Workshop
Ask a question

The Bunnings Workshop community can help with your home improvement projects.

How to build edging against a fence?

jasperfar
Just Starting Out

How to build edging against a fence?

Hi there. I'm trying to figure out what to put as an edging for the right hand side of our fence. For starters our lot is about a meter high from them. When the contractor built the fence the neighbor didn't go for a retaining wall so the fence was just erected as per the natural contour of the land. We want to make a paver pathway so I need a way to support those pavers along thw fence. 

 

My initial thought was to use 200x50 h4 sleepers against the pailings and just drill them to the posts and support it with like jack 450mm sleeper pegs. My worry with this is the whole fence might topple over either side because of the sleeper's weight. Another thought would  be just to haunch it with cement. Another is tuscan path stone edging. Ideas would be amazing at this stage. Thank you.

20251005_113732.jpg

20251005_113729.jpg

20251016_085111.jpg

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Ideas on edging against a fence: Using sleepers or other ideas?

Hello @jasperfar 

 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about fence edging.

 

One way to shift the load on your fence is to dig into the soil and let the sleepers sit on the soil rather than letting the fence post carry the weight of the sleepers. By having the sleepers sit on the soil the posts will only need to stop the sleepers from toppling over. You can still use the sleeper pegs to provide added support and you still can have your paved pathway along the fence line. 

 

Below is a sample image rendered using AI to give you an idea what the sleeper and paved walkway could look like.

 

 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

See something interesting? Give it the thumbs up!

Re: Ideas on edging against a fence: Using sleepers or other ideas?

Thank you for that Eric. Follow up questions to this topic.

 

Just clarifying that it is fine to put the sleepers in front of the pailings in this scenario yes?

 

How much does the sleeper need to be in the soil? At least 50mm? Would you put cement on the trench before putting the sleepers to give more support? Or do you just screw it to the post then support with sleeper pegs/brackets as necessary?

 

To the  H4 sleepers, do you still need to paint this off with something to protect it?

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Ideas on edging against a fence: Using sleepers or other ideas?

Hello @jasperfar 

 

The sleeper can be place directly over the soil with no channel necessary. It would help if the ground was level and free of rocks and debris so that the sleeper meets perfectly with the ground. But should you decide to dig a shallow channel of 50mm this will work as well. There is no need to add concrete to the sleeper as it will be anchored to the post with screws and supported with the sleeper pegs.

 

The 200 x 50mm 2.4m Treated Pine Sleeper H4 are treated chemically to withstand direct contact with the soil. You can paint the bottom and a bit of the side with bitumen paint as added protection if you wish, but it will stay stable even without the bitumen paint.

 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

See something interesting? Give it the thumbs up!

Re: Ideas on edging against a fence: Using sleepers or other ideas?

Thank you Eric that actually worked. I can show photos later. 

 

Down to the other side of the fence.

We want this to be a paver pathway only with about 20 pavers 600x300 or 400x400 and the rest will be just drainage rock.

17627338475557999816217527416012.jpg

This side is a bit of an angle towards the middle. We are still trying to figure out if we aregoing to put sleepers on this one Against the posts. My thoughts were to level it with road base so its not that of a concave. We wanted sleepers to prevent whatever is coming from the

17627338121547684351969232734534.jpg

neighbour's side. I thought of reinforcing them by digging a bit of a trench and fix the sleepers with  sleepers pegs. My concern is that the sleepers may not support the weight of the fencing and will end up collapsing. I thought of edging but its not high enough to prevent whatever is gonna come from the other side. Apologies my thoughts are all over the place.

Re: Ideas on edging against a fence: Using sleepers or other ideas?

Your choice will be dictated by the height of your house slab @jasperfar. That is your finished height, so work across to the fence and determine whether that soil at the fence line is higher or lower. If the soil is higher, you'll need to add treated pine sleepers and flatten the area.  If it's lower, you'll need to once again add sleepers and fill the area. 

If the amount of fill is substantial, you should add independent posts for the sleeper so as not to rely solely on the fence for support.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Mitchell

See something interesting? Give it the thumbs up!

Why join the Bunnings Workshop community?

Workshop is a friendly place to learn, get ideas and find inspiration for your home improvement projects