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Issue with Garden Path Edging
alex.mathias
Posts: 5
Hi all,
If anyone could assit with my issue that would be great.
Im trying to replace a gravel path which was preciously probably just 3cm of pea gravel laid on soil. Terrible job.
Ive dug out to around 12cm and was going to edge with a single brick layer concreted in on a bed of 5cm MOT, however there are loads of tree roots and although ive dug them out where the path will be but i assume the border wont last long with tree roots growing back.
Ive therefore changed plan and now looking to install 4' x 1' treated timber as an edge/border instead which i hope will have some flex strength.
The problem i have is securing these with 45cm timber ground stakes as im struggling to get them in. Ive found soil layer is very thin and it seems all i have is 10cm - 15cm of soil on top of hardcore so they either wont go in straight or i cant get them in at all.
Im a complete notice with this so is it simply the case i need to use metal stakes instead (which will be expensive as i need quite a lot) or is there another way? I also dont even know if this will work.
At the moment im just wasting money sourcing materials i cant use.
Thanks in advance.
Alex.
If anyone could assit with my issue that would be great.
Im trying to replace a gravel path which was preciously probably just 3cm of pea gravel laid on soil. Terrible job.
Ive dug out to around 12cm and was going to edge with a single brick layer concreted in on a bed of 5cm MOT, however there are loads of tree roots and although ive dug them out where the path will be but i assume the border wont last long with tree roots growing back.
Ive therefore changed plan and now looking to install 4' x 1' treated timber as an edge/border instead which i hope will have some flex strength.
The problem i have is securing these with 45cm timber ground stakes as im struggling to get them in. Ive found soil layer is very thin and it seems all i have is 10cm - 15cm of soil on top of hardcore so they either wont go in straight or i cant get them in at all.
Im a complete notice with this so is it simply the case i need to use metal stakes instead (which will be expensive as i need quite a lot) or is there another way? I also dont even know if this will work.
At the moment im just wasting money sourcing materials i cant use.
Thanks in advance.
Alex.
0
Posts
You mention tree roots so where and how big are the trees. Straight path?
You could try drilling holes but not everyone is like my husband who has every electric tool going.
To me, wood will always rot eventually, and others with experience of using 'treated' timber have reported that such material veers between excellent and downright useless. In the situation you describe, it would always be surrounded by damp so ....
I'd suggest you investigate any local concrete product maker/seller. Most produce edging designs of one sort or another for you to browse. To hold them in position, again wooden stakes will have limited lives, so I'd obtain lengths of sturdy angle iron in either 'L' or 'T' shape that can be driven into your stony soil with a sledge hammer. For a different application I did that 13 years ago and all's well.
As does drilling through. Thanks K67. I have a few options to try. Brilliant.
To be honest im not looking for a major long term solution. I dont plan to be in this house more than 2 years and certainly not more than 5. There is a large tree within a foot of the path so i think anything made of concrete will be lifted or broken by tree root pressure fairly quicky. Im hoping timbers are more flexible so may just be bent out of shape a little.
I just need a plan to fix the timbers.
I will see if i can borrow a better drill off a friend and if that fails someone has suggested i try drive in rebars as this should go through the hardcore. Not sure if people think this is a good solution.
This is what im working on.
1. You could use bark mulch without an edge restraint for the path and call it a day, just put a piece of timber edging across where it meets the main paving area. You just top up the bark mulch as needed.
2. Make a path with heavy concrete slabs, again they don't need an edging, just slap them down on a bed of muck. They could be stepping stones rather than a continuous path.
3. A gravel path with chunky timber edging that is partly held in place through it's own weight, and partly through being screwed into the next piece - this guy uses round timber but you could use 100x100 section (fence posts).