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DIY Brick Fence Border

June 1, 2015 By Chelsea Lipford Wolf 8 Comments

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How to Keep Grass from Growing Under a Fence

Bricks Under Wood Picket Fence

I think you’ll find after watching this month’s episode you can apply this idea somewhere in your yard. Whether you want to or not is a different story! Ha!

Ever since I’ve been mowing around this fence I’ve wished for an easier way to navigate around the 4x4s on the back side. It’s a lot of picking up the mower and moving it into place to mow as much of the grass as possible. Then there’s the front side. To get a close mow, I’m practically scraping the fence with the mower tire each week.

Enter leftover bricks!

Materials

  • square-point shovel
  • string
  • 4′ level
  • stakes
  • tape measure*
  • rubber mallet*
  • bricks or pavers

Bricks were the perfect size for my application. When they’re lined up with the 4×4 posts on the back, there’s still some sticking out on the front. But the real trick in getting this solution to work is to make the bricks level with the ground, not the top of the grass.

Measure, Mark, Dig

So Shelby and I started by measuring and marking our digging lines on both front and back of the fence. We used wooden stakes and string. We then used square point shovels to dig out a couple inches of dirt the entire length of the fence.

Once most of the dirt was removed, we checked the depth and that it was level. Use a 2-foot or 4-foot level to check for level in several spots.

Lay Bricks

Then we moved on to laying the bricks in our trench. Shelby slid them under the fence while we both lined them up with the brick next to it and used a rubber mallet to set it in the dirt and keep it level with the surrounding bricks.

Slowly, but surely, we set brick after brick and we were done! We used some of the removed dirt from our 5-gallon buckets to backfill along the bricks.

Mow with Ease

Of course the whole reason for this project was to make mowing easier. So we had to try it out right away. And since Shelby had never mowed before, it was easy to convince her to use my electric start mower from Lawn-Boy. And with the rear wheel self-propel, she just mowed right over the whole backyard!

**This video is sponsored by Lawn-Boy. However, all opinions are 100% and my own. And I only work with companies I use and trust.

But the good news? The brick border was perfect for solving my not-so-big problems around this small fence! I also love that if grass does grow between the bricks, it can now be sprayed without affecting the surrounding grass or plants. That’s like a three-fer solution, right?

Another great place to use something like this would be next to a retaining wall, tree ring, or anywhere you can’t get a tight mow! And you don’t have to use bricks. You can use other hardscape pavers as well.

Here’s to healthy, weed-free grass this summer!

Chelsea and Shelby with Completed Fence Border

Hope you have a great June! And don’t forget to “Check In” between episodes on my blog for other projects I’m working on around my house. And leave a comment below so I know you were here!

Thanks for Checking In! ~ Chelsea

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Comments

  1. Pat Hicks says

    June 3, 2015 at 9:05 am

    I would suggest laying black grass and weed cover first…you are going to have grass grow between bricks…great idea and looks good. Thanks Pat

    Reply
  2. Deb says

    June 3, 2015 at 9:36 am

    I have a chain link fence that I always have to weed whack. I can never get all the grass. I’d like to put something under it so the grass won’t grow there. I don’t want to use anything to kill the grass because my dog eats grass. I saw a plastic thing that I can lay under the fence and it clicks together at the posts and runs the whole length of the fencing. Any ideas?

    Reply
  3. James says

    April 10, 2018 at 7:33 am

    What a great idea! Landscape fabric would help keep weeds and grass from infiltrating. Also, a layer of sand or fine gravel under the brick would help with drainage – and help keep the bricks nice and level.

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lipford Wolf says

      April 11, 2018 at 11:16 am

      All good ideas! Thanks James! ~Chelsea

      Reply
    • Mike Morse says

      May 6, 2022 at 7:52 pm

      Thanks. The wall I want to line with brick is concrete block but using brick in this way will work. I will use the sand and the black cover too.

      Reply
  4. Gwyn says

    May 7, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    Great idea! It would help keep animals out.

    Reply
  5. Ruth says

    June 16, 2019 at 11:14 am

    Hello! I love this video thank you. I was also wondering what you sprayed on the fence and brick to waterproof and protect them. What product do you use?

    Reply
    • Chelsea Lipford Wolf says

      July 29, 2019 at 4:20 pm

      Ruth-I used Thompson’s Waterseal Multisurface Waterproofer. Here’s an affiliate link for you: https://amzn.to/2Mqi468 ~Chelsea

      Reply

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Thank Heaven for little girls!💕The best part of Thank Heaven for little girls!💕The best part of having daughters is getting to dress them up in clothes from my baby hood.😍🥰Not sure where Clara got her dark hair but it’s a fun change to have a baby with actual hair this time around! Doesn’t she look like a little baby doll?!
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#newbornlife #changingtable #babygirl #thankheavenforlittlegirls #mommasgirl #allpinkallthetime
Welcome home Baby Clara! We love you so much alrea Welcome home Baby Clara! We love you so much already!💕
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#welcomehome #familyofsix #babygirl #happybirthday #3girls1boy
Monogrammed washcloths and clear hooks was an inex Monogrammed washcloths and clear hooks was an inexpensive fix to a constant headache in my kids’ bathroom!🤯 As with many organization projects, hanging it on a wall makes all of the ugly go away!👏🏻
What simple fixes have you done around your house lately?Washcloths used here➡️ https://amzn.to/3bd9Gpv
Clear hooks here➡️ goto.target.com/zaGZ5x
She’s a Brick. House. Who went through mighty mi She’s a Brick. House. Who went through mighty mighty changes to get here!👏🏻Peeling paint was our nemesis on this project, but we eliminated it with persistence and determination. 👊🏻
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We took it a step further by waterproofing these bricks to PREVENT paint from peeling in the future. A fresh coat of matching house paint and it’s like it was always meant to be🥰
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All the details are in my latest blog post which is linked in my profile now! I know it’s not a project on everyone’s list but save it if you have a painted brick house or retaining walls around!
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#brickhouse #paintedbrick #bricksteps #homemaintenance #homerepair #diyrepair #diyhouse #diyhouseprojects #diypainting #ironhandrails #wroughtiron #wroughtironwork
Still pregnant over here🙃Just finished up these Still pregnant over here🙃Just finished up these concrete spheres and will have a video to share soon! I first discovered them visiting my sisters in Mountain Brook, AL. They seem to be used to keep people from parking in the yard along the street. But I think they are so neat just as yard decorations! What other purposes could they serve?
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For my 4th baby, clothes become nursery decor. Bud For my 4th baby, clothes become nursery decor. Budget-friendly and practical. But how stinking sweet?! Most of these my sisters and I wore as babes 30 years ago😳Still trying to figure out the origin of the sweet blue dress though.🤔
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What have you reused or repurposed as wall decor in a nursery or other space? I just love personal touches like this!
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