Edging & Paver Restraints

A paver edge restraint holds the perimeter pavers in place so the whole installation does not spread and shift over time. Without restraint, edge pavers migrate outward under traffic and freeze-thaw cycles, opening joints and letting the field loosen. The restraint is what keeps a paver surface tight and stable for years.

Metal paver edging offers maximum strength and a very thin, low profile for crisp lines, favored on commercial and high-traffic installs. Plastic (polymer) edging is lighter, lower cost, easy to cut and curve, and sufficient for most residential work. Choose metal where loads are heavy or the line must be minimal; plastic where flexibility and budget lead.

Edging is secured outside the perimeter pavers and spiked into the compacted base with long anchoring spikes driven through its flange. Proper base preparation is essential, since the restraint can only hold if the spikes bite into firm, compacted material. On curves, segmented or flexible edging follows the radius.

Spike density follows the edging manufacturer spacing and increases on curves and high-traffic edges where lateral force is greatest. Under-spiking is a common failure: too few anchors let the restraint flex and the pavers creep. When in doubt, add spikes on curves and at any edge that takes vehicle or heavy foot traffic.

Properly installed, edging sits below grade or is covered by soil and turf along the perimeter, so it does not show. Metal edging's thin profile makes it the most discreet. The restraint's job is structural, not visual, so it should disappear under the finished landscape once backfilled.

Yes. Edging and the anchoring spikes are stocked in contractor quantities with volume pricing by quote. Ordering full-job lengths plus the matching spike count up front prevents the mid-project shortfalls that stall a paver crew waiting on materials.