An essential part of creating a winning backyard landscape is the type of edging you choose.
It’s no secret that there are plenty of lawn edging ideas that will keep your garden neat and tidy. Edging can act as a barrier for roots, which prevents plants, grass and weeds from spreading into other parts of your yard. Also, landscape edging enhances the design of the space by creating beautifully defined sections.
But edging isn’t only great for your garden. It’s also an important part of the landscape around your deck. It helps tie your deck into the rest of your yard’s design, giving it a finished and professional look.
If your home already has landscaping done, you’ll likely want to match any existing edging you have. But if you’re not sure what your best option is, no problem. We have you covered. Edging can be a very personal choice – good news, there’s a lot of options.
Here are the six most popular types of lawn edging to use around your deck.
6 Lawn Edging Ideas
Natural
Many homeowners prefer natural edging, including the vast majority of our clients. Even though the edge won’t always be a perfectly straight line, they like not having the extra material expense and how low maintenance it is. It’s convenient not needing to grab the clippers after mowing to finish trimming, which is usually the case if you use any physical edging like plastic, brick, or metal, etc.
For these reasons, we don’t install physical edging around our decks. But any of the ideas we mention next can be easily added at any time.
PRO TIP: Victorian Trench
If you’re looking for a more distinguished boundary between your lawn and under your deck, try digging a Victorian Trench. It still keeps everything natural but offers a much bolder look.
Black Diamond
The next most popular option and the least expensive to buy is Black Diamond Edging. It’s a simple and subtle look – but don’t let its plastic composition fool you. It’s been around for over 50 years and its quality has made it an industry standard for landscapers.
Metal
Metal edging stands out as one of the most clean-cut and durable options for your lawn. Its sleek appearance complements modern and industrial designs but looks great in any terrain.
Typically, when talking about metal edging, you’ll see two common types: Steel and heavy-gauge aluminum.
Steel
Out of the two options, steel is the strongest. It holds its own against freeze and thaw cycles and the occasional car or lawnmower tire.
Steel edging is available in a corrosion-resistant finish or left untreated. If you choose the latter, it will slowly turn from silver to a rust color that blends well in a backyard or garden. Not to worry though, it generally takes close to 20-40 years for it to rust through.
Heavy-Gauge Aluminum
Aluminum, on the other hand, doesn’t rust. But it lacks the same strength as steel, making it more susceptible to nicks and dings. However, being a softer material also makes it more flexible, so it’s easier to work with and better suited for curvy landscape designs.
Both of these lawn edging ideas are longer-lasting than Black Diamond, holding up against garden maintenance tools and the harsh weather over time. However, be prepared for a higher upfront investment.
Stone
Using brick or pavers for edging is another popular choice we see. They’re incredibly durable, require little maintenance, and are readily available at most big box home improvement stores. You can include them in any part of your landscape’s design to improve your home’s curb appeal.
PRO TIP: Easy Mowing
Take the extra time to measure and dig a trench so your bricks lay flush to the grass. That way, they serve as an easy mowing guide instead of you having to go back with clippers to finish the job.
Terrace Board
Like Black Diamond edging, Terrace Board has a plastic composition but features an appealing wood grain texture. It’s sturdy yet flexible enough to cut and shape into many different designs.
Landscaping Under Your Deck
The edging you choose around your deck isn’t the only aspect that ties it into your overall yard design. How you landscape under your deck will also help separate the space in an appealing way and benefit your yard as a whole.
Weed Barrier & Stone
At Custom Deck Creations, we like to install premium weed barrier and stones under our decks. It slows down the growth of grass and weeds, making it easier to maintain and helps prevent unwanted plants from spreading into your yard.
Not only that, but animals generally don’t like to make nests on top of stones, so it discourages those unwanted critters from making their home underneath your deck.
And from a visual standpoint, stones are a beautiful feature that will add to the overall aesthetic of any landscape.
Some popular options for stone under a deck are pea gravel, egg rock, crushed marble or crushed granite.
Conclusion
Edging is one of the best ways to tie all the design elements in your yard together and improve your home’s curb appeal. And while these are just the most popular lawn edging ideas, there are many options to choose from that you can easily add to almost any landscape.
Couple that with a high-quality weed barrier and stone under your deck, and you’ll be well on your way to having the most beautiful yard on the block.
What’s Next?
Are you planning on building a deck? We’d love to hear from you!
At Custom Deck Creations, we build composite decks for clients across Southeast Michigan. We work with each customer to design and build the deck matching their vision and budget. Feel free to get in touch or check out some of our most recent projects.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, share it with a friend! Want to keep reading? Check out these posts next:
- Deck Upgrades: 9 Improvements and How Much They Cost
- What is a Good Size Deck? 6 Things You Should Consider
- How Long Do Composite Decks Last? Heres What To Expect
Lawn edging FAQs
Lawn edging is a defined border — made of metal, stone, brick, plastic, or a simple cut trench — that separates your lawn from garden beds, walkways, or a deck. It stops grass and weeds from spreading, keeps mulch in place, and gives your yard a clean, finished look. It’s especially useful when landscaping around your deck.
The six most popular options are natural (cut trench) edging, metal edging, plastic or poly edging, brick and paver edging, stone edging, and poured concrete curbing. Metal and stone last the longest, while a cut trench is the cheapest but needs the most upkeep. See our full backyard landscaping ideas for more.
Most lawn edging runs about $3 to $10 per linear foot for materials, depending on the type. A cut trench costs almost nothing but needs regular re-cutting, while metal, stone, and concrete cost more upfront and last for years with little maintenance.
Around a deck, low-maintenance metal or stone edging works best — it holds a crisp line, stands up to Michigan weather, and complements the clean look of a composite deck, tying the deck into the rest of your yard for a finished, professional result.
Ready for a low-maintenance deck?
Custom Deck Creations designs and builds custom Trex composite decks for homeowners across Southeast Michigan — Canton, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Northville, Plymouth and the rest of our service area — backed by a Lifetime Transferable Workmanship & Materials Warranty and hundreds of five-star Google reviews.
Get your free quote →Prefer to talk? Call (734) 931-6700.
