Set In Stone

A Well-built Gabion Wall Is Timeless And Can Withstand Earth’s.

- Clay Newcomb

In the grand scheme of human history, using terraces to level sloped land is a technology comparable to harnessing the power of fire. Much of the earth’s surface is sloped, making it difficult to use. The more populated the earth has become, the more humans have had to make use of the land they’ve got.

Building a retaining wall to reduce a slope is an ancient skill. You’ll need to understand some basic physics, drainage and soil movement patterns to build a wall that will last a lifetime. You’ll also need to become familiar with the materials and building structures used to create the unique, strong and beautiful gabion walls we’ll discuss in this article.

What’s a Gabion?

Gabions are rock-filled wire baskets. The word “gabion” (root gabbione) is an Italian word meaning “big cage.” In my opinion, they’re faster to build and less laborious than many other wall types. They’re cheaper than concrete landscape-block walls, and they’re cheaper than a dry-stack stone wall, if the stone is purchased at retail price.

Gathering stone yourself is probably the cheapest wall-building method. Railroad-tie walls are cheap, but they’re labor-intensive and only have a 20-year lifespan. However, in building a gabion, you don’t have to lift heavy blocks, rocks or timbers by hand—with the right equipment. If built correctly, a gabion wall will last a lifetime. Most of the hand-labor is in constructing the wire baskets. A tractor with a bucket loader is important for easily putting the rocks into the baskets.