The complete guide
Gabion basket buying guide
What a gabion basket is
A gabion is a steel mesh cage you fill with rock. Line a few up and you have a stone wall with no mortar, no bricklayer and no waiting for anything to set. The rock does the heavy work. The cage keeps it in shape.
These baskets are galvanised steel with 3.5 mm wire, spot welded at every crossing into a 10 x 5 cm grid. The maker, vidaXL, rates the loading capacity at 1,400 kg per cubic metre.
Pick your size
- 100 x 50 x 50 cm box. A closed box with a top and bottom cover. Good for low walls, garden bed edges, steps and bench bases. Takes about 0.25 m³ of rock.
- 100 x 30 x 100 cm wall panel with lids. One metre high and 30 cm deep, with covers top and bottom and a divider down the middle. Line a few up for a privacy wall or a feature screen. Takes about 0.3 m³.
- 120 x 30 x 100 cm folding wall. Mesh panels that fold into a one metre high zig-zag. Fill it as a wall or plant into the top. Takes about 0.36 m³.
- 300 x 30 x 50 cm folding wall. The long one. Three metres of zig-zag mesh, 50 cm high, for long garden edges, raised beds and boundary lines. Takes about 0.45 m³.
The rock volumes come from the outer measurements, so treat them as a guide when you order.
What to fill it with
Use hard stone that is bigger than the 10 x 5 cm mesh holes. River rock, sandstone, bluestone and recycled concrete all work. Rock is not included.
Landscape suppliers sell gabion rock by the tonne or by the cubic metre. Tell them the volume above and they will work out how much you need.
Setting it up
- Pick a firm, level spot. Compacted soil or a bed of crushed rock is ideal.
- Join the panels with the spiral wire coils. They thread through the mesh edges and hold everything square.
- Put your best-looking stones against the mesh on the side people will see. Then fill the middle.
- Fill in layers and check the basket is still square as you go.
- On the box and wall panel sizes, close the lid and join it the same way.
Filled baskets are very heavy, so fill them where they will stay.
Retaining walls: the honest bit
A gabion makes a great low garden edge. If your wall will hold back a slope, sit near a boundary or go above the height your council allows without approval, check with your council or an engineer before you build.
Looking after it
Not much to do. The steel is galvanised to resist rust and weather. Hose off dirt and pull any weeds that pop up between the stones.
Delivery
We deliver across Australia. Every size is over $90, so standard delivery is free.