Landscape Gabions

Geotas and Landscape Gabions

Geotas has been supplying gabion baskets to the Tasmanian market for over 15 years now, and judging by the photos we receive from our satisfied customers, we have helped to enhance the aesthetic and structural values of many locations around Tasmania.

Gabions baskets are made of steel wire mesh laced together and filled with rocks to provide a cost effective and sometime unique solution to the stabilization of earth movement and erosion, landscaping and retaining walls.

Our rigid gabion baskets are manufactured by Australian Reinforcing Company (ARC). They are constructed from 4mm galvanised weldmesh with a 50mm x 50mm aperture. The cages are machine folded so that maximum strength is retained through the base of the unit. Baffles are inserted into the middle of the cage ( 2 on larger sizes) which help maintain the shape of the cage when filled with rock. The lid is then secured shut with lacing wire or clips.

Cages

Can be customised to your specifications. Please talk to us about your specific site, because we can arrange custom sizes to suit your exact site dimensions.

Standard sizes are
2.4m (l) x 1m (h) x 1m (w)
2.4m (l) x 1m (h) x 0.5m (w)
2.4m (l) x 0.5m (h) x1m (w)
2.4m (l) x 0.5m (h) x 0.5m (w)
1.2m (l) x 0.5m (h) x1m (w)
1.2m (l) x 1m (h) x0.5m (w)
1.2m (l) x 0.5m (h) x0.5m (w)
1m (l) x 1m (h) x1m (w)

DURABILITY

As with most building materials steel wire mesh is subjected to corrosive agents, particularly if close to the marine environment. In other areas, the corrosion present on existing steel surfaces might give you a guide as to the life expectancy of galvanised steel in your area. In dry environments where galvanised wire mesh is used, corrosion would not be likely to affect service until upwards of 25 years. We have seen our cages used beside highways quite successfully now for over 15 years without any signs of diminished integrity.

INSTALLATION

For most smaller jobs it is not necessary to dig a foundation, all that is required is a firm base that the baskets will not sink into. Compacting Fine Crushed Rock (FCR) into the levelled ground will ensure a solid base. As the aperture of the mesh is 50mm, the rock fill should be a gradient of 100-200mm. This size rock will prevent the fill coming through the mesh or leaving voids in the baskets. The 2.4m baskets are divided by mesh panels into 3 x 800mm sections.

Approximately 3 ton of rock will fill a 2.4m x1m x1m basket. Where a row of cages is being installed, each cage is connected to the next using either tie wire or clips. Geotas has pneumatic clip guns available for hire if required.

LANDSCAPING TIPS

A cost saving option is to put a false partition in the front of the basket. This way the front can be hand laid with a high quality stone then backfilled with a lower quality material.
Feature layers of decorative material can be laid between standard material. For example wine bottles could be used as a feature layer or alternate different coloured rock to create patterns
by adding some soil to the fill, gabions can be planted for a softening effect.
Timber slats or stone slabs can be cut and placed on top of the wall to make a useful seating area.