Have you ever seen the baskets of stone along the sides of mountains or the seaside? They’re referred to as gabion and they serve construction as well as aesthetic purposes. Let’s look at some of the best uses for gabion basket stone.
What is it?
These are baskets filled with crushed stones (like limestone) that range in size from 50 – 200 millimeters. The stones themselves might be contained in a box, basket, cylinder, mesh cage, or some other container typically reinforced with stainless steel.
When used aesthetically, the stones are often weatherproofed with items like logs, rocks, shells, or bricks. They give a beautiful enhancement much like other forms of aggregate.
For more essential purposes, gabion stone helps with ground stabilization. While materials like rip rap are used for erosion control, gabion has more applications for walls and soil.
Common Uses
What are some common uses of Gabion you might encounter?
- Roadway Culverts
- Terrace Walls
- Mass/Gravity Retaining Walls
- Low-level Crossings
- Longitudinal River Structures
- Sound Barriers
- Bridge Abutment Protection
You can even make some great use of gabion for landscaping and outdoor beautification. These include capped seating walls, fireplaces barriers, grounding for outdoor furniture, pillars, ponds, and more.
PROS/CONS
Like any other aggregate, there are some upsides and drawbacks to using gabion.
PROS:
- Beautiful aesthetics
- They are simple to install, especially if you employ the assistance of professionals like Delta Aggregate
- Limestone and other forms of gabion are reliable and durable
- Gabion stones are strong, flexible, & permeable
- They’re clean materials; very eco-friendly, as they are often sourced from recycled stone
CONS:
- These may not meet everybody’s style preferences for outdoor home décor
- They might be a bit big and bulky (though you can choose smaller size stones)
- You must be careful with the filler, which can fall out if you have large enough holes in the baskets/cages
- Watch out for insects and nuisances that can assume residency between the stones
We suspect that for many homeowners, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to gabion basket stones. Therefore, if you want to spice up your outdoor ambiance a little, this might be a great way to do so.
Delta Aggregate is your local authority for all things rock-related. We approach customer service with the mentality that no project is too big or too small. You’re more than welcome to reach out to us and discover more about the services we offer. You can call us by phone at 815-791-8377.