How much does Lawn edging cost?

Professional lawn edging, also known as landscape edging or curbing, increases a home’s curb appeal by creating clean, defined borders around the lawn, garden, flower beds, or walkways. Most landscaping projects include some type of edging that pulls together the home’s overall look.  

“It’s an aesthetic [feature] for those who want a tidy, neat, structured-looking yard,” says Brett Gard, owner of Tailored Lawn Care in Sparks, Nevada. “Edging makes the lawn a lot easier to maintain, which saves the customer money. And it absolutely adds curb-appeal value to the property.” 

This guide explains the costs of lawn edging services. Pricing data is based on estimated project costs provided to Yelp users by lawn care and landscape businesses on Yelp, along with industry research. Learn more about how we calculate these costs in the methodology section at the end of the guide. 

There are 3 main types of edging used around the perimeter of yards, or to provide borders between the lawn and landscape features like gardens and trees: 

The typical cost of basic lawn edging by a lawn service or gardener, using a blade edger or string trimmer, is $96, according to Yelp data, but can range from $58–141. These costs are based on the national hourly rate for hiring a gardener, which is typically $68, but ranges from $25–118 per hour. The most common type of edging requested by homeowners— trimmed edging—varies widely in cost, depending on lawn size and location. 

Installing landscape curbing with metal edging, concrete, or stone—a much larger and more expensive job typically handled by landscapers —ranges from $630–4,500. Landscapers generally price these projects according to the industry average of $3.50–25.00 per linear foot. It pays to request quotes from several landscapers to ensure you’re getting the best price.

Basic or “trimmed” lawn edging prices vary from city to city, due to cost-of-living differences and the typical sizes of lawns in various locations. As you can see from the chart below, the cost to trim a lawn ranges from $58 in Dallas, Texas, to $110 in Sacramento, California.

Adding mowing and cleanup to a lawn edging project brings the average total cost to $101, according to Yelp data, with prices ranging from $64–176, based on lawn size and location. 

The price of lawn or landscape edging varies based on the type of edging you choose. Plastic, wood strips, or steel landscape edging are priced by the linear foot, while brick blocks, stone, and concrete curbing materials may be priced by the square foot. 

Curbing materials are installed in 6-inch widths, so 1 square foot equals 2 linear feet. For example, if concrete curbing is priced at $13 per square foot, a 6-inch-wide curb will cost $6.50 per linear foot.

The following are typical installed prices for the most common edging materials. 

As discussed above, the typical cost for basic lawn edge trimming using a motorized steel-blade edger or string trimmer is $96, according to Yelp data, with a range of $58–141. 

A lawn-care pro cuts a clean line between grass and gardens, driveways, or other landscape features, giving the lawn a “manicured” appearance. This type of edging is the most affordable. However, keeping that crisp look requires routine upkeep—it must be repeated up to 8 times per growing season.

Lawn care services typically include this type of edging in their maintenance contracts for little or no additional cost. “My crew mows first, then trims and edges,” explains Brett Gard of Tailored Lawn Care. “We trim the tall grass around trees that’s higher than where it was mowed, then edge all the straight lines of the perimeter.” 

Thin plastic, rubber, wood, or metal edging strips cost $1.50–4.00 per linear foot, installed. The materials themselves cost $0.50–3.50 per linear foot. For a standard-sized lawn that requires 180 linear feet, the cost runs $270–720, installed.These semi-permanent borders—with strip tops either level with or slightly higher than the ground—stop grass, mulch, and plants from spreading outside of their defined spaces. 

Pliable redwood bender-board edging runs about $3–5.50 per linear foot, installed, or $540–990 for a standard-sized lawn that requires 180 linear feet. Material costs about $.70–.80 per linear foot. A 2-person lawn service crew could install bender-board edging around a standard-sized lawn in 3–6 hours. 

Sturdy steel metal strips can cost $8–16 per linear foot, installed, for common types and sizes of the material. To edge a standard-sized lawn with 180 linear feet, you’ll pay $1,440–2,880. Steel edging is commonly sold at home improvement retailers in 4-inch-wide by 8-foot-long strips for $2–4 per linear foot. High-end metal bands measuring 15.75 inches wide by 7 feet long, sold online or by specialty landscaping suppliers, go for about $33–40 per linear foot (materials only).

Because steel is heavy-duty compared to plastic and rubber, installation takes more time and effort. But you can buy easy-to-install hammer-in steel DIY strips in 8-foot lengths for about $20 each.

Poured concrete lawn curbing, the most common type of masonry curbing, costs $4.50–9.00 per linear foot, installed. For a standard-sized 180-linear-foot yard, you’ll pay $810–1,620. To add landscape curbing, a landscaper pours concrete or installs concrete curbing around the lawn, trees, walkways, garden borders, driveways, and patios.

Precast concrete blocks or pavers cost $3.50–7.50 per linear foot, installed. The 180-linear-foot amount needed for a standard lawn runs $160–1,350, installed. Bricks and pavers create wide, decorative borders that become part of the yard’s overall landscaping look. While brick edging and concrete edging have higher installation costs than thin plastic or rubber barriers, they’re more durable, attractive, and effective at holding weeds at bay. Installers will need to dig wider trenches than for strip edging to prepare for installation, increasing labor cost. 

Stone curbing costs $3.50–25.00 per linear foot, installed, or $630–4,500 for a standard-sized lawn that requires 180 linear feet. Installation of high-end stone—like granite—is more expensive than other types of curbing. With stone, the materials alone cost $3–18 per square foot, depending on the type of stone.

In addition to the type of edging or curbing you choose, the following can also impact how much you’ll pay for a lawn-edging project:

Simple garden paths and straight-line sidewalks are easier to edge with physical barriers and landscape curbs than intricately designed landscapes with winding paths and rounded flower beds. Materials that require excavation or trenching will add to the labor cost, as will delivery or hauling fees for heavy materials like concrete and stone.

Edging a well-maintained lawn is much easier than a neglected one. If a yard is completely overgrown, the initial charge is likely to be higher than it would be if the yard was regularly maintained. 

Rocky or compacted soil makes digging in preparation for curbing a more difficult job. With particularly rocky conditions, special equipment like jackhammers might be needed for digging. If the soil doesn’t drain well, the installer may need to dig a bit deeper to allow for a gravel bed beneath the curb. Similarly, loose or sandy soil may require crushed stone for a stable base beneath the landscape curbing. These conditions generally increase both material and labor costs.

If the yard is steeply sloped, installing curbing is more complex and time-consuming than with flat ground. Or if the yard has narrow spaces, fences, or other obstacles that make bringing in equipment and materials difficult, costs can increase. 

Off-season pricing may be more favorable than peak-season pricing, especially for non-urgent services such as lawn edging. Tailored Lawn Care’s Brett Gard says that you’re likely to get the best prices for all types of lawn care in winter, when business is slow. “Our workflow decreases dramatically in the winter season,” he says. “We tell our customers to wait until winter if they want something done that isn’t time sensitive. Then we can give them a 10% discount.”

There are several ways for homeowners to cut costs without cutting corners. 

Choose inexpensive plastic or metal lawn edgers over pricier materials. Staked plastic and hammer-in metal lawn edging strips are very DIY-friendly, so you could consider installing them yourself for major savings. For the most affordable answer to lawn edging, stick with the type that gardeners do with an edge trimming blade or string trimmer—just be aware that the trimming will need to be repeated every few weeks during the growing season.

Because labor represents a significant portion of the cost, you may pay less by having all of your front- and backyard edging handled at the same time. Installing strip barriers or curbed edging may also cost less when included in a complete landscaping project.

Most lawn-maintenance services include edge trimming as part of their standard mowing service. If yours doesn’t, ask them how much more it would cost for them to handle it—chances are good it’ll be less than $30. If you’re considering a landscape curbing project, ask your lawn-care provider for a bid (if they have the experience)—they’re likely to give you a lower price than you’d pay a professional landscaper. 

If you see a lawn service working at your neighbor’s home, ask if they’ll service your yard as well. Most lawn-care companies and landscapers prefer doing business with homeowners in the same neighborhood—it saves them time, so they may charge less. 

Lawn maintenance companies often have very different rates for the same services. Getting cost estimates from a few pros could lead to lower costs. When you receive quotes, the price should include the materials you choose, as well as labor for grading, digging, and preparing the ground, installing the materials, and landscape cleanup. 

Some types of lawn edging are easy for DIY homeowners to do themselves—notably edge trimming with a string trimmer, or installing landscape edging kits that are either staked in place or pounded directly into the ground. Other types of lawn edging—cutting edges with a blade edger, installing bricks, blocks, or stone, or concrete landscape edging—are best left to accomplished landscapers or lawn services. If you decide to take on any of these yourself, make sure you have the knowledge, tools, and time to do it yourself.

How much will 100 feet of grass edging cost?

To have a gardener trim 100 feet of lawn edges with a string trimmer or edging tool, you’ll typically pay $32–78, according to Yelp data. This type of basic trimming needs to be redone several times per season.

How much does it cost to install stone landscape edging?

Installation of stone edging, including materials and labor, costs $3.50–25 per linear foot. Stone materials alone are pricey—they can cost $3–18 per square foot, depending on the type of stone.

What is the best type of lawn edging?

That depends on your property’s needs and landscape design. Basic lawn-edge trimming provides a simple look that tidies up your lawn (but requires routine maintenance). If you want to divide your lawn and garden, metal or plastic edging is relatively affordable and effective. For an attractive landscape border that complements your patio or garden, consider installing stone, brick, or pavers.  

Find a lawn edging service in your area.

Cost data in this guide is based on project quote estimates provided to Yelp users by licensed professionals and businesses on Yelp (as well as analysis of industry data). Actual project costs may vary depending on location or complexity of the project. Cost data has been reviewed by our industry expert, Don Vandervort, a nationally known home improvement author. Don is the founder of the website HomeTips.com and has written or produced more than 30 home improvement books.