How to Pour a Concrete Border

Measure out the width that the border will be and add 4 inches for the wood form. Use a rope or landscape paint to mark the exterior of the border.

Dig out a 6-inch-deep trench from between the exterior line and the patio or walkway you are edging. Pack down the soil at the bottom of the trench with the back of a shovel or a hand tamper.

Lay long pieces of landscape fabric over the floor of the trench to keep weeds from growing through.

Line the interior walls of the trench with 2-by-10-inch boards set on their sides. The top of the boards indicates where the top of your border will be. For a taller border, attach two layers of boards that equal the height of the border, plus 6 inches.

Drill 2 ½-inch screws through the ends to attach the form boards.

Pour a 3-inch gravel bed over the floor of the trench and tamp it. The gravel improves drainage and supports the concrete.

Mix the concrete in a bucket using concrete mix and enough water to make a thick consistency.

Divide the concrete mix into buckets to make them easier to pour. Tilt one bucket into the form and use a trowel to push the concrete mix from the bucket and over the gravel. Shift the concrete around as you pour to spread it out. Continue to pour until the forms are full.

Tamp the concrete with a two-by-four board. Then hold a trowel on its side and scrape off the excess concrete. Smooth the surface with the trowel or a clean straight-edge.