How to Save Money When Buying Hexagonal Gabion Box

DuraWeld Gabions

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DuraWeld standard gabions are our welded wire mesh gabions manufactured in accordance with ASTM A974-97. While welded wire gabions can be utilized in civil and erosion control options similar to twisted mesh gabions, due to their aesthetics and flexibility in basket dimensions they are the most common style for landscape and architectural applications. When we discuss DuraWeld STANDARD versus CUSTOM gabions we are referring to the mesh itself. All of our DuraWeld gabions both standard and custom are made to order so the basket dimensions just have to be in increments of the mesh size. Our standard DuraWeld mesh is a 3”x3” mesh so the basket dimensions need to be in increments of 3”.

Our standard DuraWeld mesh options are all 3”x3” but we have several choices in both finish and wire diameter.

The standard options are as follows: 11 gauge galvanized, 12 gauge galvanized with PVC, 9 gauge raw steel (is allowed to rust), and 9 gauge galvanized steel.

While our DuraWeld standard gabions are most commonly found in the typical dimensions found in DuraFlex baskets we have much more freedom in basket sizing as shown below with ability to offer dimensions in 3 inch increments within the ranges given. Our standard DuraWeld gabions are shipped partially assembled and lead time ranges from 1.5 weeks to 2.5 weeks depending on what orders are in the queue. Our standard DuraWeld gabions ship with a variety of standard accessories that allow the gabions to be assembled quickly. The gabions are partially assembled with helical spirals and will ship with enough helical spirals, stiffening rods, and tie wire to finish assembling the gabions on site.

Our CUSTOM DuraWeld mesh options cover various mesh opening sizes, basket sizes, wire diameter, and material type and finish.

While custom mesh may end up being more expensive when comparing basket to basket, when taking into account the overall project, such as fill amount and installation time, it can end up saving you money in the long run.

Smaller mesh openings can allow you to utilize smaller fill material which in turn allows you to utilize a thinner basket in landscaping or veneer applications reducing the amount of stone needing to be purchased and loaded. In addition to custom mesh manufacturing capabilities we can also provide framed gabions. In many cases it is cheaper and more efficient for the end user to apply framed angle iron on site as the gabions can not be folded flat for shipping once the frames are added to the panels. Applying the frames onsite also gives you more flexibility in fitting your gabion units to the site requirements which can change during install depending on the project.

Regarding our custom mesh options:
-We can offer mesh spacing from 3/4” up to 8” and can do both square and rectangular patterns.
-We can offer 13 gauge up to 4 gauge wire diameter.
-Material options for custom mesh are as follows: Raw Steel, Galvanized before Welding, Galvanized after Welding, Galfan, Grade 304 Stainless Steel, and Grade 316L Stainless Steel. -We can do up to 12’x6’ panels and our custom gabion mesh is shipped unassembled as individual panels on pallets for assembly on site.
-The assembly accessories included with our custom gabion mesh orders vary depending on the material type, mesh spacing, and quantity. These accessories are often shipped separately from the panels themselves by either UPS parcel or LTL on a pallet for larger quantities but MAY include spirals, tie wire, hog rings, and corner stiffeners.

A few accessories that come in handy when installing DuraWeld standard and custom gabions are:

Lid Closure Tool: Is a lever tool that allows you to press the lid closed to insure a tightly filled and fitted gabion when closing the lid after filling.
Corner Closure Tool: These pliers allow you to grip two corners of gabions and squeeze together while securing seams to insure a tight fit.
Gabion Guard: These folded steel guards are placed on the end panels and diaphragms while filling the gabions. By dissipating the force from stone hitting the top edges of the gabions it allows you to fill the gabions with equipment more efficiently because you are not having to constantly straighten and readjust the panels as the gabions are being filled. Generally 3-5 guards are sufficient for most projects.
Hog Rings and Hog Ring Guns: While Hog Ring Guns are not common with standard DuraWeld baskets because spirals are already a quick installation option, they are still used occasionally for aesthetic reasons. With Custom DuraWeld gabions, depending on the mesh size, basket dimensions, and quantity, hog ring guns may be the optimal method for assembling the baskets. We also offer a buy back program allowing you to use a gun for your project and if still in good working order we will buy the gun back at a reduced rate.

Most often used as retaining walls, gabion walls are effective and inexpensive, as well as labor-intensive to build.

Even if you’ve never heard the term, you’ve probably seen a gabion wall. The word gabion comes from the Italian gabbione, or “big cage,” and gabion walls are just that — wire mesh cages filled with loose stone (also called riprap), gravel, or other masonry material.

We know — you’re now saying to yourself, “So that’s what they’re called!” Read on to learn more.

What Is a Gabion Wall?

Gabion walls are most frequently used as retaining walls or as tall, vertical walls in industrial settings, such as bridges, embankments and seawalls. Gabion walls are often stepped or built at a slant to better retain the soil behind them.

Retired construction worker Alcide Trincia used to build gabion walls with his father, often after a flood or landslide. Today, you’ll still see gabion walls in coastal or riverine areas to control erosion, or even to divert the flow of a body of water.

In residential settings, gabion walls appear as retaining walls, privacy fences or decorative landscaping elements in a garden or yard.

Gabion Wall Pros

“Gabion walls are made of inexpensive materials and can be built quickly with the right equipment,” says Paolo Marchetti, who runs a construction company in central Italy. “That’s part of the reason you see them used so often in industrial settings, like roads and areas prone to flooding.”

According to Marchetti, these are the biggest advantages to gabion walls:

They’re inexpensive. Materials usually consist of wire mesh and fill matter, which may be rock, crushed concrete or leftover construction materials like brick and tile. “To make a gabion wall look nicer but still save money,” says Marchetti, “you can use cast-off construction material in the middle of the wall, and better quality material, like tumbled stones, on the outside.”

They’re good for drainage. Because they’re porous, gabion walls are well-suited to retaining soil or terrain that requires drainage. Marchetti installed a gabion wall to stop erosion of land routinely waterlogged in rainy season. “Because water can flow right through the wall,” he says, “the gabion system was the best solution.”

They don’t crack. Erosion from wind and water, seismic activity and the sheer weight of the earth behind it will eventually take their toll on the sturdiest of retaining walls. Because they have no solid surface and are built with flexible but resistant wire mesh, gabion walls don’t crack, and won’t collapse unless their wire cage breaks.

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The gabion walls Trincio built with his father lasted up to 30 years. But today, he explains, with galvanized wire and mesh, he says a gabion wall can last “40, 50 or 60 years.”

They’re a greener solution. We like this best of all. Because they don’t require cement or timber and often use otherwise discarded materials, gabion walls have a lot smaller carbon footprint than other retaining wall solutions.

Gabion Wall Cons

Before you rush out and order rolls of wire and a truckload of rocks with plans to redesign your backyard, keep in mind that gabion walls aren’t for everyone. “Gabion walls aren’t complicated to build from a technical standpoint,” says Marchetti, “but they’re also just a lot of work physically.” Here are the downsides of gabion walls:

They’re highly labor-intensive. Building the wire cages (or buying ready-made cages) is relatively easy. Filling them with stones, gravel or busted-up cement is back-breaking labor, especially if you’re working with hand tools like a shovel, buckets and wheelbarrows. “The higher the wall gets,” says Marchetti, “the harder it is to do the job with just manual labor.”

They may require heavy equipment. If your gabion wall project involves a large, long wall or one with multiple steps and elevation change, you might need to call in the heavy machinery. “It’s a lot easier to dump the fill material into the wall with a backhoe than it is with a shovel,” says Marchetti.

Trincia recalls building a sizable gabion wall by hand with his father and advises against it. “You’d never build a large gabion wall without a backhoe,” he says.

They’re not always that attractive. Let’s be honest. Gabion walls are functional and inexpensive, but they’re not always the prettiest solution. Their industrial look may not blend well with the rest of your yard or garden. With some creativity, however, you may come up with gabion wall ideas that suit your style and even become a focal point.

How To Build a Gabion Wall

Gabion walls can go up fast because unlike other types of retaining walls, they usually don’t need a poured cement footer.

“If you’re building on flat ground that’s not composed of clay, which will settle under the weight of the wall, you can get by without a foundation,” Marchetti says. If the ground is soft or mostly clay, dig down until you reach more compact earth, and fill the excavated space with a layer of gravel.

Building a simple gabion wall involves clearing the area and marking where the wall will go. The cage features sheets of heavy-duty wire mesh or PVC-coated steel wire tied together with galvanized wire to form a rectangle. (For smaller projects, you can buy ready-made gabion cages.) Once the cage is set in place, the fill material is inserted and the top of the cage wired into place.

More complicated tall or stepped walls require more planning, plus a buddy with a backhoe. “Stepped walls usually mean a lot of excavation beforehand to carve out the area the wall will occupy,” Marchetti says.

Tall walls, he says, feature cages stacked on top of one another. Along with long walls, they might require supporting rebar rods set in a concrete base, as well as wire cross-braces to help the wall hold its shape.

How Much Do Gabion Walls Cost?

Depending on the type of fill material, gabion walls are one of the cheapest retaining walls you can build, ranging from $5 to $40 per square foot installed. While they’re doable as a DIY project, Marchetti recommends that if you’re building on your own, stick to less-ambitious projects, like lower walls and those with fewer running feet.

“It’s not so much a question of skill as it is labor,” he says. “It takes a long time to fill a gabion wall by hand and it’s exhausting work.” And your energy and enthusiasm for the project might run out well before that wall is filled.

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Contact us to discuss your requirements of Hexagonal Gabion Box. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.