Paver Mowing Strip and Brick Soldier Course Edging Around Beds
A paver strip at the bed line means mowing right up to the bed with no trimmer, and a clean edge that matches the walk or the patio.
A paver mowing strip is a row of pavers or clay brick set end to end at the lawn line of a bed, flush with the grass, on a compacted base with an edge restraint, so the mower wheel rides the strip and the bed never needs trimming. JMB Builders builds them around new and existing beds across the Twin Cities metro, in a soldier course or flat course, priced per linear foot.
- Priced per linear foot, by the run
- Set on a compacted base, not on dirt
- Flush with the lawn so the mower rides it
- Quote from photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
A paver mowing strip is the edging for people who are done with the trimmer. The pavers sit flush with the lawn, so the mower's wheel rides on them and cuts the grass to the edge of the bed. Mulch and rock stop at the inside of the strip; grass stops at the outside. It also ties the beds to a paver walk or patio when the strip matches the border on those.
The reason most brick edging you see is wavy and sunk is that it was set on dirt. Ours is set on a trench of compacted base with a bedding layer, the pavers laid tight and tapped level with a string line, and a plastic edge restraint spiked on the lawn side so the row cannot spread. Joints are swept with polymeric sand. Done that way the strip stays flat through the freeze and thaw that lifts a strip set on soil.
A soldier course, pavers set on edge or end to end and standing tall, is the look for a bed that holds rock or sits a little above the lawn. A flat course, pavers laid wide, is the true mowing strip. Both are set the same way on the same base; the choice is how much of the paver you want to see.
What you supply
- Which beds get a strip and roughly how many feet
- The paver or brick: match to an existing walk or patio, or pick a color and shape from the supply yard
- Soldier course standing up or a flat mowing strip
- Sprinkler heads and buried wires marked along the bed line
What JMB supplies
- Old edging pulled, bed line marked with paint and cut
- Trench dug and filled with compacted base and a bedding layer
- Pavers or clay brick laid to a string line, tapped level and flush with the lawn
- Plastic edge restraint spiked on the lawn side, polymeric sand in the joints
- Rock or mulch raked back to the inside of the strip
- Sod edge packed against the outside, and photos in your job folder
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Total feet across the beds
- Soldier course vs. flat mowing strip, which sets the pavers per foot
- Paver or brick type: standard concrete pavers vs. clay brick or a tumbled style
- Curves vs. straight runs; curved strips take cutting
- Old edging to remove, and whether the bed line is moving
- Access for the base material and the plate compactor
Send a photo of each bed from the lawn, a rough length, and a photo of the walk or patio if you want the strip to match it.
How long it takes
Foundation beds across the front of a house: one day. All the beds on a lot, or a lot of curves: two days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Flat paver mowing strip
Pavers laid wide and flush with the grass so the mower wheel rides them. The no-trimmer edge. Works on straight runs and gentle curves.
Brick soldier course
Clay brick or pavers set standing on end along the bed, a little proud of the lawn. The traditional look around a perennial bed, and it holds rock or mulch that sits above the lawn.
Strip matched to the patio border
The same paver as the soldier course on your paver patio or walk, run along the beds so the whole yard reads as one install.
Paver ring around a tree or mailbox
A circle of pavers cut to a curve around a tree ring or a mailbox bed, set flush so the mower runs around it in one pass.
Paver Mowing Strip and Brick Soldier Course Edging Around Beds: questions, answered
What is a paver mowing strip?
A row of pavers set flush with the lawn along the edge of a bed, wide enough that the mower's outside wheel rides on it. The grass is cut to the edge of the pavers and the bed starts on the other side, so there is nothing to trim. It is set on a compacted base with an edge restraint like a paver walk, which is what keeps it flat.
Why does brick edging sink and get uneven?
Because it was set on dirt. Soil settles and frost lifts it, and a brick row set that way is wavy inside two winters. We dig a trench, fill it with compacted base and a bedding layer, lay the pavers to a string line and spike an edge restraint on the lawn side. That is the same build as a paver walkway, scaled down, and it stays flat the same way.
Can you match the pavers on my patio?
Usually. Send a photo of the patio border and a close-up of one paver, and we match the color and size from the supply yard. If the exact paver is no longer made, a close match in the same size reads fine at the bed line. Clay brick is matched by color and size the same way.
Does a paver edge keep rock and mulch in the bed?
A soldier course does, since it stands above the lawn and holds rock or mulch that sits higher than the grass. A flat mowing strip holds mulch at lawn height but rock piled above it will spill. Most rock beds get a soldier course or a steel edge; most mulch beds work with either.
How wide should a mowing strip be?
Wide enough for the mower wheel to ride it with room to spare, which is about one paver laid the wide way for most mowers. Wider is fine and reads as a small path. A soldier course is narrower since the paver stands on end, so it is an edge rather than something the mower rides.
Can you edge a curved bed with pavers?
Yes. Pavers on a curve are set with a small wedge gap on the outside, or cut to a taper on tighter curves, so the line stays smooth. Tight curves take more cutting and that moves the price a little. A circle around a tree is the same work and is a common one.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed October 1, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All landscaping pages
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