Lawn edging on a slope

adhara

Bit of a WWYD, as I've not seen anything similar on the boards. Warning, bit of an over thinker!

Since my lawn is on a slope, the previous house owners cut a foot wide channel along the fence so the 'step down' occurs before the fence, about 20cm deep. So it makes the fence on a level floor and the lawn is level. As time went on, the lawn is crumbling into this gravelled channel, and I just want a little wall to hold the lawn/soil in place. Half buried, almost invisible at the end of the day kind of thing.

I don't want to build a tiny brick wall, and if I levelled up the channel again it would put bare soil up against wood fence.

I've seen old thread recommendations on here to use roofing slate, which fits the mse cheap, and will last, but unless I mortar it in place, the separate tiles will move? OTOH, buying deep plastic lawn edging looks more convenient, but will it last? Who knows. Which would you go for? Or would you go for a mysterious third option?

I don't mind paying more :eek: I just want it to last with standard minimum upkeep!

unrecordings

how's about scaffolding board, or maybe railway sleepers (either real or equivalent sized timber) - if you're using the latter then you could probably just plonk them down with the minimum of fuss

Tom99

I have been using 150mm x 22mm treated timber to edge the lawn held in place by 19mm x 38mm stakes.

adhara

unrecordings wrote: »

how's about scaffolding board, or maybe railway sleepers (either real or equivalent sized timber) - if you're using the latter then you could probably just plonk them down with the minimum of fuss

Ooh, I do like the look of wood, but it's not fun finding boards that are wide enough to accomodate the depth + a little deeper for reinforcing. An interesting route to go down would be tongue and groove shed cladding, at least I could stack the boards to accommodate the depth and setting.

Tom99 wrote: »

I have been using 150mm x 22mm treated timber to edge the lawn held in place by 19mm x 38mm stakes.

How deep did you set the timber in the ground? Or do the stakes just wedge it in place?

Tom99

adhara wrote: »

How deep did you set the timber in the ground? Or do the stakes just wedge it in place?

The 150mm timber is mostly buried with the top just below the top of the grass so that you can run a mower over the timber edge. The stakes are only needed on the soil/border side because that is slightly lower then the grass level and of course it is not compacted like the grass side.

BananaRepublic

Tom99 wrote: »

The 150mm timber is mostly buried with the top just below the top of the grass so that you can run a mower over the timber edge. The stakes are only needed on the soil/border side because that is slightly lower then the grass level and of course it is not compacted like the grass side.

I think the title of this thread is misleading, and the description a little unclear. I think the OP has a step between two levels, and he/she wants something to hold the soil at the step in place so it does not collapse and pile into a fence which is one foot away and on the lower side of the step.

You could use concrete gravel boards, held in place with wooden stakes which will rot over time, or non ferrous metal pipe concreted in place, or even a few brick sized paving slabs concreted in place. Alternatively a small wall made from paving slabs. They currently cost 35 pence each, and mortar is cheap and easy to make. You could also get small large stones or flints and build a buttress held together with concrete/mortar.

I’d be tempted to use concrete gravel boards, nearly 2 m long, 300 mm high, sunk 4” into the ground, with a couple of pavers sunk into mortar at each end as buttresses. Fairly inexpensive and easy although the gravel boards are heavy, at about 26 Kg each. You’d need help unless you’re well built.

adhara

BananaRepublic wrote: »

I think the title of this thread is misleading, and the description a little unclear. I think the OP has a step between two levels, and he/she wants something to hold the soil at the step in place so it does not collapse and pile into a fence which is one foot away and on the lower side of the step.

Thank you for figuring out my mess! I think I tried googling what to do using step, terrace, wall, edging.. it's been pretty frustrating figuring out whatever... that 'thing' is specifically called. Should have added a drawing, apologies.

(I also admit, I didn't think people would suggest a 150mm board when I clearly said 20cm depth, so yeah.)

I did look into the concrete gravel boards, they do look the most permanent and quick while good value. I'm worried if I have to dig a trench for setting anything in mortar it will mess with the fence concrete (or vice versa in the future) but I think that's over thinking it again. Aka that's a future problem for future me to deal with!

Sounds good and MSE! Now gotta wait for the rain to stop