If someone suggested creating a wall or fence from a wire cage filled with crushed rock, you might assume it would be ugly and is only an idea used to save money.
While gabion fences or walls can be inexpensive, the point of this article is to show you that gabion walls, fences, benches and other structures can look truly fantastic. There are so many different designs you can incorporate into your gabion wall or fence, as this is a very flexible type of structure material and concept to use.
Learn all about gabion here.
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About Gabion
What is gabion?
Gabion is wire cage or mesh filled with rocks and/or gravel to create a wall of some sort. This wall can, in turn, be used to create a fence, retaining wall, bench and other structures.
Benefits of gabion
- Looks cool: As you’ll see in our collection below, you can create some awesome looking gabion designs using ideas such as layers of different colored rocks, or by mixing the gabion with other fence or wall materials like wood or metal.
- Is unique: Not a lot of landscaping designs use gabion fences or walls so if done well, can be striking and unique.
- Strong and durable: Because gabion is made from solid rock encased in strong wire, it’s heavy and very durable. Over time, silt and vegetation fills into the gaps in the material, which further strengthens the structure [source: Founterior.com].
- Inexpensive: If you have low-cost access to rocks or gravel, the resulting cost to create a gabion fence or wall can be low relative to using wood, vinyl or other materials.
- Permeable: Because it’s loosely packed rock, water can run through a gabion fence. This helps prevent any displacement in the event of a flood. That said, if forceful enough, water can ruin a gabion structure as well.
- Modular: You can add to a gabion structure very easily by adding more gabion sections in the future.
- Can do it yourself: We’ve placed a DIY gabion wall video below which shows that it’s not difficult to build quality gabion walls yourself (and save money).
- Accommodating: You can place gabion fence on pretty much any landscape, whether that is a slope, gravel, or any other. In other words, you don’t necessarily have to move a lot of earth to prepare for a gabion fence.
How much does gabion cost?
This is impossible to assess because it depends on the quality of wire, cage or mesh you use and the type of rock/gravel you use.
Types of rock used in gabion baskets
You can fill a gabion cage or mesh with any kind of rock. Here are a few ideas:
- Crushed concrete (less expensive)
- Slate (expensive)
- Pebbles
- Gravel
- Large rocks
- White rocks (very nice effect – see examples below)
- Crushed Granite
- Colorful rocks
- Limestone
- Bricks
- Etc.
The sky is the limit when it comes to building your gabion fence or wall!
IMPORTANT: You need to make sure that if you plan on using a small rock that your cage should be tighter (less space between wire) than the rock is wide.
How to build a DIY gabion wall
Gabion Wall and Fence Ideas (Photos)
Gabion is used to create walls and fences of all types. This includes privacy fences, regular fences, and garden fences. It’s also used in retaining walls. Here’s a huge collection of gabion wall and fence examples.
Large gray crushed limestone gabion fence with layer of blue rock around perimeter of a house.
Check out this fabulous gabion fence with sections of gabion in between a horizontal light wood fence all on a pebble concrete foundation.
A large crushed limestone gabion fence on top of an elevated piling style retaining wall.
Close-up of a white rock gabion wall creating a planter.
Gabion fence with sections of exposed bushes and plants makes for an interesting and attractive feature.
Tall gabion wall.
Gabion and wood panel wall. The gabion sections are thick black steel cages.
Example of a gabion fence with wisteria hanging down from the top.
Large yard with tall gabion and cement block fence serving as tall privacy fence. The gabion gives the fence an interesting and natural texture that works well with the manicured nature of the property.
Tall gabion wall next to a patio.
Gabion privacy wall on end of patio.
Tall crushed white rock gabion wall with extra thick gabion posts.
Large cobblestone gabion wall with ivy.
Gabion fence with extra wide and tall gabion fence posts.
In this example, the large rock gabion wall forms the foundation for the wrought iron fence.
Close-up of the gabion fence foundation.
Long and tall gabion fence with dark gray metal sections around a large property.
Close-up of the gabion fence with metal sections. Notice the strip of dark gray rock in the gabion fence to tie it in with the metal sections.
Example of a partial gabion fence that offers some privacy around the yard and patio.
Close-up of a crushed rock gabion fence.
Tall gabion fence with metal gate opening up onto private driveway.
Gabion fence with white metal gate on a concrete foundation.
Gabion retaining wall beside backyard staircase.
Close up of a gray gabion retaining wall with outdoor lights.
Attractive light gray brick gabion garden wall creating an elevated garden.
Super tall gabion recessed retaining wall.
Attractive gabion retaining wall in front yard supporting several levels of gardens.
Beautiful series of blue rock gabion retaining walls in a large backyard.
Gabion retaining wall next to a pond.
Steep climbing gabion retaining wall.
Gabion Bench Ideas
You can also use the gabion fence concept for creating the foundation of outdoor benches. Check these out!
Zigzag gabion bench design with wood surface on the perimeter of a patio.
Large rock gabion bench on the side of a walkway.
Smooth pebble gabion bench.
Gabion and wood bench on patio.
Covered cage basket gabion bench on patio.
Other Gabion Structures
Gabion can also be used as a foundation and/or filler for various outdoor structures. Check out the pictures we’ve provided below!
We love this white rock gabion planter on a patio. This is one kind of cool thing you can make with gabion.
Elevated gabion garden in the middle of the yard.
Gabion staircase foundation and support.
Gabion used for soil erosion management next to a river.
Gabion planter examples
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