Landscape Curbing Care Guide

Caring for your decorative landscape curbing

1. We will work with you in taken the greatest care in preventing damage to any items underground including. Sprinkler lines, telephone lines, cable TV and other buried items or utilities. Please let us know if you have knowledge of these items underground.
2. Landscape, sod laying and sprinkler work should be started after 24 hours curing time. Extreme care is necessary when using any hand tools or wheelbarrows around the curb.
3. Pets, children and objects should be kept away from the curb for at least 24 hours until it sets or hardens properly. It will be “hard” to touch at this point but still needs several days to cure.
4. If a Landscape contractor is working with you, caution him/her about protecting the curb from damage. By placing approximately 6″ of dirt over the curb will create a mound or ramp that should protect it from wheelbarrows that are used to haul things. TRACTORS OR TRUCKS SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO DRIVE OVER THE CONCRETE CURBING.
5. Decorative concrete curbing like any type of concrete can eventually crack. We try to control this by placing expansion joints approximately every 3 to 4 feet. Normally, it is in these expansion areas that cracks are usually found. Very rarely do we find cracking on our products but if it should happen, we will repair or replace it with no charge during the warranty period. If colored concrete was the chosen product, it should be noted that it would be impossible to match the original color. A hairline crack is more noticeable if patched because of discoloration.
6. If you have a sprinkler system, you are responsibility to have this shut off the day we are doing the work and for up to two days after the work is completed. This will help in the curing time for the concrete curbing.
7. 545-Lawn Care, Inc. installs curb with zero slump (excess concrete), however, there sometimes will be a small amount between the new curb and grass. We will do our best to pick up any of the areas with large amounts of excess. To encourage quicker growth, you may want to add dirt and seed between the new voids.
8. Occasionally, a white powder called efflorescence may appear on your new curb caused by humidity due to water sprinkler systems and/or rainstorms. The amount of efflorescence on your curbing depends on the hardness or the water and coverage on the curb. Adjusting your sprinkler heads will greatly reduce the occurrence. Also, freshly planted sod and frequent watering can make efflorescence appear more. There’s no need to worry! By using a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water with some light brushing, it will remove this. Depending on how long it takes your lawn to become established, you may have to do this a couple times before it goes away for good. Once in a while curbing with color in it may look “splotchy” for a few days while it is curing. This will go away as it cures and should not be confused with efflorescence.
9. If rain occurs immediately after the curb has been laid, we will lay plastic over the concrete curbing to prevent any damage to it. After the rain has stop the plastic can be removed. We do our best to watch the upcoming weather and try to schedule your installation on the best day possible.
10. 545-Lawn Care, Inc. offers a one-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If steel cabled has been installed, we will extend the warranty up to two years. If the materials we use or the workmanship caused the defect, it will be replaced at no charge. Snowplows, lawn mowers, and vehicles can run over and damage concrete borders, damage to the curbing in this way will not be covered under the one year guarantee. If borders get damaged in this way, we will come out and repair the area for a $300.00 minimum charge. However colors sometimes will not be a perfect match, we will try our best to make them a match.
11. When a border is installed against a existing landscaping there may be a need for minimal mulch, stone, and sod replacement, and is the homeowners responsibility, unless it is arranged for 545-Lawn Care Inc. to come back out after curbing has had time for curing and do this work at a additional cost.