How to landscape around the A/C unit

Making a forgotten area look appealing and attractive.
This is an introduction of a project that i will be completing later.
1. Start by removing the upper layer of grass around the area.
2. Install a the plastic edge to stop grass from moving into the area.
3. Install weed control fabric to stop grass or weeds from growing underneath.
4. Spread the mulch on the top and spread it evenly.
So far this project has held up very well, no issues with water, since the unit is higher up, and at the level it’s in water doesn’t settle, the air conditioning unit is not a vacuum so it doesn’t suck up the mulch to it. It keeps all the grass away from the unit. I didn’t want to over decorate it because it still need to be accessible for any maintenance and repairs. Before this project, I had to weed eat around very frequently and spray weed killer. Now this makes it a cleaner area for the maintenance guy to work in.
I hope you find this video helpful.
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There will be more videos coming soon.

[@fennkell]

Never place mulch against your foundation. It’s a breeding ground for termites and other pest that may potentially infest and damage the foundation. Gravel is the best option.

[@despawn7663]

Great advice, we have 15 units with AC units completely filled with mulch that the landscapers lay right against the AC units. Now we are getting quotes for landscaping to gravel...

[@fgrodriguezqac]

If I use gravel or river rocks, should I still put down the landscape barrier first?

[@chandracox6814]

​@@fgrodriguezqacyes

[@jenniferduncan4490]

Agreed, rocks are better, I’ll be doing that, one of my monthly projects, thanks for this video.

[@optics6640]

what about drainage rocks?

[@SneakerKing83]

I have actually removed all my red mulch from around my units and I'm dropping gravel...still keeping my red mulch all around the front of the house, not close to my ac units. I'm gonna use cardboard as my base.

[@NRMwalkthroughHD]

instead of mulch, you should have used little rocks.

[@praisehymn247]

Why Rocks?

[@spyderlyf3]

@@praisehymn247 drainage and that mulch will need to be replaced every year.

[@praisehymn247]

@@spyderlyf3 Ah! wish you had told me this 3 weeks ago lol thanks

[@spyderlyf3]

@@praisehymn247 man I am about to have my ac replaced and just found out myself lol. I was gonna do mulch too. You can always add them later. I didn't realize my current units were being sunk from bad drainage.

[@praisehymn247]

lol I did the mulch about 3 weeks ago then we had a tropical storm bring major flooding along with a hailstorm. There's mulch everywhere lol

[@davidthecardcollector]

So now your A.C. is still not level and your coils will need cleaning more often from the mulch being sucked into it. Good job.

[@ionymous6733]

I've been researching for my own similar project. With no real experience of my own, here's what my now internet-trained brain is telling me about you video: edging curve isn't quite mowing friendly, but better than none. left side edging curved inward making an un-mowable corner. if edging isn't staked in it will heave up. missed opportunity for shrubs. never use fabric under mulch, it's not worth the future trouble. though is that paper? maybe it's ok? How about a follow-up? Am I (the internet) right/wrong?

[@mrboxy3970]

Project's acceptable, under $100, approximately 3h of work for an out of shape casual diy-er. Edging's fine, it's a simple thick plastic sheet, supported halfway on inside by backfill soil. There is a bendable staked edging you see used for paver patios that would work as well. Weed mat is about the best you'll get at lowe's/home depot, thick, multi-layer. Black side is canvas, brown side is a waxy plastic weave, prevents most things except super fine sand and water, would have folded 4-6" back over at edges/overlaps and used stakes for that. Mulch is a wood mulch instead of a synthetic(rubber)/inorganic(rocks), they'll now be replacing every 2-5 years, and increases pest risk (termites especially), but they won't be sifting it out of the dirt/mud/muck when they do because of the mat. Shrubs around an ac unit is a great idea aesthetically... Mechanically it's years off the life of both your outdoor and indoor hvac units. $80 in plants can run you $8k-$24k in replacing the system. The vents on the side are coiled copper tubes that air blows over to cool liquid being pumped in/out of the house, shrubs and plants smother that flow taxing the hell out of the system. If you want the unit hidden, consider building a ventilated screen. At best they'd plant in the far corners keeping plants 3 feet from the unit. Mow line's fine, corner was already a crap chute to mow, the harder to hit spots are what a weedeater's for, and looks like they already have that in practice from the before shots. Internet can be right, but usually it's to prove a very specific point. Excessive variables like different location, different budget, different materials/equipment availability, skill level, water/mechanical/animal/human traffic in the area, etc.. are generally ignored because they disprove the point, or take away from the strength of the argument of the poster. Everyone's yard is different, hell, even one side of your yard is going to be different from another, even if you're living in a rock quarry. Just take this budget project and transform it to fit yours (if you didn't already in the past year), and good luck. Post what you found for your area.

[@arod2435]

Looks good, river rocks would have been better, my opinion, but still looks good.

[@jdmarr2259]

Thanks for the concept, demonstration & the very cool music. I was just outside ripping grass & weeds (they both grow like weeds) up from around my hvac unit & thinking there's got to be another way. It turns out, there is. 😊

[@brianellsworth4767]

If you look at the top grill fins that air gets dispersed in a sideways manor. That air gets trapped between the house and fence. Well, it is what it is and least you didn't half bury the unit in mulch as many professional landscapers do. Those guys are all about aesthetics, not function.

[@gza864]

Would little rocks be better? Also, won’t that fabric keep water from draining?

[@bertraminc9412]

Nice music.

[@viixiconik]

Why you put your weed barrier upside down?. Or does it matter?.

[@tonytan0]

Thats some rich top soil, you got there.

[@russell311000]

The condensation from the ac unit helps out a lot.

[@antoniobrown3219]

Oh Hell Yea! 👏🏾

[@sylviarosario6503]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@EscobarMT]

What the plastic for? It's just gonna be holding water around ac right?

[@diycreativedesigns6360]

To stop the weeds from spreading into the area where the ac Unit is now.

[@diycreativedesigns6360]

It’s not plastic is a weed control fabric to hold the weeds from growing wile keeping the area nice and clear

[@deborahboman3828]

Is that safe?

[@itr0863]

why wouldn't it be safe?

[@diycreativedesigns6360]

It’s keeps the grass from growing all around the unit, and easy to maintain

[@Pw6872]

Nice healthy grass all around the condenser inconspicuously placed in a non-descript corner. Most people should be so lucky. And then tear it out? Dumb.