How to Install Brick Lawn Edging
- 1). Stretch a garden hose or spread powdered chalk in a straight line along the area you want to edge. Measure the line to determine the number of bricks needed for the length and desired width of the edging. Standard paver bricks measure 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.
- 2). Dig a trench 4 to 6 inches deep, and your desired width, over the line you made, using a shovel. Collect the dirt in a wheelbarrow as you dig. Level the base of the trench with a trowel to provide a secure footing for the bricks.
- 3). Line the base of the trench with landscape fabric, which maintains the edging longer. Cut it with a utility knife so it covers the base and sides of the trench.
- 4). Spread a 2-inch-thick layer of sand or crushed rock gravel over the trench base to assist drainage, provide a strong footing for the edging and reduce frost damage to the bricks. Smooth the top of the sand or gravel with a trowel so it is even.
- 5). Place a brick at a corner of the trench to determine whether height adjustments are necessary. The top of the brick should not lay no more than 1/2 to 1 inch above soil level. Remove or add sand or gravel in the trench to achieve the required brick height.
- 6). Lay the second brick flush against the previous one. Continue laying bricks in this manner until you have lined the entire trench with bricks. To break a brick in half at any point, position a chisel over it at the desired breaking point and pound it hard with a sledgehammer until it breaks in two.
- 7). Inspect the edging after installing it. Step back and ensure that the tops of all the bricks are level with each other. Cut away any exposed edges of the landscape fabric with a utility knife. Cover any gaps between the bricks and the edges of the trench with dirt, pressing it down to settle it.