Granite lawn edging stones give beds an attractive structure and are undoubtedly one of the most aesthetic solutions. They also reduce the maintenance effort because you don't have to trim the lawn edge cleanly several times a year. You can find out how to set granite as a bed border yourself in this article.
How do I set a granite bed border?
To set a granite bed border, you should first stake out the edge of the lawn and dig a trench. Then you can either place the granite stones in a bed of sand or encase them in lean concrete. Then fill with soil and compact.
Mark the border of the bed
First cut off the edge of the lawn and drive in some wooden slats along the border. A batter board is stretched around this as a guide. For curved courses, it is recommended to make a mark with sand or lime.
Set lawn edge in sand
For flat lawns that are flush with the bed, it is sufficient to place the granite stones in a bed of sand. Proceed as follows:
- Dig a trench at least spade deep along the cord.
- Fill this about halfway with building sand and compact the material carefully.
- Place stones close together in the sand bed and hammer them in with a rubber mallet (€40.00 on Amazon).
- Use a spirit level to check whether the edge is straight.
- Then fill in soil on both sides and tamp down well.
Concrete the granite bed border
This is a slightly more complex, but more durable solution, especially in loose soils.
- Here, too, first dig a trench that should be about 10 - 20 centimeters deeper than the height of the stones.
- Pour in a 5-10 centimeter high layer of gravel and compact it.
- Put an equally thick layer of sand on top and compact it as well.
- Mix lean concrete from five parts gravel and one part cement.
- Fill half of the trench with this material.
- Place granite stones close together so that they still protrude two to three centimeters above the edge of the floor.
- Tamp down with the rubber mallet, while checking the height with the spirit level.
- Then fill with lean concrete in front of and behind the granite stones.
- Form the material into a wedge shape with the trowel.
- Let the concrete harden thoroughly.
- Fill with topsoil.
Tip
If you want a flat mowing edge, the granite stones should be flush with the ground. However, this does not look quite as attractive visually, as the stones are not at the level of the mowed lawn, but rather a little lower. Alternatively, you can pave a bed border that is easily accessible through several rows of stones and still offers a very visually appealing solution.
