Wooden edging makes an effective and easy to use lawn edging. One of the reasons it makes a good choice for edging is because it is easy to install. The best tip for installing lawn edging is to spend time preparing the border area rather than simply pounding the edging into the ground. The added time at the beginning of the project will result in better looking, longer lasting edging.
Use a piece of string or a garden hose to form a template of the border between the lawn and the landscaped area. Take a shovel and dig a small trench along the area where the edging will be installed. The trench should be half as deep as the edging, for example, if the edging is eight inches(20 cm) tall, dig a trench four inches(10 cm) deep.
Take a block of wood or mallet to pound the bottom of the trench to compact the dirt. This will give the wooden edging a firm base of support. Place the wooden edging into the trench.
To keep the wooden edging in place, pound wooden stakes every five feet down the length of the edging. Pound the stakes deep enough so they will not be visible once the trench is filled in. Nail the wooden edging to the stakes for added stability. Fill the trench back in, and tamp the soil down firmly.
Lawn edging makes it easier to trim around the landscaped areas of the lawn, keeps mulch in the flower beds, and provides an interesting visual barrier between the lawn and landscaped areas. There are many different types of edging. Aside from wood, edging is available in plastic, metal, stone, concrete, and brick.
Wood edging is natural looking, and easy to work with, as well as being relatively inexpensive. The drawback of using wood is that, because it is a natural material, it will break down over time, and require replacement. Redwood and cedar last longer than other types of wood, but are also more expensive.
Do not attempt to save money by using discarded railway ties as wooden edging. While many people do use these ties in landscaping projects, they can cause multiple problems. The wood has nearly always been painted with a preservative. This preservative can irritate skin when handled and leach into the ground, where it contaminates the soil, potentially killing the plants in the surrounding area.