Permaloc Aluminum Edging Selector

Aluminum edging is the professional standard for separating landscape materials because it solves the problems that plague the alternatives. Steel rusts and bleeds stains; plastic gets brittle, heaves in frost, and develops a wavy line within a season or two. Permaloc's commercial-grade aluminum won't rust, flexes into smooth curves without kinking, and holds a crisp, intentional line for the life of the installation. It's also made from recycled aluminum and is fully recyclable, and several lines contribute toward LEED points.

The single most important decision is the product line, because each one is engineered for a specific job — bed edging, paver restraint, asphalt restraint, athletic surfaces, or green roofs. Get that right and the rest (height, gauge, finish) falls into place quickly.

Not sure? Most landscape-bed jobs use CleanLine (commercial) or ProLine (residential); most paver jobs use StructurEdge or BrickBlock. When in doubt, the selector above starts with your application and narrows from there.

Edging is only as good as what holds it down. Permaloc's interlocking lines use aluminum stakes — typically 12 inches for CleanLine and ProLine, 18 inches for PermaStrip — driven through built-in stake guides. Sliding-stake lines like ProSlide accept stakes anywhere along the run. Connectors join sections end-to-end without weak joints, grade-change pieces step the edging up or down a slope, and corners turn tight angles cleanly. The selector recommends the correct accessories — matched to your finish where possible — so you don't arrive on site short on hardware.

Measure the total linear footage of the lines you need to edge, then divide by the section length — most landscape lines come in 8-foot and 16-foot sticks, sold by the carton. Add a little extra for overlap at joints and for curves, which consume more material than straight runs. For staking, plan on roughly one stake every 3 feet (about 11 per 100 feet), adding stakes on curves and slopes.

Proper installation is what keeps an edge crisp for years. Lay the edging along the line and tap it to grade, keeping the top consistent with the finished surface. For interlocking lines, slide adjoining sections together so the connection locks before staking. Drive stakes through the stake guides at the recommended spacing, angling them slightly back into the bed on curves. For paver and asphalt restraints, set the base under or against the pavement before backfilling and compacting. Backfill behind the edging, compact, and finish flush. Inspect after the first heavy rain and re-seat any stakes that worked loose.