Gabions

[wulf]

Gabions are semi-rigid containers filled with various materials - for example, a wire mesh cage filled with stones. They can look quite attractive, especially as they age and naturalise. I'm interested in getting a couple to form either end of a simple bench seat in my garden.

However, when I've seen the cages they've been fairly expensive - for example, this site charges £12.50 for a 30cm cubed cage.

Has anyone got any ideas on achieving the same sort of results more cheaply using alternative or easily scavenged materials?

Wulf

[greenbean]

Hello Wulf,
What about making yourself a couple of 'cages' out of wooden slats? You could paint it a nice colour and plant thyme between the rocks, it would smell nice when you sit on it. Depends you good you are with wood I suppose.

[shiney]

I am pleased you explained what a gabion was, I thought it was some kind of vegatable!

Sorry I can't help with the construction of one. I am sure there's someone here that can tho.

Good luck. 8)

[wulf]

I'm actually pretty incompetent when it comes to wood-butchering, although the raised bed I built to take rubble from last year's path upgrade is holding up well so far.

The problem with wood is that it is relatively much weaker so much thicker supports would be needed than would be the case with some kind of metal. As far as I understand it, a gabion is largely self supporting under the weight of the contents - the frame just needs to hold it in shape so the edge bits don't fall away, giving you a solid box to work with rather than a chaotic mound.

I was envisaging things like a bunch of wire coat hangers... but where would they be available from?

Wulf

[Andy Hamilton]

I was envisaging things like a bunch of wire coat hangers... but where would they be available from?

Wulf

they don't seem to be around quite so much these day's do they. Perhaps some retailers might still use them? other wise could old fencing chicken wire be used, if you have any farms or land around you. The metal springs from an old matress could do the job?

[Muddypause]

You could try coat hangers (maybe from a dry-cleaners), but I think if you are making something of any size, you would need a lot of them, and it might be a lot of work, and without welding the joints, may not be very stable.

They look to be made out of galvanised welded mesh, probably 2.5 or 3 mm wire (10 or 12 gauge, in old money), with a 50 - 75 mm mesh. Something like this may be available at a good hardware store, or perhaps even a big DIY shed, or even garden centre, but a better bet would be a fencing materials supplier.

In theory, it's cheap stuff (though in practice you may pay quite a lot more for small amounts), but if you want to have a go at weaving with wire, then a coil of galvanised fencing wire of similar dimensions is probably even cheaper and easier to get.

Or how about pulling a few supermarket trolleys out of a nearby river and cutting them up?

[Wombat]

G'DAy Guys,

I was thinking in terms of fencing wire and chook mesh! The classic combination that can be used to create almost anything up to nuclear power stations.

I must admit Wulf, I am still not 100% clear on why you would want to create them

Nev

[wulf]

I think they'd be a good way of making supports for the ends of the little bench I'm planning. Filled with rubble and perhaps faced with something nicer, they might also provide a good nesting area for some beneficial wildlife like ground beetles, etc.

Also, I think it would be a useful technology for larger landscaping projects. I haven't got anything like that planned but would like to have a bit of experience in case an opportunity comes up!

Wulf

ps. The shopping trolley idea made me laugh

[Wombat]

Fair enough!

[leedarkwood]

Gabions are brilliant, I scrouged a couple a while back from a tip. Take them apart, (these were huge) and you have the most usual weld mesh panals. I have made chicken houses, goat encloses, and two panals are temporary protecting my shallots from being pulled up by birds.

lee