A clean edge that stays put
Concrete curbing and mow strips that hold the line between the rock, the lawn and the garden beds.
Curbing and mow strips
Desert yards are made of loose material. Rock, bark, sand and a patch of grass, all trying to mix. Plastic edging lifts in the heat and thin metal edging bends the first time a wheelbarrow crosses it. A concrete curb has the weight to hold its line. It keeps gravel out of the lawn, gives the mower a wheel track and makes the yard look finished from the street.
Curbing is measured in feet, not yards. A hundred feet of garden curb uses well under a yard of concrete. There is no way to make a full truck and a big crew fit a job like that, so big outfits rarely want it. We run curbing on the same town days as our other small pours. Send the rough length and a photo of the yard, and say what sits on each side of the line.
Curbing options
- Mow strip
- A flat band set even with the lawn so a mower wheel rides on it and the trimmer gets a rest.
- Raised garden curb
- Stands a few inches above the ground to hold rock or bark in a bed and keep it off the grass.
- Tree and planter rings
- A curb around a tree or a bed, laid out as a circle or a soft curve.
- Gravel border
- A curb along the edge of gravel parking or a rock path to stop it from spreading.
How the job goes
- 1
Mark the line
We paint the line on the ground and walk it with you. Curves are adjusted until they look right from the street and from the patio. We also note sprinkler heads and drip lines so none get buried.
- 2
Trench and firm up
A shallow trench is cut along the paint so the curb sits partly in the ground, not on top of loose rock. The bottom is tamped firm. On soft or sandy ground we add and compact a little gravel.
- 3
Place and shape
Curb concrete is mixed stiff so it stands up without slumping. We place it along the line, shape the top and sides, and smooth it by hand. Mow strips are set to the height of the lawn, not above it.
- 4
Joint and backfill
Joints are cut every few feet while the curb is fresh. After it sets, we pull the rock or soil back against both sides. Keep mowers, wheelbarrows and feet off it for a few days.
What makes it last
Concrete fails from the bottom up. These are the parts you will never see once the job is done, and they decide how the slab holds up.
- Set into the ground
- A curb resting on the surface gets pushed around. We bed it in a trench on firm soil, so the ground on both sides helps hold it in line and the base under it is less likely to wash out.
- Joints every few feet
- A curb is a very long, thin piece of concrete, and it will crack as it shrinks. Closely spaced joints give those cracks a place to go, so they tend to follow the joints instead of breaking the curb at random.
- Height set to its job
- A mow strip has to be flush with the turf or the mower blade will find it. A raised curb has to stand tall enough to hold the rock back. We set each run to what it borders.
- Water still has a way out
- A continuous curb can act like a small dam. Where runoff needs to cross, we leave gaps or low spots, which reduces ponding behind the curb and water backing up toward the house.
Start with a photo.
435·220·5536Text us a photo of the spot and rough measurements. We will tell you what we can from the photo, or come out and take a look. Rather type it out? Use the form.
Curbing and mow strips: straight answers
Will a curb crack?
It should crack at the joints, which is the plan. Curbs are thin and long, and they shrink as they cure. What you should not see is random cracking between joints or sections tilting. Bedding the curb in firm ground and jointing it often heads off most of that.
Can I drive over it?
A garden curb is not built for car tires. A lawn mower or a wheelbarrow is fine once it has cured. If a vehicle or trailer needs to cross the line, tell us where. We can pour that section thicker and lower, or leave an opening.
What about my sprinklers?
Mark the heads and valve boxes, or turn the system on so we can see them. We route the curb around heads and keep it off drip lines where we can. If a line has to pass under the curb, it is easier to sleeve it before we pour.
Is a short run worth doing?
Short runs are fine, but a very short one may make more sense added to another job, like a path or a patio, since the crew and the mix are already there. Text the length and a photo. We will tell you straight if it is too small to stand alone.