If you’re considering professional decorative concrete borders for your landscaping, understanding the installation process can help you prepare and set realistic expectations. Here’s a step-by-step look at what happens when AE Landscape Borders transforms your yard with durable, custom concrete curbing.
Pre-Installation: Consultation and Design Planning
Before any concrete is poured, your installer will visit your property for a free onsite estimate. During this visit, they’ll assess your landscaping layout, discuss your design preferences, and identify any potential complications like irrigation systems, tree roots, or underground utilities.
You’ll choose from patterns like Missouri Flagstone, Fractured Rock, or Slate, and select a color that complements your home’s exterior. This is also when you’ll discuss the border’s path and placement around garden beds, trees, or hardscape features.
Your installer will measure the project area and provide a detailed quote. Once you approve the design and schedule, the installation date is set — typically during the March through November season when weather conditions are favorable.
What Happens on Installation Day?
Most residential installations are completed in a single day, though larger or more complex projects may take two days. Here’s what the actual installation process looks like.
The crew arrives with specialized equipment designed specifically for continuous concrete curbing. They’ll start by marking the exact path of your new landscape edging, ensuring curves and lines match your approved design.
Next, they prepare the ground by creating a shallow trench along the marked path. This trench provides a stable foundation for the concrete border. If your property has sprinkler lines, existing edging, or other obstacles, the crew carefully works around them — something AE Landscape Borders handles routinely thanks to their experience with typical installation complications.
The concrete is then mixed onsite and fed through the curbing machine, which extrudes a continuous ribbon of concrete in your chosen pattern. As the machine moves along the trench, it forms a seamless border without joints or gaps where weeds could eventually penetrate.
How Long Does Concrete Curbing Take to Cure?
Immediately after installation, your new decorative concrete edging will be visible and structurally in place, but it’s not fully hardened yet. The concrete needs time to cure properly.
Within 24 to 48 hours, the curbing will be firm enough to withstand light contact, but you should avoid placing heavy pressure on it or driving equipment over it during this period. Choosing the right maintenance approach also matters during this early phase — keep sprinklers directed away from the fresh concrete for the first few days.
Full concrete cure takes up to 28 days. During this month, the concrete gradually reaches its maximum strength and durability. Once fully cured, your concrete curbing is backed by AE Landscape Borders’ lifetime warranty, giving you confidence in its long-term performance.
Post-Installation: Cleanup and Final Touches
After the curbing is installed, the crew cleans up the work area, removing excess concrete and debris. They’ll backfill soil against the border where needed and ensure the site looks neat before they leave.
You’ll receive care instructions, including guidance on watering restrictions during the initial cure period. If you’ve also added rubber mulch as part of your project, that can typically be installed right away or shortly after the curbing is complete.
The result is a clean, professional-looking landscape border that reduces washouts, minimizes trimming around edges, and significantly improves your property’s curb appeal — all without the ongoing replacement hassles of plastic or metal edging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be home during the installation?
It’s helpful to be available at the start so the crew can confirm final placement details, but you don’t need to be present the entire time. Most homeowners check in periodically and do a final walkthrough when the work is complete.
Will the installation damage my existing landscaping?
Professional installers take care to minimize disruption. Some soil disturbance is unavoidable when trenching, but experienced crews like those at AE Landscape Borders work carefully around plants, sprinklers, and existing features to preserve your landscaping.
Can I use my sprinklers right after installation?
You should avoid running sprinklers directly on the fresh concrete for at least 48 hours to allow proper initial curing. After that, normal watering can resume, though it’s best to avoid high-pressure direct spray on the curbing during the first week.
Ready to enhance your landscaping with durable, beautiful concrete borders? Contact AE Landscape Borders today for a free onsite estimate and see how professional landscape edging can transform your property with minimal disruption and maximum long-term value.
