This DIY Project Provides the Ultimate Finishing Touch for Your Curb Appeal

草坪和花园小幅提升景观中央h like how a frame does a photo: The dramatic emphasis around the perimeter focuses attention on what’s内边界。虽然您在当地的家居装修中心找到了各种边缘材料，但几乎没有提供具有创造性的灵活性，以及​​作为浇筑混凝土的外观锐利。它可以模塑成曲线或角落，以在草坪和岩石花园或花圃之间的独特分离 - 通过of ter-it-of the to-of任何技能等级！然后有耐用性需要考虑：不仅是混凝土的最强材料之一，它几乎没有维护。最好的，混凝土是实惠的（浇筑混凝土边缘的约2美元的每线性脚）。通过所有账户，这是一个禁止的意味着提升你的遏制诉求。

Use your next spare weekend to complete a concrete project that draws more attention to your well-manicured lawn and maintained flower beds. Go ahead and preview the project in这个有效的视频从众所周知，了解它是如何完成的。然后，有Quikrete有点帮助, we’ll walk you through the four main parts of the process.

STEP 1: Planning and Preparation

布置在你想要倾注新的边缘的地方。Be creative! A meandering concrete border with graceful curves will help define the best aspects of your landscape; use a long garden hose to guide this shape. If you prefer a straight border, swap the garden hose for stakes and a string line.

决定你想做什么尺寸。You can go as wide as you like, but the strongest concrete edging is at least 3½ inches wide and deep. Additionally, at least two inches of that depth should be below the surface of the soil; this below-grade portion holds the border securely in place. The tops of your concrete edging can either be flush with the surface of the ground or rise a couple of inches above ground level, depending on your desired look.

沿着您的指南挖掘沟渠。您的沟槽应越深，宽度较深，比您的混凝土边缘的大小宽。挖掘时，尽量保持沟槽的侧面。即使用平头铲子刮沟的底部，以消除土壤中的任何升起或挥之不去的污垢泥土。

第2步：构建表格

从¼“-thick胶合板的条带中创建表单。Use a circular saw to cut 4-foot-by-8-foot plywood sheets lengthwise to create the sides of the concrete forms. Good for either curvy or straight designs, these bendable strips should be as wide your concrete edging’s desired depth (above and below ground) plus an extra inch for gravel in the trench.

将您想要启动边缘的第一个胶合板放置在那里。Position the plywood in the trench along the guide, and drive a 12”-long 1×2 stake on the outside of it. Remember: The form and stake should be no higher than the desired height of your border. Use a cordless drill/driver to insert two 1½-inch screws through the stake and into the plywood form.

在另一端，插入1×4桩，使胶合板小块仅重叠较宽的股份的一半。使用四个螺钉将胶合板连接到股份（这次螺丝（两排）间隔开2英寸）。额外的设定将确保胶合板形式安全地附加 - 如果您在曲线中形成混凝土边缘，则尤其重要。

在末端赌注之间每两到三英尺添加额外的支撑赌注。Positioned inside or outside of the forms, extra stakes will help the plywood forms maintain the desired shape when the concrete is poured. If you add them on the inside, just be sure to drive them deeper into the ground so that only one inch is exposed. (Any more than that, and the concrete above it could be weak enough to crack.) Inside stakes don’t need to be screwed to the plywood forms.

继续附加胶合板填写其余表格。The next strip should butt tightly against the end of the first and be fastened with the same four-screw pattern. Continue adding more plywood forms, using the same method until you’ve finished one entire side of the forms.

然后，构建另一侧。As you build the second half, place a 1×2 wood spacer that’s cut to the desired width of your concrete edging crosswise between the stationed side and the new one—this will help you maintain consistent space between the forms. Push the second form snugly against the spacer before you drive a stake on its outside to hold it in place. You can use a single spacer and keep moving it to the next spot where you insert a stake. Once the form is fully built, fill in the bottom of the trench with an even 1-inch layer ofQuikrete的通用砾石.

STEP 3: Pouring the Border

从耐用的混凝土混合开始。Quikrete的耐火混凝土混合用合成纤维强化，使其达到4000磅。每平方英寸（PSI），大大降低了边界开裂的风险。

混凝土混合。你是否计划mix your batch in a wheelbarrow with a shovel要么在一个小型旋转混凝土搅拌机中, check out Quikrete’s videos for guidance first. Then, add water as needed to the dry concrete mix until all the dry ingredients are dampened. You want to be able to scoop up a handful and it will retain its shape—neither runny nor crumbly. An 80 lb. bag of concrete mix will require approximately three quarts of water to reach the correct consistency.

用湿混凝土填充混凝土形式，随着您的水平。用混凝土略微填充形状，然后使用铲子的刀片通过湿法混合垂直“切”。这有助于均匀地将混凝土沉淀到形式中并去除气泡。每六到八英尺暂停，将平坦的木混凝土手漂浮在刚刚填充的部分的形式上。（提示：如果您在浮动表面时发现任何低区域，只需添加更多湿混凝土并再次漂浮。）

Get a beveled edge using a concrete edging tool.This handheld tool features a mostly bottom with curved along one side. Place the flat edge of the tool on the top of the wet concrete facing in toward the center, with the curved part against the inside of the form. Then, slide the edging tool back and forth along the top of the wet concrete to form a smooth top and a beautifully rounded edge.

Before the mix sets, add control joints.将边缘修平刀的刀片直接上下刀片进入混凝土中的三分之一，并在混凝土边缘的宽度上工作。每次两到六英尺，这些削减会有助于防止你最不想要的大型锯齿状裂缝。相反，如果混凝土裂缝，它将在几乎在一个关节上进行这样做。

第4步：完成

保护您的具体项目。刷，卷或喷雾Quikrete’s Acrylic Concrete Cure and Sealonto the fresh concrete edging as soon as it hardens to the touch. While this coating is not绝对固化边界所必需的，它确实可以保护您免于水固化它 - 这一过程涉及每天在接下来的三到五天中每天喷洒六到八次的过程。奖金：本申请将帮助密封混凝土以保护其在每个割草后从草污渍保护。

Unveil the fruits of your labor!从赌注中取下螺钉，然后剥离纸张。沿着新界的边缘与土壤或砾石的边缘回填，以完成景观。然后，继续前进，围绕邻居的腿，以便您可以从遏制旁面回来并欣赏前院的新的和改进的设计。

这一内容由Quikrete带给您。它的事实和意见是Bobvila.com的事实和意见。