The Fence Post

A Lifetime of Service

A gabion is a welded wire basket or cage filled with earth or rocks. It is typically used to build a support or abutment. Gabion mesh is welded from heavy 11 gauge wire. The mesh has 3" x 3" openings. Usually, the mesh is Galvanized After Weld (GAW), providing long life and excellent rust protection. In situations where gabion baskets will be exposed to water and constant moisture, mesh with a thick, rugged coating of PVC is recommended. The vinyl overlays the GAW wire and assures an even longer lifetime.

Standard or Custom Sizes

Gabion mesh is also available in panels that are assembled to make baskets. The standard basket size is 3' x 3' x 6'. For larger baskets, 9' and 12' lengths are also available. And for specific jobs, custom sizes can be special ordered.

A Variety of Configurations and Uses

The rectangular wire mesh gabion baskets are shipped flat. They are fully assembled and filled with rock at your project site to form flexible, permeable, monolithic structures such as retaining walls for commercial, industrial, and road projects. They are also used for erosion control, bank stabilization, channel linings, and weirs. Gabions can be used in both residential and commercial projects.

A Short History

From Wikipedia: Gabion (from Italian gabbione meaning "big cage"; from Italian gabbia and Latin cavea meaning "cage") are cages, cylinders, or boxes filled with soil or sand that are used in civil engineering, road building, and military applications. For erosion control, caged riprap (a quantity of stones, broken or not) is used. For dams or foundation construction, cylindrical metal structures are used. In a military context, earth or sand-filled gabions are used to protect artillery crews from enemy fire. Leonardo da Vinci designed a type of gabion called a Corbeille Leonard ("Leonard basket") for the foundations of the San Marco Castle in Milan.

Have a project where gabions can be used? 

Being Prepared

Time to make plans. Colder months are a great time to look through gardening, landscaping, and seed catalogs. Visualize what you would like to do in the yard and garden this spring. Whether you're in an area where your yard is just dormant or snow actually covers the ground, you can begin to draw up plans and designs on the inside where it's warm and comfortable.

Do you:

• need to install a new fence? 
• want to improve your landscaping?
• want better results from your garden?
• need to consider replacing your fence?
• need to repair winter damage to your fence?

Now If a fence is on your to-do list, there are many possibilities and options open to you. Start by considering what you want to accomplish and what the end product should look like. For example:

Welded or Woven Wire Mesh - Galvanized or Vinyl-Coated

• Use a smaller mesh, especially at the bottom of the fence, to keep smaller animals from getting into your garden
• Bury 12" or more of the fence underground to discourage burrowing
• Bend 12" or more of the fence to the outside of your garden laying it on top of the ground for an effective protecting apron

A vinyl-coated wire fence is a smart choice for both appearance and durability. Do your plans call for a fence that blends in well with your property's background? Consider a black vinyl-coated fence that comes in many different mesh sizes, wire gauges, and heights. Check out this blog for some other excellent options.

Gabions - Practical and Stylish

As you consider your next outdoor project, whether it be a commercial establishment or a residence, gabion baskets are a great solution for stabilizing vast areas of possible erosion due to potential flooding conditions, providing definition to the landscape, or creating a stylish look on a residential property. 

Looking Around

Reputable fence companies can give you more ideas. They can also quote you prices for installation if you choose not to do it yourself. There is most likely a fence you can't find at your local store that Louis Page can help you find. Remember, those big box stores are not going to necessarily stock the variety of wire and the gauges in which we specialize. Also, the galvanization of the products we stock is only first-rate and guaranteed to last. On to spring!