wood for landscape edging?

[smallboat]

I'm planning to edge my landscaped areas with 1 x 4 on edge set in the ground, and staked as needed.
Seen it done with pressure treated and I guess I can go to the BORG and follow that route.
Interested in if anyone here can suggest other woods and most important source for alternatives.
Cedar or cypress come to mind.
Not looking to blow the budget here, just trying to clean up the look and would like it to last.

Job will require ~ 550 - 600 lineal feet or equivalent of 1 x 4. I can mill from larger stock if I have to.

Thanks!
Steve

 

[Fred85]

Redwood if you can get it. I've seen composite decking used as well...

 

[Glennbear]

IMHO based upon past experience you might look beyond 1 by stock. With frost heave, weight of soil/stone etc. that thickness might not be enough. Stock too thin tends to buckle/ wave etc. :wsmile:

 

[smallboat]

Thanks for the input!
I was thinking 1 x 4 because its been working at my dad's place for about 20 years.
Not to say its all the same wood but a lot of it is.
He does have sandy soil while I'm more clay.

Another feature that may play into the dimension is my borders are continuous curves.
That should help resist the twist. We just cut a series of kerfs where we need a tighter bend than the wood prefers.

I like the idea of redwood and the synthetic is an interesting thought.
I'm afraid of the cost of either but I'll need to look into it further.
May pay off in the long run.

Thanks again!

 

[merrill77]

It's pricey, but Ipe is nearly indestructible. And very strong, too. I expect it'll be difficult to bend, though.

 

[CrealBilly]

Take a look at Black Locust

 

[smallboat]

you don't mean the one I cut into firewood lengths, do you?

argh!

 

[stave]

I live in Asheville and have a mixture of soils in my yard. I too have used wood edging to clean up the appearance of pathways and flower beds.

I used pressure treated 1 x 4 with the kerf method also. I buried the edging to various depths depending on what the use was. Pathways were to be filled with a thick layer of sawdust while flower beds were to be filled with double cut mulch. I left most of the edging about 2 " above ground but where pathways go thru flower beds the edging was left 3" out. I could really much the beds and fill these walkways full (they were the most traveled which compacted the fill). The real secret to keeping the edging stable is to use long stakes, for me 12". The edging was screwed to those stakes using deck screws. This kept the edging from moving with frost heaves and the fasteners from pulling out which happens with nails. I made my stakes out of full width 1 x 4 material. If two sections happened to meet in a stress area I used a short section of 1 x 4 to join them together and then staked them. This happened a couple times in hard curves.

It is surprising how much material you can go through and how fast the costs add up. My edging is now over 5 years old on average with some as old as 10 years. It has held up well. I thought about other materials but I liked the look and other options were either to expensive, would not make my curves or were to labor intensive

1 x 4 is my material. Only problem I had was making the edging follow the terrain, that took some planning and trimming. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Stave

 

[KenOfCary]

Talk to the folks at Clemmons Hardwoods (I think that was the name) on 158 beside the railroad tracks. If they're still in business (it's been over 15 years since I lived in the area) they may have some suggestions or be able to order any of the unusual woods for you.

- Ken.

 

[richlife]

For cost and longevity reasons, I would stay with the PT -- just be sure it is the 40 yr. vs. the 20 yr. (depends on the extend of impregnation of the chemicals). Other woods are nice, but frankly in our climate, rot eventually takes over and you get to do it again. Not a project I particularly want to repeat -- especially in 8 - 10 years. (I say that from the perspective of facing that daunting project as a result of using "pressure treated landscape timber" before I leaned better -- the 3x5 rounded timbers you can get at any big box store.)

If you want to have the 1x4s look much better with only a little long term maintenance, I'd suggest running both top corners with a 3/8" rounding bit in your router. After the wood has a couple of months of weathering, paint that top, exposed surface by brush with TWP. The "Cedartone" makes a very warm brown or use a color of your choosing. It's remarkable how attractive it can make plain old PT southern pine. Maintenance is mostly just a refresh coat every few years -- perhaps with a pressure wash (that's the hard part).

Rich

 

[Gofor]

If using treated lumber for landscaping, make sure what you are buying is rated for direct ground contact. The only direct contact rated treated lumber at Lowes here is the 4x4, 4x6, 6x6 timbers. All the 2x, 5/4, and 1x treated lumber are not direct contact rated.

You may need to go directly to the treatment company to get what you want at an affordable price. Most sell to the public.

JMTCW

Go

 

[smallboat]

I've pretty much settled on Cypress. The Woodworking Source lists 1 x at reasonable prices.
I need to check my math and their stock.

Thanks to everyone for their ideas and observations.

Steve