Brick garden edging is a satisfying weekend project that gives your lawn a crisp, professional finish while keeping garden beds and grass neatly separated. With the right preparation and a bit of patience, most handy homeowners can tackle a straightforward brick border themselves — no building consent required for low garden edging. Here's how to do it properly.
Planning Your Brick Edging
Before you buy a single brick, walk the perimeter of your lawn and decide on the style and height of your edging. Common options include:
- Flat-laid bricks — laid horizontally, flush with or just above lawn level. Easy to mow over.
- Soldier course — bricks stood upright on their end, creating a taller, more formal border (typically 65–75 mm above ground).
- Diagonal or angled — bricks set at 45° for a decorative sawtooth effect.
Measure the total length of your border carefully and sketch a simple plan. This helps you calculate how many bricks you need and whether you'll need to cut any for corners or curves.
Choosing Your Bricks
For garden edging in NZ, use solid clay bricks or concrete pavers rated for outdoor and ground-contact use. Avoid lightweight or porous bricks not designed for exterior use — they can absorb moisture, crack in frost (particularly relevant in Otago, Canterbury, and Central Plateau regions), and deteriorate quickly. Check with your local Bunnings or Mitre 10 for suitable outdoor-rated products. As a rough guide, a standard NZ brick is approximately 230 mm × 110 mm × 76 mm.
Tools and Materials You'll Need
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Spade or edging spade | Cutting the trench |
| String line and pegs | Keeping your edge straight |
| Rubber mallet | Tapping bricks into position |
| Spirit level | Checking level and fall |
| Tape measure | Accurate layout |
| Bricklayer's trowel | Applying mortar (if mortaring) |
| Mortar mix or dry-lay sand | Bedding bricks |
| Safety gloves and eye protection | Personal safety |
For a simple dry-lay edging, you'll need coarse bedding sand (not fine beach sand). For a mortared border, use a bagged mortar mix or mix your own with one part cement to four or five parts sand.
Step-by-Step: Laying Your Brick Border
1. Mark Out the Line
Use a string line and pegs to mark the inside edge of your border. For curves, a garden hose laid on the ground makes a great flexible guide. Spray paint or chalk can mark the line on the turf before you dig.
2. Dig the Trench
Dig a trench along your marked line. The depth depends on your chosen style:
- Flat-laid bricks: trench depth = brick thickness (about 75 mm) plus 50 mm for your sand or mortar bed.
- Soldier course: trench depth = brick length (about 230 mm) plus 50 mm bed, so the top sits at your desired height above lawn level.
Keep the trench sides as vertical and neat as possible. Remove all grass roots and loose soil from the base and compact it firmly with your foot or a hand tamper.
3. Prepare the Bed
Dry-lay method: Spread 50 mm of coarse sand in the trench and screed it level. This is the easiest approach for flat-laid edging and allows future adjustment.
Mortared method: Mix your mortar to a firm but workable consistency (similar to peanut butter). Lay a 30–50 mm mortar bed in the trench. Mortaring is recommended for soldier-course edging or anywhere you need the bricks to stay firmly in place on sloped ground.
4. Lay the Bricks
Start at one end and work along your string line. Place each brick firmly onto the bed and tap it down with a rubber mallet. Check regularly with a spirit level — both along the run and across the brick. Aim for a slight fall (about 1:100) away from the lawn if the edging borders a garden bed, to assist drainage.
For corners, you can mitre-cut bricks at 45° using an angle grinder with a diamond blade, or simply butt them together neatly. Wear eye protection and a dust mask when cutting bricks.
5. Fill the Joints
- Dry-lay: Brush dry sand into the joints and compact lightly. Top up as needed.
- Mortared: Point the joints with mortar using a trowel or pointing tool. Keep mortar off the brick faces; clean up smears promptly with a damp sponge before the mortar sets.
6. Backfill and Finish
Once your edging is set (allow mortared work at least 24–48 hours to cure before disturbing), backfill soil on the garden bed side and firm it up. On the lawn side, replace or re-turf any disturbed grass.
Tips for a Long-Lasting Result
- Compact the base well — a poorly compacted base is the most common cause of bricks shifting or sinking over time.
- Keep mortar off lawn areas — excess mortar can affect soil pH and harm grass.
- In frost-prone regions, a mortared bed is more stable as freeze-thaw cycles can shift dry-laid bricks.
- Check with BRANZ for general guidance on outdoor masonry best practice.
When to Call a Professional
Brick garden edging is generally straightforward DIY work and does not require a building consent under Schedule 1 of the Building Act — but always confirm with your local council if you're unsure, especially for any retaining walls, which are a different matter entirely — check with your local council for the applicable height thresholds.
Consider hiring a qualified bricklayer if:
- Your project involves large areas, complex curves, or significant slopes.
- You want mortared edging on a long run and aren't confident with mortar work.
- The edging connects to existing paving, paths, or structures where matching levels is critical.
You can find experienced local bricklayers and landscapers on tradedirectory.co.nz to get the job done right first time.
Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP)
