Edging ideas for pool decking

[Big Thunder]

Okay gang, I need any input from you wonderful folks.

I have been fighting a constant and almost losing battle all summer long with these dang grass clippings that end up in the pool. I'm tired of fighting with the step son and I am tired of fighting with the pool.

So, what is the best way to put some kind of edging on the concrete where the deck meets the grass? The wifey doesn't want to get rid of the grass so
I am left with little alternatives. How do you edge your concrete decks that meet grass?

Thanks in advance!

 

[anonapersona]

Most mowers throw primarily out of just one side. Is the step-son mowing such that the throwing side is never facing the pool? I know it seems obvious, but kids, especially if they'd like to get out of something, often will not take that extra step that keeps it clean.

Otherwise, you can either put up something tall enough to block the grass clippings, or wide enough to catch most of them while at the same time removing the grass a bit further away. So, that would be a narrow strip of bed, with some plant or shrub that will grow low enough to the ground to block effectively.

My house has the pool decking surrounded by landscaping. So, no one has much chance to get into fresh clipped grass nor can grass be easily blown into the pool area. At the back of the house is a wood deck that connects to the pool decking. On one side as you leave the pool area to go towards the side yard and pool equipment the small opening that leads to the grass has a few large boulders that serve as stepping stones between grass and decking. On the other side, after you pass through the iron gate to that part of the yard, you are on a flagstone walkway the whole way to the screen porch on that far side. So no one ever touches grass on the way to the pool.

 

[Bama Rambler]

My son-in-law mowss our lawn and I have him cut in a counter-clockwise direction any time he's anywhere around the pool. We no longer get grass clippings in the pool. I'm sure one of these days the wind will be blowing 90 to nothing and I'll have some to clean out but it's much better since he's mowing that way.

 

[haybird]

Maybe its time to buy a lawn mower with a rear bagger!

 

[PhotoEd]

This may sound crazy, but I have the wife run the blower while I edge the deck. She blows, I cut at the same time.

(insert bad jokes here)

 

[Big Thunder]

Maybe its time to buy a lawn mower with a rear bagger!

It has a bagger! Still I get lawn clippings.


Running the blower sounds like the easiest way yet.

 

[crabboy]

I've got about 3' of landscaping around the pool where the grass is level with the pool. Where the grass does meet the deck there is a raised wall, while the grass does get all over the deck, it does not get into the pool. I have a rear bagging or mulching mower and it is impossible to keep the grass off the deck where they do meet.

This is an older pic when we first put the plants in, the planter does catch a lot of junk from making the pool.

 

[Big Thunder]

I've got about 3' of landscaping around the pool where the grass is level with the pool. Where the grass does meet the deck there is a raised wall, while the grass does get all over the deck, it does not get into the pool. I have a rear bagging or mulching mower and it is impossible to keep the grass off the deck where they do meet.

This is an older pic when we first put the plants in, the planter does catch a lot of junk from making the pool.

Okay, okay, now we are cooking with gas! How high is this raised wall?? I can handle grass on the deck.

 

[crabboy]

about knee high, only part of the deep end.

 

[jnorris]

Don't do what we did.

We have about 3 feet of landscaping around our pool deck, and mulched with PEA GRAVEL. I hate that stuff. It ends up on the pool deck and we step on it (Ouch!) or it ends up in the pool. And we have a liner! I wish we had spent the extra money for the bigger rocks that would stay put.

 

[TGMcCallie]

Other solution is cut the grass youself and find something else for the step son to do.

My grass goes completely up to the concrete decking and I always prefer to not mulch my grass because of the lumps that are sometimes left. I like to cut it and let it blow the grass evenly on the lawn. ALWAYS cut so the grass is blowing away from the pool. Then what little clipping that might blow onto your deck should be immediately blown off with a gas blower.

The bagging situation sounds great but I always like to recycle my clippings on the lawn.

Mow regularly at least once a week. I mow twice. You will have less clippings that way to worry about.

Tom