Gabion Fence

A gabion is a wire basket filled with stone. A gabion fence turns that idea into a garden or boundary wall: two rows of rigid wire panels stand side by side on gabion posts, and the space between them is filled with stone. You get the look of a dry stone wall with the speed of a panel fence.

Fenceweb's gabion system uses its own 0/4/0 GA double wire panels with gabion posts, so a long wall goes up quickly from a small number of parts. None of the parts is large or heavy on its own, which makes the system practical to build yourself. The heavy work is the stone.

• Double wire panels 0/4/0 GA: 8'2" wide with a 2" x 8" mesh, in 4', 6' and 8' heights, hot-dip galvanized or black. They form both faces of the wall.
• Gabion fence posts: they carry the two rows of panels and take the load of the stone.
• Spacers: they hold the front and back panel at the right distance, so the faces stay straight when the stone goes in.
• Pliers for C-clips: the tool that closes the clips that join the parts.

• Wires: two horizontal 0 GA wires and one vertical 4 GA wire, welded at every crossing.
• Mesh: 2" x 8". Width: 8'2".
• Heights: 4', 6' and 8'.
• Finishes: hot-dip galvanized, or galvanized and powder coated black RAL 9005.

Order the same height and finish for the front and the back row, so both faces of the wall line up and the top edge runs level along the wall.

• 4': a low wall that marks a boundary, edges a terrace or a driveway and keeps the view open above it.
• 6': a wall that screens a backyard or a terrace from the street and the neighbors.
• 8': the tallest wall, for a full screen along a road or a parking area.

A taller wall holds more stone, so it is heavier and puts more load on the posts and footings. Plan the footings for the height you choose, and check the local frost depth.

• No painting, staining or pruning: the panels are galvanized and the stone needs nothing.
• Built without special tools, apart from the pliers that close the C-clips.
• A filled wall has nothing in it that rots, and stone does not wear out.
• A closed wall gives privacy where an open fence does not.
• The stone sets the look: choose a color that matches the house, the paving or the garden.

1. Mark out the line and the post positions with a string line, and call 811 before you dig.
2. Dig the post holes. Check the local frost depth for how deep the footings must go.
3. Set the gabion posts in concrete, plumb and in line. Because of the weight of the stone, the posts must stand firmly in the ground.
4. Let the concrete cure before you load the posts.
5. Mount the front and back rows of double wire panels on the posts.
6. Fit the spacers between the two faces and close the C-clips with the pliers.
7. Fill the wall with stone, working along the run in layers so the load stays even on both faces. Filling takes time; plan for it.

Stone is the usual fill, and the color of the stone sets the look of the wall. Other fill materials can be used too, as long as they cannot fall through the 2" x 8" mesh. Place the stones with their flattest faces against the mesh first, then fill the core. Ask your local stone supplier how much stone the volume of your wall takes.

• Gardens and backyards that need a solid screen.
• Boundaries along a driveway or a street.
• Terraces, raised beds and landscaped areas.
• Architectural features: a partition, an accent wall or a wall beside an entrance.
• Along roads and parking areas, where a solid wall dampens sound better than an open fence.

This system is built as a freestanding fence. A retaining wall or erosion control along a slope or a bank is an engineering job: have that design checked before you build.

A gabion fence needs no painting or staining. The panels are galvanized, and the powder coated versions have a color layer on top of the zinc. Small scratches in the coating can be touched up with repair spray in the matching color.

1. Divide the length of the wall by the panel width of 8'2" and round up: that is the number of sections.
2. Order two panels per section, one for each face.
3. Order gabion posts: one per section, plus one to close each straight run.
4. Order spacers for every section, so both faces stay parallel along the whole wall.

• Double wire panels: two per section, one for each face.
• Gabion fence posts for every section joint and both ends.
• Spacers to hold the faces apart.
• Pliers for the C-clips.
• Concrete for the posts, and stone from a local supplier.

Fenceweb delivers the panels, posts and parts to every US state and to Canada. A size shown without a price is sold on request: ask for a quote.