Blog | M&M Curbing And Landscaping

The Facts of Concrete Curbing

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 20:30:11 GMT

If you are looking for ways to make your lawn more appealing, concrete curbing may be your solution. The landscaping borders that you usually see on lawns are called Concrete Curbs. Typically, they separate gardens throughout your lawn or create walkways for a better curb appeal.

It’s become a highly popular home accessory throughout recent years! At M&M Curbing and Landscaping , we pride ourselves on using our knowledge of both fields to guarantee our clients that they receive the best service by collaborating with their personal tastes.

It can be customized to any design you like, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to what kind of walkways or other features you want for your landscape! Concrete Curbing can do so much more than just look good with a plethora of benefits attached to it:

value of your home increase
adds personality to your property
low lawn maintenance costs
successful root barrier
saves time maintaining your lawn
design flexibility

With so many benefits to your home, it’s a no-brainer that adding concrete curbing to your landscape would be beneficial. Our recent work proves that the client’s vision and our expertise together create quality work that showcases your home the best in your neighborhood!

Curbing Styles

Decorative Landscape curbing can increase the value of your property by adding beauty and curb appeal to your yard. It also reduces the amount of time needed for trimming around these areas. With a single customized continuous barrier, we adapt to the exact contours of a feature of your lawn which creates a streamlined appearance. Here at M&M Curbing and Landscaping, we offer two different curbing services such as:

Classic Curbs

Our classic curbing services offer a simple look that works well with both residential and commercial properties. The finished product is clean and straightforward and has options of textures based on your preference.

Moroccan Curbs

As an element of decorative concrete curbing, Morrocan services offer a more natural look with more vibrant colors. We use added to cement and colors in our techniques, allowing us to create the curbing toward a natural stone look that makes any property look like a million bucks!

All alternatives are extremely resistant to the weather, add value to your home, and need minimum upkeep. When it comes to ornamental concrete, however, no one does it better than M&M Curbing and Landscaping.

Contact Us For A Free Estimate!

M&M Curbing and Landscaping is a family-run enterprise. Our objective is to give you an experience that exceeds your expectations. We want our clients to be proud of their houses, so we work hard to make their home improvement ideas a reality.

The popularity of concrete curbing is increasing every day and the values of homes are going up! If you are interested in installing concrete landscape edging to your home or business, our team is standing by, ready to help, all for an affordable price! Contact M&M Curbing and Landscaping today for more information!

Concrete Curbing Process

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:51:45 GMT

The Installation Process of Concrete Curbing

Concrete Curbing has grown popular throughout the years as many homeowners are looking for an affordable way to bring a more appealing look to their home. At M&M Curbing and Landscaping , curbing is one of our expertise. Our professionals have crafted this process to provide results that meet every client’s needs. Keeping secrets is no fun, we’ll discuss our process here at M&M so you grasp an idea on how we can enhance your curb appeal!

Step One – Preparation

First, we remove any existing edging before creating a design as to where your border will be installed. This eliminates any existing roots and creates a smooth path for the curb. We dispose of the soil while any soft spots noticed are filled with gravel. Ground preparation is usually completed using shovels, a sod cutter, or a trencher.

Step Two – Mixing

Once the ground preparation is complete, we begin the mixing process with a mortar mixer with your color of choice, cement, sand, and other basic ingredients. Mixing with consistency is very important! This process is handled with care because we customize each project to match the customer’s needs.

Step Three – Extruding

After the mixture is ready, the concrete mix is shoveled into our curb machine and extruded into a professional continuous landscape border.

Step Four – Troweling

When the concrete landscape edging is extruded from the curb machine, the surface of the landscape edging will have some imperfections. Using a specially formed hand trowel, the concrete curbing is quickly smoothed into a decorative concrete curbing masterpiece.

Step Five – Stamping and Textures

After the decorative concrete is laid out and smoothed, it can finally be stamped to create patterns. Patterns are created by using various stamping tools. Many coloring and stamping techniques are done during this step to make sure the design comes out perfect!

Step Six – Clean Up

Our staff takes the time to clean up any remaining concrete mixture that may have fallen from the edges onto your grass area for the final step. This step ensures your grass or plants will be able to grow next to your new curb!

Conclusion

At M&M Curbing and Landscaping we take pride in creating the ultimate concrete border that helps your home stand out! Our process is executed by experts that ensure you get everything you wish plus more. Contact us today!

The Benefits of Concrete Curbing

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 21:04:29 GMT

If you’ve noticed that your landscaping has become a bit rugged, it may be time for a makeover! Concrete curbing is an affordable option that will improve the appearance of your lawn and garden by giving it a more sophisticated look! If you’re exploring ways to spruce up your landscape, consider investing in your curb appeal. In this article we’re going to discuss the advantages of investing in concrete curbing.

Personality To Your Property

The Sustainable Food Center states that a beautiful garden brings benefits such as stress reduction and a decrease in mental fatigue. Adding personality to your property by installing decorative concrete curbs will enhance your garden’s beauty. Not only does having an elegant garden become beneficial to your mental health, it can also bring admiring eyes to your home. At M&M Curbing and Landscaping , we offer decorative designs that come in a Classic or Moroccan style. With numerous color choices and concrete textures to choose from, we can create a curbing style that satisfies your needs leaving your visitors with a smile before they enter through your door.

Durability

The durability of concrete curbs helps prevent rotting, mold, or deterioration regardless of any weather conditions. It’s proven that concrete curbing lasts a lifetime compared to plastic or wood borders. According to Homeadvisor.com, Concrete curbs are known to last anywhere between 10 to 30 years. The durability of your curb appeal makes sure that your landscape maintains a healthy look for an extensive period of time. Concrete curbing durability protects your landscape immensely!

Reduces Time Maintaining Your Lawn

When it comes to maintaining your lawn, concrete curbs hold a hidden advantage. By installing concrete curbs you can help reduce the time maintaining your lawn. Concrete curbs prevent extra weeds from growing out on any unwanted areas like your walkway or driveway. Curbs divide your landscape in sections, which can make it easier for you to mow through. While it may be necessary to make time to spruce up your landscape, you still won’t have to take many journeys around your lawn finding what to trim.

Increased Home Value

We’ve stated earlier that adding personality to your property enhances the beauty of your landscape. Adding personality can also increase the value of your home. Improving the appearance of your home is highly recommended if you plan on selling your home so it could be easier to gain a pretty profit. Concrete curbing serves as great marketing for preparing photoshoots. A dashing curb appeal covers up all the flaws on your outside home, which in turn gives you a solid chance to sell it higher than the average price. Invite us to help you tie together beautiful curb appeal along with your home and bring more eyes when it’s time to put it on the market.

Conclusion

Concrete Curbing comes with many benefits! At M&M Curbing, every project is custom-made for our customers. You can trust our staff as they combine beauty and brains to help bring your imagination to life! Whatever your landscaping goals are, let us help you bring your imagination into a reality! Contact M&M Curbing and Landscaping for your free estimate today.

Keeping Up With Your Landscaping

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 21:14:08 GMT

Maintaining your yard is a task that requires a huge amount of effort. With all of its maintenance demands, it can slowly start making you feel drained and unmotivated. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make yard work less of a chore. Here are some easy ways to reduce or even eliminate basic landscaping chores so you can free up some time to actually enjoy being outside!

Install Decorative Concrete Curbing

Stone or concrete borders add extra curb appeal and value to any home. Not only do they add value but are practical and easy to maintain. Concrete landscaping edging serves as weed and grass barriers by outlining plants and flowerbeds. If pesky weeds start crawling over, the concrete barrier makes it easier to cut them off at the ends. By creating sections it also reduces the amount of time spent on mowing.

Add Mulch

Mulch makes any landscape look sharp. In addition to it’s curb appeal, mulch is also beneficial to your lawn. With its attribute to absorb water, mulch helps distribute water to your soil, therefore decreasing the usage of water on your end while still making your plants happy. Most importantly, it prevents soil erosion which could be detrimental to your landscaping! Here at M&M Curbing and Landscaping , we provide the best options for mulch within our services.

Fertilize

The end goal is to have your grass looking alive and green. Fertilizing helps your lawn stay healthy by promoting healthy growth for your leaves and roots. Not only does picking the right fertilizer give your grass justice, most fertilizers include weed prevention treatments. Who wants to spend their day pulling weeds?

Install Artificial Grass

If you want to reduce yard maintenance even further, look into artificial grass. Installing artificial grass is a convenient way to make your lawn look attractive all year round. It requires no water or trimming and it’s great for the environment as some of the grass is made with recycled materials. Since it doesn’t require any water, it can be quite cost-effective for your water bill!

Conclusion

Caring for your lawn is the best thing you can do for your home or place of business. Give your lawn the proper care it needs to make your property the best-looking property in your area. Contact us today at M&M Curbing and Landscaping to help guide you through your home improvement journey.

Some Useful Links for You to Get Started

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:40:54 GMT

Overview: Concrete Curb Appeal

Looking for ways to increase or maintain your property value? Maintaining the concrete aspects of your property is just as important as the rest of your house. Here are ways to keep your home and asset in pristine condition though concrete curb appeal work.

Fix your sidewalks.

Sidewalk maintenance is usually inexpensive and often overlooked.

Pressure wash Start off by cleaning your concrete. Oil stains on the driveway and dirty sidewalks can be a turn-off. This is the most basic thing you can do for your concrete curb appeal. Many HOA communities require that driveways and sidewalks be power washed if they get too dirty. Do not use anything that contains strong acids such as ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate. These chemicals destroy the surface of your sidewalk or driveway.

Fix your Sidewalks Raised slabs is not only unappealing, but it can also be dangerous. If someone trips due to the uneven sidewalk on your property, it can cause many headaches. Whether you are a homeowner or a property owner, you are liable for the fall. If the person who fell decides to sue, it will be a headache. Our team is dedicated to preventing such accidents. That is why we offer free sidewalk safety audits for commercial properties, meet with us.

Retaining Walls and Garbage Enclosures

Retaining Walls If you are looking to add a bit of elegance to your property, consider a retaining wall. Retaining walls are great for concrete curb appeal. Landscapers love retaining walls because it helps manage rainwater runoff. Because retaining walls are usually at a slope, water is guided down to a drain as opposed to puddling. This can prevent overwatering in gardens and other plants. Retaining walls can also be constructed using timber.

Garbage Enclosures – Garbage enclosures add an extra touch. Many properties and apartment buildings opt out to concrete garbage enclosures because of its durability and elegance. Because of the durability concrete gives the enclosure, they can last for many decades. Concrete garbage enclosures have an inconspicuous look that you can not get from chain link enclosures.

Stamped Walkway/Driveway

Having a nicely stamped walkway or driveway is the best thing you can do for your concrete curb appeal. According to real estate agents on Trulia, adding stamped concrete does increase your home’s concrete curb appeal and may help you sell your home faster than others in the neighborhood. Real estate agents can all agree that concrete driveways can increase your property’s value more than asphalt.

Pool Deck Replacement

According to a successful businessman, Dave Ramsey, having a pool can increase your home’s value up to 7% under certain conditions; location, style, size, and climate. Having a home in California or the Bay Area could be very profitable. Ramsey also mentions style as a condition. Having a pool is great but if it is not properly maintained and poorly constructed, you may not see that 7% increase in property value. Some people consider a pool deck replacement or a pool deck overlay. Overlays are significantly affordable in comparison to a full pool deck replacement. They look great and homebuyers love them.

Whether you are looking to increase your home or property’s value, there is a lot of potential by investing in concrete. Here at Bothwell Corp, we pride ourselves on delivering the best concrete construction services. We will gladly walk you through the steps on increasing your concrete curb appeal. We offer free concrete safety audits for commercial properties. Meet with one of our project managers and get started today!

How to Remove Concrete Landscape Curbing

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:27:48 GMT

Concrete landscape curbing not only offers a split between the landscape and a solid surface but also looks good. Concrete landscape curbing can quickly outgrow its usefulness when it becomes damaged or when your tastes change. Concrete landscape curbing can be damaged easily by wheelbarrows and other things. You may want to remove the concrete landscape curbing and the article that follows will show you how.

Step 1 – Protect Yourself

Removing concrete landscape curbing may seem like an easy job that has little danger associated with it, but there are some issues that could arise. When removing the concrete landscape curbing you can easily hurt your hands which means you should always wear thick work gloves. Removing the curbing will also involve needing to chisel away the concrete. This means it is possible to have concrete enter your eyes. Always wear a facemask when removing the concrete landscape curbing.

Step 2 – Excavate the Area

When the concrete landscape curbing is installed there are two ways in which it can happen. The first involves digging a small trench and inserting the concrete curbing inside. The trench area is then backfilled with the removed earth. The other method involves pouring a concrete base and then placing the concrete curbing in the concrete. The two materials will bond together which will create a very sturdy curb. Regardless of which method was used, you will still need to remove the dirt from the concrete landscape curbing. Use the shovel to pull away as much dirt as you can until you uncover the bottom of the concrete curbing. Do this for the entire length of the curb.

Step 3 – Removing the Concrete Landscape Curbing

If the method to create the landscape curbing was to dig a trench and place the curbing then removing it is easy. You simply need to grab the curbing and then pull it straight up out of the ground. You may need to use the hammer to knock the curbing loose from its spot. In the event that concrete was poured as a base and then the curbing was set in place; removal is a little more tricky. Use the chisel and the hammer to begin chipping away at the concrete landscape curbing. It is important to tape the concrete gently. Trying to swing wildly at the concrete curbing can cause shards of concrete to fly up and hit you. Continue chipping away at the curbing until you can easily remove the pieces.

Step 4 – Finishing Up

When you have finished removing the concrete landscape curbing you will be left with a dugout trench. This is the perfect time to replace the concrete landscape curbing with something new if that is your ultimate goal. All you need to do is place the new curbing in the trench. If you are planning on leaving a smooth area then fill the trench with fresh dirt or sod. Once the dirt reaches the top of the trench; pack it down flat.

Garden and Lawn Edging Ideas & Tips

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:23:04 GMT

Three simple, attractive, low-maintenance garden and lawn edging ideas to inspire.

The simplest and most subtle landscape borders that effectively separate your lawn from a garden are 4-in.deep strips of steel, aluminum or plastic. The metal lawn edging bends easily into smooth, graceful curves and stops the spread of grass roots. However, painted aluminum and steel offer the sleekest, most refined garden edging look because they almost disappear against the grass and garden bed. The plastic types of garden edging have a prominent black bulge along the top edge. All work best on fairly even terrain; if you have a lot of dips and rises, it’s easier to install a paver border.

Although aluminum and steel landscape edging cost about the same, we chose aluminum because it was much lighter. It weighs about 41 lbs. per 100 ft., while steel weighs about 225. With aluminum landscape edging, you get a professional look without the heavy lifting.

Plan to set the garden border

Plan to set the garden border with the top edge about 1/2 in. above the soil level to maintain the lawn/garden separation and keep roots from crossing over the top. This makes the garden border almost invisible and allows you to mow right over the top. However, be aware that the top of the thin lawn edging can hurt bare feet. After cutting it, make sure you round off any sharp edges with a file.

Follow the photos for the basic garden edging installation techniques. The key to setting this garden border is to cut a clean vertical edge along the grass with a square spade . Then you can lay the garden border tightly against the edge when you stake and backfill it. There’s no rule for shaping the edge. Simply follow the edges of your lawn, making smooth, gradual curves.To make smooth, sharp curves, bend the metal lawn edging around a circular form.

The thicker landscaping edgers better withstand those inevitable bumps and hard knocks that go with lawn mowing.

Consider concrete or brick pavers

If you’re having trouble deciding between various lawn edging ideas, consider concrete or brick pavers. They make a simple, handsome border and work well as lawn edging material too. They’re ideal when you want a wide border that keeps grass out of the garden, yet allows flowers and other plants to spill over without intruding onto the grass. You’re less likely to chop them up with the lawn mower.

The paver design shown here also provides a nice, flat surface for the lawn mower wheel to roll along and make a clean cut. You shouldn’t have to trim the edges after mowing. Concrete pavers (55¢ each) are designed for rugged outdoor use. Brick pavers ($1 each) are too, but don’t confuse them with regular bricks, which are typically softer and more likely to break down. Set the pavers in a bed of sand for easier positioning and leveling.

The sand bed that you lay over landscape fabric keeps most grass types from sending roots under the lawn edging and getting into your garden. Paver borders work well for straight, formal gardens but even better for informal yards with gradual curves and varying slopes. You can easily adjust them to follow the contours of an uneven yard. But they won’t fit as well on tighter curves unless you alter the design and are willing to cut them to fit with a diamond blade saw.

Use a garden hose to mark the shape and gradual curves

Use a garden hose to mark the shape and gradual curves of your lawn edging. Don’t hesitate to trim the trench a bit here or there as you cut the edge to smooth curves or alter the garden bed shape. For straight borders, follow a tightly stretched string line. Follow the photos for installing the pavers. It’s important to set the front edge of the pavers about 1/2 in. above the soil in the lawn so the lawn mower can cut the grass cleanly. We also leveled our pavers from front to back to keep the row from dipping and rising, but it’s not necessary and on slopes might look better if set on an angle. Just make sure the top of each paver sits flush with its neighbor and that the front edges create a smooth line. You can go back later and whack them perfectly flush with a block of wood and a hammer or a rubber mallet. The pavers we set on edge are primarily decorative, but they also raise the garden bed slightly and help retain mulch. Set them higher or lower to fit the needs of your garden.

A stone wall does more than make a clean border along your lawn. It’s a handsome visual statement in itself, a great way to add depth and texture to a flat, featureless yard. It’s practical, too.

Be sure to explore the variety of stone materials

When looking at paver lawn edging ideas, be sure to explore the variety of stone materials, sizes and shapes to create your ideal landscape border! It also provides good drainage, making it a great solution for low-lying, soggy gardens. And it’s a good way to terrace a sloped yard and create nice, flat gardens.

To reduce maintenance we added a 4-in. deep trench that we lined with plastic edging and filled with mulch. The lawn edging keeps grass roots from creeping into the stone wall, and the mulch provides a mowing track for lawn mower wheels. With taller types of grass, you can mow right over the plastic border and cut the lawn edge cleanly. There’s no need to trim the grass.

Remember to wear safety googles

This project doesn’t require any special skills, just a strong back. For metal lawn edging you’ll need a hacksaw, and for stone lawn edging you’ll need a cold chisel. Remember to wear safety googles when installing your landscape edging! Figure the cost at about $10 per foot of wall. Design your raised bed to blend into the contours of your yard like a natural feature. You can handle slopes in one of two ways. Either let your wall follow the slope of the yard for an informal look, or level the stones as we did and step the wall up or down as the slope requires to maintain approximately the same height.

The exact size of stacking stone for walls varies considerably by region. Visit a local landscape supplier to check types. (Ours is Chilton limestone.) For lawn edging, limit the height of your wall to two courses so you won’t have stones falling out. Measure your wall length and make a sketch.

Have it delivered and dropped as close to the wall location as possible

The stone dealer will help you figure out the quantities of all the materials you need. The stone will probably be sold by the ton or pallet and it’s heavy. Have it delivered and dropped as close to the wall location as possible. And have gravel or sand delivered to use as a setting bed for the stone as well as topsoil to fill behind the wall. The stone or landscaping dealer will help you calculate how much of these you need.

Generally it’s best to keep the bottom row of stone an inch or so below the original soil level, but this will vary if you keep the stones level and the yard isn’t level (what yard is?). If you’re considering this lawn edging idea, just know that you may need to step the stones up or down, or use thinner or thicker stones depending on aesthetic and fit. There’s no rule here. Experiment when you lay the stones for the best appearance.

Lay the stones that have the most irregular faces in the first row so you can place the irregular face down in the gravel and level the top. Vary the sizes and colors for the best look. Chip off irregularities with the maul and chisel. Then add the second row. Make this row as stable as possible so the stones won’t rock and fall off. As a last resort, stabilize the stones by shoving stone chips into the gaps.

Lay landscape fabric against the back of the wall before backfilling to keep dirt from washing out through the stone. Then install the plastic edging in front. Add organic mulch to finish up the mowing edge.