Stop concrete edging from falling over! Scalloped landscape trim blocks look nice, but everything (especially freeze/thaw cycles) seems to tip them over. The solution featured in this video uses 3/8" PEX tubing to pin them all together, so that they join to become one big, heavy concrete snake thing that isn't going anywhere! Since filming this, not one has fallen over.
*** Why bother with the water?
I use water with every masonry/stone/mineral/cement cutting or drilling operation. It prolongs tool life, reduces dust, quiets noise, dissipates heat, and mechanically removes sediment. Further, ruining a certain size bit from a set is another trip to the store. It's good form, and it isn't difficult.
*** Why don't you just bury the blocks?
They have been set in the ground before; freeze/thaw cycles move them and cause them to become uneven. After 10 years, I've realized that it's best to let them float on top as a heavy, flexible snake.
Notes:
* One gallon of water in the siphon bottle lasts for around three or four holes (assuming 0.2" OD vinyl tubing).
* Only one 3/8" tile bit was used, and I made more than 30 holes. No visible damage was done to this drill bit, and in fact, it seemed to perform just as well on the final hole. Drilling a single hole takes approximately one minute.
* Holes were drilled just over 1.5" deep, and PEX inserts were cut to 3" each. You want to allow some +/- for expansion and contraction.
* I didn't use any adhesives in this process, but attaching the pins with silicone may be advisable for high-traffic areas. Silicone will expand and contract with seasonal changes; a more solid-cure product may end up cracking your blocks.
* My edging blocks were painted (for the second time) with a white enamel last year. They are now at least 10 years old.
26 янв 2017
