Choosing the Right Garden Edging Isn’t About Price — It’s About Longevity

Choosing the Right Garden Edging Isn’t About Price — It’s About Longevity

And it’s time the industry stopped pretending otherwise.

Let’s be honest — most garden edging doesn’t last. It warps. It rots. It shifts out of place the second the weather turns or the ground moves. And yet, time and time again, we see builders and homeowners reaching for the same short-lived materials, purely because they’re cheap and easy.

The truth is, cutting corners on edging will cost you in the long run. Whether you’re working on a full-scale landscape project or doing a quick backyard refresh, choosing the right edging isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about durability, stability, and finish. And that’s why we’ve stopped recommending anything that won’t hold its shape five years from now.

Here’s the real-world breakdown — from someone who’s spent enough time in the industry to see what fails, and what holds up.

Timber Edging: Cheap Upfront, Costly Over Time

Timber is often the go-to for quick installs or budget-conscious builds. And yes — it’s easy to work with and looks “natural” when first laid. But in reality, timber edging is short-term at best. We’ve seen jobs where treated pine or hardwood has warped within months, especially after heavy rain or high exposure.

Rot, termites, shifting, and splitting — timber just doesn’t last unless you’re willing to replace it regularly. And in commercial work or high-use spaces, that’s not an option.

Plastic Edging: Lightweight, But Lacking Backbone

Plastic edging gets sold as the easy solution for DIYers. It’s flexible, affordable, and doesn’t require many tools. But plastic has its own issues: UV damage, brittleness, and movement over time.

We’ve replaced more plastic edging than we’ve installed. It doesn’t hold shape, it doesn’t withstand the weather, and in high-traffic or load-bearing areas, it fails outright.

Brick and Paver Borders: Looks Good — Until the Ground Shift.

There’s a time and place for pavers and brick borders — usually in formal garden designs or where aesthetics trump practicality. But even then, they need serious prep: stable bases, mortar beds, drainage planning. Without that, they shift. They crack. And they become a trip hazard, not a feature.

Steel Edging: The One Option That Holds Its Ground

After years in the trade, if there’s one edging solution we stand behind, it’s steel — specifically, modular galvanised or Corten steel systems like ArkuEdge.

Why?

Because it solves every issue we’ve just listed. It’s:

• Structurally strong enough to stay in place
• Weather-resistant enough to handle coastal exposure or clay soils
• Flexible enough to shape on site
• And it actually looks better over time, especially Corten, which forms a stable rust patina that protects the steel beneath.

Most importantly, it installs fast. With pre-drilled plates, clean joins, and no welding or mitre cuts required, steel edging saves serious time — and therefore, labour cost — on any size project.

This Isn’t Just About Looks — It’s About Professionalism

When you use quality edging, you notice it. The lines stay straight. The finishes stay flush. The job doesn’t need touching up six months later. Whether you’re a tradie looking to protect your reputation or a homeowner investing in your outdoor space, edging is the foundation that frames everything else. And it should be built to last.

The Takeaway

Cheap edging is everywhere. But cheap edging doesn’t belong in professional landscaping.

If you care about clean finishes, low-maintenance results, and outdoor spaces that hold up over time — choose steel. Choose something that works as hard as you do.

We’ll help you get the right profile, height, and finish — and we keep it in stock, ready to go.

Arkus Industries. Built to edge. Engineered to outlast.