Driveway Block Edging

Design

• Edging a driveway with paver blocks is a straightforward process that calls for aesthetic and practical considerations. Block pavers come in a range of sizes and styles from earthy reds and stone grays to concrete blocks that can be dyed almost any color. Choose blocks that add color and texture to an asphalt or concrete driveway. If you're edging a gravel driveway, use thick blocks as the added height keeps the rocks from scattering over the lawn. Once you choose your blocks, decide whether to place them end-to-end for sharper definition or side-to-side to accentuate broad curves.

Installation

• Installing block edging is a two-part process that entails digging out a trench, laying a base of gravel and setting the blocks in place. The trench should be about 6 inches deep plus half the thickness of the blocks. Pour a 5-inch layer of 3/4-inch gravel in the trench to allow underground moisture to escape from beneath the driveway and cushion the blocks against frost heave damage. Set the edging blocks over a 1-inch layer of mortar or sand, placing the sides flush against each other. Pack small gravel in the gap between the edging and the lawn, and brush polymeric sand between each block.

Maintenance

• Installing block edging reduces overall driveway maintenance, but the edging itself requires upkeep. Over time, weather and stress wear away the sand joints and can dislodge the blocks. Replenish the gravel and sand bed beneath the blocks and reset the blocks in position. Plan to refill the sand joints every one to two years, lightly sprinkling the joints with a water so sand clings to the blocks, holding them in position like cement.

Retaining Edge

• While metal edge restraints, landscape timbers and other materials also are used as driveway edging, the strength of paving blocks can serve several functions beyond framing the pavement and blocking weeds. Blocks are a practical choice for a retaining edge course, which provides lateral resistance to keep pavers in place under heavy weight loads. To achieve this structural support, the foundation for the edging must be as deep as the driveway edging. A bed of concrete with a 3-inch-wide haunch is poured over the gravel to brace the outer edges of the blocks. The haunch should end two inches below ground level so it can be disguised with soil.