Edge restraint is the rigid border, whether plastic, aluminum, or a mortared brick soldier course, installed along the perimeter of a paver patio or walkway to keep the outer pavers from creeping or spreading apart under traffic.
Without something holding the perimeter, the outer row of pavers on a dry-laid patio or walkway will slowly push outward every time someone walks across the surface, opening gaps that widen over time and let the whole field of pavers loosen and drift out of pattern. Edge restraint locks that outer row in place, whether it's a hidden plastic or aluminum strip staked into the base, or a more visible mortared brick or stone border set as a soldier course along the edge.
Restraint has to be anchored deep enough to stay put through freeze-thaw cycling, since frozen, expanding soil pushes outward against a shallow edge just as hard as foot traffic does from above. A restraint system installed too shallow will heave loose within a winter or two, which is why we set it to match the base depth on every project instead of just staking it into the topsoil at the surface.
More masonry vocabulary from the glossary.
The services where this term comes up.
Chelo's Brick & Stone serves Hillsville, Galax, Wytheville, Fancy Gap, and Independence, VA. Call for a straight answer and a free on-site estimate.
