Laying metal lawn edges – explained step by step


Metal lawn edges are more in demand than ever before. They are indestructible, flexibly formable, comparably inexpensive and can also be laid quite easily.

Laying metal as a lawn edge - explained step by step
© graefin2502 – Fotolia.com

The edge of the lawn as a boundary between lawns and beds requires a great deal of care. After all, the green must always be kept in check so that it doesn’t crawl into the beds. The English lawn edge requires a great deal of maintenance. The lawn must be tapped every four weeks at the latest to prevent it from growing too far into the beds. In retrospect, you have less effort with the concrete lawn edge. Here again, however, you have to plan a lot of time for the installation.

Metal lawn edges have been on the advance for some years now. And the advantages are obvious:

  • barely visible
  • easy to install
  • hardly any earthworks necessary
  • flexibly formable
  • durable
  • Differences in height can be compensated for
  • screw guard
  • clear edge when mowing the lawn

Especially the flexibility is an essential advantage compared to other materials, because it can be used to enclose particularly curved lawns. Installation is also much easier than with concrete, plastic or rubber, but more about this later.

Different metals

Metal is not the same as metal and so there are of course also different materials for the lawn edges. You will find an optimal overview at rasenkanten-experte.com, for example. Here is just a short overview:

Metal property
corten steel – rusty look
– corrosion-resistant
stainless steel – robust and stable
– is less easy to bend
Galvanised sheet steel – corrosion-resistant
– light and flexible
Aluminium – corrosion-resistant
– easy processing

The optical differences are shown very clearly in this video:

Which material you ultimately choose depends, of course, on your own requirements.

New: Innovative clamp system simplifies assembly of metal lawn edges

Anyone who has ever laid metal lawn edges will certainly be reluctant to remember the joining of individual lawn edges. Because the assembly of the individual edges can be a very fiddly matter. In my case it was even very painful, because normal lawn edges are provided with small “metal noses” at the ends, which you have to bend into each other.

The metal lawn edges of rasenkantedirekt.de use against it an innovative (and protected) clamp system, with which the assembly of individual lawn edges becomes child’s play. This is best seen in this video:

Laying the lawn edge – this is how it’s done

Once you have decided on a suitable lawn edging material, you’re ready to go. The laying of metal lawn edges is by the way a quite simple variant. Although rubber lawn edges are just as malleable, you must first carry out various earthworks.

Enough with the long preface, here we go:

That’s what you need:

  • wooden board
  • spade if necessary
  • plastic hammer

Step one:

Lay out the metal profiles in advance. If you want to lay many curves or circles, you should get some help. This is faster and of course easier.

Step two:

If you have decided on a system in which the individual elements have to be screwed together before insertion, now is the right time to do so. However, we recommend lawn edges with a clamp system (see above).

Step three:

If you have a relatively soft floor, you can now carefully drive the metal profiles into the ground with a plastic hammer (not a metal hammer). To protect the top edge, it is recommended to place a wooden board on top.

“Little tip: Place the elements at a slight angle.

If you have a hard floor, it is better to prick the area first with a spade. The insertion is then easier afterwards.

Step four:

This is how you work your way from element to element. If a sheet of metal protrudes too far, you can shorten it with appropriate scissors. My recommendation here is the all-purpose scissors from engelbert-strauss.de. It not only cuts sheet metal, but can also be used for other purposes in the garden, such as pruning various plants or cutting wire.

It is important, however, that you treat cut edges, especially with galvanized steel, with a zinc spray (bestseller from Amazon.de). This is the only way to protect the corresponding area from corrosion.

Don Burke

I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide.  I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.

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