick edging.
  4. Place the bricks on top of the mortar, making sure their ends are touching, and push them down firmly.
  5. Follow the edge of the lawn as you go, and continue until your edging is finished. The bricks should be slightly higher than the level of the lawn at this point.
  6. Tap the top of each brick with a rubber mallet, until they are all settled in an even line, and level with the level of the lawn.
  7. Rake soil up to the edge of the bricks, and leave them to settle in for a couple of days before you stand on them.
  8. Once settled in, you can be sure that your brick edging is solid and sturdy, and can even be mowed over.

Here is a useful video taking you through the steps of laying brick edging:

 

What Do You Put Under Brick Edging?

You can, as above, simply place your brick edging onto cement directly onto the garden soil. However, there are other ways to lay brick edging.

  • Place the bricks directly into a shallow hole. You don’t NEED to use cement to secure your bricks; you can simply sink them into the soil.
  • Fill a trench with builder’s sand. If you don’t fancy using cement but still want to keep your bricks secure, builder’s sand will keep them safe and level.
  • Place weed covering fabric where you want your bricks. This will prevent weeds growing up through your bricks if you opt for the no cement route.
  • Set the bricks onto gravel. Into your trench, place a layer of gravel to hold the bricks in place – this should also prevent weeds.

How Do You Lay Brick On Dirt?

You can easily lay a path without uprooting your entire garden, or even making too much effort!

  1. Start by marking out the area you wish to lay the bricks on, using pegs and string. You can follow an existing pathway or just make a whole new one!
  2. Dig 180mm into the soil, the width of the brick you are planning to lay.
  3. Line the trench with landscape edging, or any other type of weed suppressing fabric that you have lying around.
  4. Add a layer of damp sand, approximately 80mm, and compact this well with a rubber mallet.
  5. Set the bricks into the sand, leaving a 20mm gap between each one to prevent rubbing.
  6. Tap each one with the rubber mallet, so ensure that the finished result is neat and level.
  7. Sweep sand into the gaps between the bricks until they are all filled. Leave the whole thing to settle for a day before you walk on it.

Can You Lay Bricks On Soil?

You can, of course, lay bricks directly onto soil. This is a fine option if you have a large area to edge and do not want to use cement.

The most important thing to do is ensure that the soil is level. This will mean that your edging is as sturdy and solid as it can be.

You should also ensure that the area is weed free. Weeding before placing your bricks for edging means that there is less chance of weeds poking up through the bricks.

Make sure there are no roots under the soil that may interfere with the edging over time – if these are small then you can just remove them; if they are larger you may wish to consider moving your edging plans.

Remove any small stones that can affect the height of your brick edging, and comb through the soil to remove as many obstacles as possible.

Try to avoid the bricks touching each other. Without a substrate to keep them in place, the bricks can rub and damage one another over time.

Sweep builder’s sand into the gaps between the bricks, even if you are not laying it under the bricks, to prevent them rubbing each other and weeds sprouting.

How Do You Keep Landscaping Bricks From Sinking?

If you are laying a brick edging and you decide not to use cement, you may have the problem that your bricks might sink over time.

This is because of the natural erosion of the soil, and the effects of weather on the whole garden.

If you want to keep your brick edging sturdy and stable, there are a few things you can try:

  • Lay the bricks on gravel. This is a strong layer between the bricks and the soil, and can help them stay exactly where you put them.
  • Add a layer of builder’s sand. Like the gravel, builder’s sand will make a sturdy base for your brick edging and help keep them in one place.
  • Firm the base with a rubber mallet. Making sure the area is as hard as it can be before you start is a good way to prevent sinking in the future.
  • Tap each brick with a rubber mallet too. Firming in the bricks will make sure that they are as stable as they can be before you start making your border.

Final Words

Bricks (similarly to railway sleepers) are a relatively cheap way of improving the look of your garden and keeping your borders in order.

Now you know how, you can edge your entire garden, all the different beds and any other areas with bricks, to separate the lawn from the flowers and the flowers from the veggies!

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