Gabion Walls- Landscape Design as well as Retaining Wall Design

One type of site wall system that is very common in Europe, and only beginning to gain popular acceptance in the US is a Gabion Wall System. Essentially, a Gabion wall is a wire cage that is formed to contain loose rocks as a mass. These cages can be stacked to form taller walls, and the engineering behind using them as retaining walls is no different than any other mass walls like boulder walls where the sheer weight of the wall, and it’s thickness provide a resulting force that resists the applied overturning moment.

Gabion Retaining Wall

In addition to the utilitarian effects of a functioning retaining wall, Gabion walls also result in a unique aesthetic of wire and stone. This effect can prove to be quite striking as a landscape element where perhaps the need for retaining earth is not the primary goal. In fact, there are works of art that involve the containment of loose stones within a wire mesh.

Gabion Wall as a Landscape Feature

There are many options for the cages from raw steel that will rust (as shown above), to pvc coated wire cages in a variety of colors, or galvanized or stainless steel cages that do not rust. The latter are used more in taller retaining wall applications where the rusting of the cage wires could compromise the cage’s ability to contain the stones.

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3 thoughts on “Gabion Walls- Landscape Design as well as Retaining Wall Design”

  1. Dionna, thank you for your inquiry. However, we do not actually sell or source these components. We are an A/E firm that uses them in our designs and the contractors engaged in the project source them. There are several online resources that appear to sell a wide variety of these products though. Best of luck with your project!

  2. Hello i am reaching out to you from PBR Ranch Services LLC.

    We are doing a job in Del Valle, TX and we are in need of approximately need 4 baskets.
    Address is: 13903 FM 812 Del Valle, TX

    Questions:
    What are the dimensions of the baskets?
    What is the weight of each basket?
    Do y’all deliver? If so how much does it cost?
    How much is it per basket?

    Thanks,
    Dionna Hammonds
    PBR Ranch Services LLC

  3. Excellent aesthetic value from the gabion walls, especially on a site where there is an abundance of loose native rock or major excavation. If the walls are to serve as a seat wall, I recommend that a cap is installed as the cage and rock combination makes for an uncomfortable seat.

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