Gabion
Permathene gabion mesh is manufactured in a range of types including Al-Ten weld mesh, stainless steel weld mesh and woven gabion in both Galfan and polymer coated
Gabion
Architectural gabion is welded mesh which is either mild steel coated with 300gsm of 10% aluminium and 90% zinc or 316L Stainless Steel. We stock a wide range of gabion products including woven hex mesh gabions and accessories including C rings and gabion tools.
Gabion Rock Walls
Gabion makes ideal garden walls for any landscaping project. They have the advantage of being easy to build and can look great. By using different rocks and materials a gabion wall can stand out. Useful to breakup areas of garden or park into separate areas. A low wall of 1m or less can be built to curve around a seating area for example. Also great for acoustic walls by using sound absorption materials within the wall with rocks on the outsides.
Gabion Retaining Walls
Gabion has traditionally been used for retaining walls due to its low cost compared to conventional methods. They can be built as either mass gravity walls (relying on the weight of rock to retain the earth) or as mechanically stabilized walls (which use geogrids or earth anchors to hold the wall in place).
Gabion Cladding
Architectural gabions are perfect for cladding an otherwise ugly concrete facade or column. They can be built to a depth of only 200mm. It is often used in front of woven (hex mesh) gabion which is cheap but unattractive. By building an architectural gabion facade in front of a saggy woven wall a designer can achieve both cost savings and a fantastic looking building or wall.
AL-TEN Gabion Cages
Made in Australia and manufactured in mild steel to a minimum wire coating of 290 grams per m2 which is Aluminium 10% and Zinc 90%. It meets or exceeds exceeds gabion specification ASTM 974-97.
AL-TEN has a high Aluminium content (10%) coating which over time turns the mesh into a darkish grey colour. This has the benefit of absorbing light rather than reflecting it. Especially apparent when viewing a wall from an angle, the rock is more visible and the mesh less so. Using a highly reflective finish such as galvanized, stainless steel or PVC results in the mesh being more visible to the eye when viewing at angles.
We are currently producing as standard products both 4mm and 5mm mesh in 75mm x 75mm aperture and 4mm in 100mm x 50mm aperture.
Custom manufacturing to different aperture sizes, for example 50mm x 50mm, 100mm x 100mm in both 4mm and 5mm diameter wire.
AL-TEN Expected Lifespan
Although difficult to predict as lifespan of all steels is largely dependent upon the environment. Generally you can expect 20 years life for galvanized wire, and 2-5 times longer life span for AL-TEN™, PVC coated and stainless steel 316L.
The mesh life is dependent upon no damage to the coating during installation or during the lifetime of the wall. Because the wire is a coated mild steel any damage to the mesh which removes the Zinc/ Aluminium coating will eventually corrode. If upon inspection damage to the coating is seen or corrosion has occurred it needs to be rectified.
Other considerations when determining lifespan is soil PH levels if the product is placed directly on the earth. A geotextile fabric such as Syntex nonwoven 145gsm may be used as a separation layer. Some rock such as limestone has a high PH (alkaline) which may have a detrimental effect on the mesh.
Rock cleaning or other chemicals including acids and caustic solutions which come into contact with a Galfan, Galvanized, Stainless Steel mesh may have a detrimental effect to metal surfaces and may cause premature corrosion and breakdown at areas of contact. It is recommended to not use any chemicals and to wash immediately with water should contact occur. If exposure to corrosive type chemicals to Zinc and Aluminium is expected alternative systems should be considered following analysis of potential problems. Once corrosion has occurred it may be necessary to apply a rust remover and to then apply either a cold galv or zinc/aluminium paint to affected areas.
Aggressivity of Environment
Anticipated lifetime in years until 5% dark brown rust.
C1: Very Low (Internal buildings with clean atmospheres) 100 years +
C2: Low (Low level of pollution, mostly rural areas) 100 years +
C3: Medium (Urban and industrial atmospheres, moderate sulphur dioxide pollution, coastal areas with with low salinity) 93 years
C4: High (Industrial areas and coastal areas with moderate salinity) 47 years
C5: Very High (Industrial areas with high humidity and aggressive atmosphere, coastal and offshore areas with high salinity) 25 years
CX: Extreme (Extreme industrial areas, coastal and offshore areas with contact with salt spray) < 10 years
Stainless Steel Gabion
Manufactured in 316L Stainless Steel. There are 3 standard grades of common stainless steels. 302, 304, 316. Our 316 is manufactured in the more resistant 316L grade. The L designates it is a low carbon stainless and is considered to be more suited as a marine grade steel. The advantage with 316L is that the welds are more resistant to corrosion. But it can still corrode. To determine the rate of corrosion is almost impossible due to differential rates of ionization, the effect of waves, drying and wetting (tidal action), etc. Some projects in the Gulf of Mexico were installed in the early 90’s and still appear in pristine condition, while others in different parts of the world have deteriorated.
The disadvantage of stainless steel is that it has a tendency to discolour (tea staining) from the effects of salt and some chemicals. It can appear as though it has oxidized, even if it hasn’t.
Woven Hex Mesh Gabion
Available in Galfan coated and polymer coated. Galfan coated meets RMS 80 for highway projects.
Polymer coated is wire first coated with Galfan (5% Aluminium and 95% Zinc) and then with a durable polymer. The coating makes the gabion resistant to rust.
Although not architectural style gabions these products are non the less robust and have certain advantages for projects where the look is less important. Especially revetments, erosion control, riverbanks, highway works.