Paving Edging & Kerbing

Block paving is made of individual units held in place by friction and jointing sand between them, and that only works if something stops the outer row of pavers moving. Without edge restraint, vehicle turning loads, foot traffic and rain working into the joints push the perimeter pavers outward a little at a time, and once the edge moves the whole paved field has room to spread and open up behind it. Restraint, whether it is a concrete haunch, a kerb, or brick-on-edge, is what holds that outward pressure in. It is standard on any properly built paved surface, not an optional extra, and it is usually the first thing we check when paving that looked fine for a year or two starts to loosen.

It will move, it is just a question of how soon. Depending on the traffic the edge carries, unrestrained paving can start creeping within a single season, most visibly at driveway gates and curves where turning wheels put the most lateral force on the outer units. As the edge shifts, joints across the field widen, jointing sand washes or blows out of the gaps, and edge pavers start to rock and crack under load. It is one of the most common problems we get called out to fix, and in most cases the paving itself is fine, it is the missing restraint that let it move.

In practice the two terms overlap and are often used interchangeably for the restraint installed at a paved edge. If there is a distinction on a given job, "edging" usually refers to a lower-profile restraint, a hidden concrete haunch, brick-on-edge, or a plastic or steel strip, that mainly holds the paving in place without being a visible design feature. "Kerbing" more often refers to a precast concrete or natural stone unit laid to a visible line and level, defining the edge as well as restraining it. Which one suits your paving depends on whether you want the edge to be seen or invisible, and what traffic it needs to resist; we will recommend one on the site visit.

No, though they use some of the same materials. Paving edging and kerbing restrains brick and concrete block paving so the individual units do not spread. Road kerbing is a larger civil element that also controls stormwater, defines a traffic edge and separates a road surface from a verge, footpath or drainage channel, and it is engineered to a different scale and specification. If your project needs kerbing along a private road, parking area or complex road rather than restraint for paved units, see our Kerb Installation service, which covers that civil work specifically.

Yes, and it is the more common job we do compared to installing restraint on brand-new paving. We lift the affected edge pavers, assess and, if needed, rebuild the compacted base underneath, then cast a founded concrete haunch or bed a kerb against it before relaying and re-sanding the units. If the movement has already loosened paving well back from the edge, not just the outer row, we will tell you that on site, because restraining the edge without relaying the loose field behind it is a fix that will not hold.