The Fence Post

An Oasis Right in the City

Railroad Park is a 19-acre green space with nine acres of open lawn located right downtown in the city of Birmingham, Alabama. The rest of the park is landscaped with over 600 trees and a varied mix of flowers and plants. Recycled and re-used objects from the site are used in many of the walls and seating areas made from welded wire gabion baskets. Water is a main feature in the park. A lake, pond, wetland area, and streams are scattered throughout covering 30% of the area. Many paths wind throughout Railroad Park and the Rail Trail extends the length of the park. At its highest point, there are views of the city. Railroad Park is among five finalists selected to compete for the Urban Land Institute's Urban Open Space Award.

Dramatic and Functional

Gabions are versatile and Railroad Park in Birmingham makes creative use of them. Scattered throughout this recently constructed urban park are many different gabion structures. They are not only design elements adding definition to areas of the park but they are also dramatic features that perform a specific function. Here are some helpful visuals:

Welded wire baskets filled with stone form a gabion wall that holds back the earth. The path through the canyon leads off towards the tracks and the park's perimeter.

A retaining wall alongside one of the waterways flowing through the park forms a straight line in contrast to the curved shore in the foreground. Loose stones fill the space between the water and the wall.

This playground perimeter is defined and protected by a curved wall of stones enclosed in gabion baskets. Contours and varying heights are easily achieved using gabions.

Bordering areas extending into the water are built up with gabions, creating a tranquil space for seats on either side of a shade tree planted in the middle. There are several of these areas spaced along the shoreline. The structure harmonizes with the benches and wall in the distance.

Fiberglass grating secured to the top of the welded wire baskets provides comfortable seating areas throughout the park. The long gabion wall in the background runs along the edge of another pond.

Recycled hand-cast bricks from the area are also used to fill the galvanized gabion baskets. Stacked in an orderly pattern, notice the contrast in color and shape with the rough stones used elsewhere.

Large or Small Projects - Residential and Commercial

Gabion baskets allow for flexibility in landscape design. They can be used in any project, large or small, residential or commercial. They can be used purely as a design element or as a functioning structural piece. In addition to this flexibility, gabions also save time and labor during the construction phase. So easy to handle and assemble, many do-it-yourself projects can be built by the homeowner. It is far easier to position and fill an empty basket with rocks than it is to move boulders and large rocks into place. Consider using welded wire gabions in your next project.

Watch this video about Railroad Park--

See you at the park!

Industrious, Hungry, and Not so Funny

They are the scourge of gardens, lawns, nurseries, athletic fields, orchards, golf courses, and other open public areas. Anyone who lives in an area infested with gophers knows the signs - the mounds of fresh soil dotting the ground's surface. One gopher can create several mounds in a day. Mounds can interfere with lawnmowers and severely impact the appearance of lawns. Conditions for digging are ideal in irrigated areas: flower beds, lawns, and gardens. Gophers love to eat:

• vines
• shrubs
• trees
• ornamental plants
• vegetables                                                                                                                                                                     

• A burrow system can cover an area of 200 to 2,000 square feet.
• Food storage and nesting areas can be as deep as six feet.
• Feeding burrows with a 3" diameter are most often 6" to 12" below ground.

Do you have a solution that's different from using gopher wire you'd like to share?

Information source: UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, University of California, Davis, CA 95616

In recent years a large amount of "lower cost" welded wire and mesh have come on the market, generally from overseas mills. Since budgets are usually tight for fencing and mesh, why not consider this lower-priced alternative? Here are some factors to consider when comparing various types of welded wire and mesh:

• Standards Can Be Ignored

Although a critical factor in predicting the strength and durability of wire, this is often sacrificed in favor of saving money. Bargain wire often pushes the lower tolerance limits of wire gauge, sometimes not meeting it at all.

• Quality Control

An important property of any wire is that the thickness remains consistent from beginning to end and that the wire remains within its specified tolerance. In order to achieve this, a certain level of quality control must be maintained by the wire mill. Again, this standard can be compromised in favor of a low price.

• Speedy Manufacturing Results in Weaker Welds

In welded wire, proper techniques need to be employed in order to maintain the strength and durability of the weld points. In order to reduce costs, production speed needs to be increased. One way to achieve this is to speed the weld process. This can result in weaker, inconsistent welds that can fail during installation and decrease the life of the product.

• The Right Coating

Traditional PVC-coated welded wire is typically dipped in a liquid polymer after galvanization and allowed to dry. This seals the wire and welds and increases the life of the product. Lower cost welded wire can be sprayed on instead. This can result in a thinner coating that is subject to cracking and can expose the wire to the elements.

Given these factors, are the lower price alternatives worth the potential sacrifice of strength and durability? Be assured that Louis Page stocks the finest grades of wire and mesh and sources locally whenever possible.

An Investment in Safety--with Invaluable Returns

Wire mesh can be used as an effective railing safety barrier on stairs, decks, and walkways. Attached to a framework, the small openings of the mesh can prevent children from falling and restrain objects from falling on people below.

• Both woven and welded wire mesh can be used

There are mesh and wire gauges available to meet a wide variety of safety requirements. And there are many different ways to put together an effective barrier.

Some examples:

• Strong 12.5 gauge woven wire field fence used as safety mesh along a river walk. The fence is turned upside down and the top edge is bent over for added strength. The fence is stapled to wood posts. 

  • Welded wire 2" x 4" fencing used as safety mesh along a pathway to keep people from falling down the river bank--a simple solution. The top 4" of the fence is doubled over. This strengthens the mesh and allows the top of the fencing to be stapled to the top of the post for extra strength.  

• This picture shows 14 gauge 1" x 2" mesh secured to wood posts.

• Here we have 1" x 1" mesh that's mounted in a metal frame. The frame is then attached to a finished railing assembly.

The Birmingham Zoo used vinyl coated welded wire mesh as safety panels along walkways and in deck railings. There are many other ways of using wire meshes to provide a safety mesh where required. The application and installation can be both simple and complex depending on what is required.