Sack gabions are tough cylindrical wire baskets—made with double-twisted galvanized steel, sometimes with a PVC coat. They come pre-built from the factory, folded flat to ship easy, with lacing wire sent separately. Fill ’em with stones, and they’re ready to tackle river control or emergency erosion jobs.
Why these gabions work:
- Strong as needed: Stuffed with solid, unweathered stones, they stand up to heavy pressure.
- Bend without breaking: The woven steel mesh lets them shift with the ground, so they don’t crack on tricky soils.
- Easy on the environment: Plants grow through them quickly, blending into the area instead of sticking out.
- Good for local work: They don’t need fancy machines—local folks can learn to install ’em fast, creating jobs.
- Let water flow: Unlike concrete, they’ve got 35% open space, so water moves through without buildup. A geotextile filter keeps dirt from washing out.
- Simple to use: Local teams can get ’em set up on-site in no time.
- Easy on the budget: Use rocks from nearby quarries and local labor—keeps costs down.
- Lasts long: Plant roots grow around the stones, holding everything tighter over time.
Specs to know:
- Wire thickness: 2.0mm to 3.9mm (with small allowances for size differences)
- Zinc coating: 215g/m² to 275g/m² (thicker for heavier wires)
- Mesh sizes: 80×100mm or 100×120mm (with a little wiggle room: +16%/-4%)
- Common sizes (length×width×height) and volume:
- 2x1x0.3m (0.6m³)
- 3x1x0.3m (0.9m³)
- 4x1x0.3m (1.2m³)
- 6x2x0.17m (2.04m³)
- 6x2x0.23m (2.76m³)
- 6x2x0.30m (3.60m³)
- Internal dividers: 0 to 3, depending on size
Where to use ’em:
Build retaining walls, fix rivers and canals, stop erosion around roads and bridges, reinforce dams and culverts, protect coasts, cover walls, or hold back rockslides and soil loss.
Build retaining walls, fix rivers and canals, stop erosion around roads and bridges, reinforce dams and culverts, protect coasts, cover walls, or hold back rockslides and soil loss.
