How to Install Landscaping Timbers for Staggered Edging

Edgings are functional divisions between landscaping areas like around gardens, shrubs, trees, paths and lawns. These borders keep plants from escaping their areas and prevent lawn mowing in the wrong area. Landscaping timbers are one option for materials when creating a staggered edging. Staggered edgings allow the landscaper to design shaped borders instead of box-like structures. This type of border can be made by scraps of landscaping timbers.

Tape measure
Power saw
Shovel
Gravel

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the grass, weeds and debris from the area where the staggered edging is located. Make the strip 8 inches wide to give enough room to create the border. Measure the circumference of the edging in inches with a tape measure. Divide this number by the width of the timbers. The final number is how many pieces of landscaping timbers you need for the edging.
- 2
  Cut landscape timbers to various lengths between 12 and 36 inches long with a power saw. Pile the pieces together so that the same sized timbers are together. Dig the border up with a shovel 8 inches deep and a few inches wider than the landscape timber pieces.
- 3
  Place 2 inches of gravel in the trench and spread it out so that the layer is even. Place the timber pieces, end side down, in the trench. Do not place the same sized timbers next to each other to create the staggered edge. Keep the tops of the timbers uneven and place the timbers close together. Back fill the trench with soil and compact the soil around the timbers to hold them in place.

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