Gabion walls for form and function

backwoodshome.com/gabion-walls/

December 22, 2015

By Joe Mooney

Issue #153 • May/June, 2015

I think there has to be something ingrained in the human brain that loves things built of
stone. Maybe it’s our desire for strength and safety or the timeless beauty of stacked stone
masonry. We have a connection with stone construction reinforced by historic buildings,
engineering marvels, and even the fable of the three little pigs.

But why isn’t it as common anymore? In general, faster and more efficient methods of
construction have taken hold in the modern day. And quite frankly, most people don’t have
the patience for this type of construction on a large scale anymore. So if you still want stone
but aren’t a patient or skilled mason … build a gabion wall!

For the homestead, the gabion offers a great solution for those desiring the look and utility of
stone but without having the tedious masonry involved. This is not to say that it’ll be easy …
you’ll still be moving large amounts of rock, but at a much faster pace and without having to
select and shape each stone for that perfect fit. Some fitting will be required, but nowhere
near the same level of masonry as with a traditional stone structure.

A gabion wall can serve a variety of purposes on the homestead and can be relatively cheap
to construct. No fancy tools are required in the construction of the wire basket and any type
of stone, rock, or concrete chunks will suffice.

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History
The history of the gabion wall goes back further than many might think. Originally used in the
medieval times, they were a mobile fortification in which lightweight wicker baskets were
filled earth, rocks, and other debris. The combination of the basket and the debris fill made
stout walls able to withstand most types of weaponry and protect soldiers while they set up
their mobile artillery in preparation for a siege. Similarly, gabions have been used with
success in Iraq and Afganistan to protect military camps from small arms fire, rockets, and
vehicle assaults.

More commonly, gabions are used in civil engineering projects such as erosion control, flood
management, and retaining walls. Road projects and erosion control are the most visible
examples seen on a large scale. However, smaller projects include municipal landscaping,
small stream check dams, and water weirs.

These are some of the gabion walls I’ve built around my homestead.

Uses for the homestead

For most Backwoods Home readers, the gabion wall will have three potential functions  the
most common being for landscaping or gardening purposes. Retaining walls and decorative
dividing walls can create dimension and boundaries to a yard or garden, not to mention
adding wind protection and aiding in the creation of microclimates on the western face of
such walls. Microclimates can enable the planting of warmth-loving plants in cooler climates
due to the heat sink that the western wall face can create.

The second function is for erosion control and water management. Gabions can be used to
fortify eroding banks, driveway edges, and hillsides by holding the earth back but still
allowing the water to pass through the structure. For those with livestock ponds, gabions can
serve as a water diffuser in the spillway or at the base of the dam to keep churning water
from eroding the base of the berm or dam wall.

Additionally, they can also be effective for those in dry climates by slowing seasonal flood
waters within dry creeks. The eventual build up of silt behind the gabion will not only harvest
moisture for surrounding vegetation but also aid in creating good game habitat as well as

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additional forage for homestead livestock.

The third function that these walls can provide is that of security. Those of us who have ever
lived near a moderate-sized road know the danger of an out-of-control vehicle. We’ve all
seen the “car into a house” story on the news, and it never ends up well for the wood-framed
house or the occupants. Appropriately sized, a gabion wall could provide a very rapid
deceleration of a runaway vehicle through its sheer mass and flexible wire basket nature.

Whatever it is, there’s a use for a gabion on your homestead. I’ve enjoyed mine for the last
five years and have more in the works as I write this. Gabion walls will add beauty and
function to your homestead for years to come.

How to build a gabion wall

1. Assemble the gabion panels and cut to size.

2. Tie wire the staggered pieces together for extra support.
3. Put together the gabion basket, using the wired panels.
4. Wrap galvanized wire around the seams of the basket.
5. As you fill the basket with stones, use interior support wires
to keep sides from bulging. Place the flat-sided stones face out.
6. Dress the top of the wall, placing flat-sided stones face up.

Materials:

5×5-inch concrete remesh (galvanized wire is recommended for wet or salty climates)
bolt cutters
galvanized wire
tie-wire (thin gauge)
rock (4-5 inches in size or larger)

Wire basket construction:

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Start by cutting your remesh bottoms and sides into the lengths and widths for the wall
desired. You’ll have five sections total. Next, cut four more pieces for the sides and ends but
at one square less in length and width. This is to enable you to stagger the pieces so that
you’ll have smaller squares in which to hold the stone better. Once the pieces are laid
together in staggered fashion, tie-wire them together so they are secure and won’t slide.
After all the staggered pieces are attached to the main sides, tilt them upright and connect
them to form a rectangle “basket.” Use galvanized wire to weave the corners together. Once
finished, you will have the completed basket ready to be filled with stone.

Filling the basket:

As you fill the basket, you can place the stones in any fashion you like so long as the outer
stones have the flat sides facing outwards. This gives a nicer look and keeps the basket from
deforming. As you fill the basket with stones you’ll need to add galvanized wire cross-braces
every two feet of the length of the basket and at every foot in height of the basket. This is
necessary to keep the sides from bulging outwards. For example, if the basket is 10 feet long
and three feet in height, you’ll need five cross-braces for the first foot in elevation, then
another five for the second foot in elevation, and so on.

Finishing the top:

For this style of basket, you won’t have any wire on the top so it’ll be up to you how much
time you want to spend arranging the stones. But for a nicer look you can organize them so
that they lay evenly with the flat sides facing up. Once this is complete, the wall is done and
ready to enjoy.

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