Fort Myers Beach • Lee County
Decorative Curbing in Fort Myers Beach, FL
Estero Island lots sit on beach sand, and a curb extruded onto loose sand will settle and crack the first time a summer downpour washes under it. The base has to be dampened and compacted before the machine runs, and any soft spots left by post-storm fill need to be firmed up first. Since Hurricane Ian, a lot of homes on the island have been rebuilt or raised, and the beds around new stair landings, columns and parking pads often have no edge at all. A poured curb gives those beds a line that holds mulch or rock in place. The bigger question here is water. The Town has been rebuilding storm drains on streets such as Estrellita Drive, Bayview Boulevard and Indian Bayou Drive, and a curb that blocks the low side of a yard can push runoff toward the house or a neighbor. Hodges plans the curb around where water already flows and leaves openings where it has to pass.
or call (239) 301-9455
Preview Your Curbing
Where it comes up in Fort Myers Beach
Fairview Isles
Indian Bayou Drive
Laguna Shores
Plants and materials that suit it in Fort Myers Beach
- Coontie
- Muhly grass
- Beach sunflower
- Extruded concrete curb with control joints
- Compacted sand base
Questions
Will concrete curbing crack in beach sand?
Curbing cracks when the ground under it moves. On Estero Island that usually means loose or recently placed sand. Wetting and compacting the base before pouring, plus control joints cut into the curb, let the curb flex without breaking. Areas that were regraded after the storms should be checked for soft pockets first.
Can curbing run along the dune line in front of my house?
Keep it on the landscaped side. State rules protect dune plants seaward of the coastal construction control line, and the Town's dune management plan says most dune alterations are normally prohibited under its Land Development Code. Curbing belongs around beds near the house, not in the dune.
My yard floods in heavy rain. Will curbing make it worse?
It can if it closes off the path water takes to the street or a storm inlet. Before pouring, it helps to watch where water collects during a storm and leave gaps or a lower section there. If the yard holds water for days, a drainage fix should come before the curb.