Smashed up concrete?

If I remember rightly the late lamented Earth Centre at Conisbro' had gabions filled with recycled concrete and brick which looked good.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=earth+centre+gabion+building&rlz=1C1AFAB_enGB461GB462&espv=2&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&imgil=hbk8kwVhttcLnM%253A%253BjZT-zBTB4mSE_M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.copybook.com%25252Fconstruction%25252Fhesco-bastion-ltd%25252Farticles%25252Fhesco-concertainer-trapions&source=iu&pf=m&fir=hbk8kwVhttcLnM%253A%252CjZT-zBTB4mSE_M%252C_&dpr=0.9&ved=0CDIQyjdqFQoTCLasxdX8tcgCFcSoHgod40cGtA&ei=WwEYVvaSCsTReuOPmaAL&usg=__kzBU4sD7wWF8bvKWMt0-3iJgHPc%3D#imgrc=NCADC3164jOpYM%3A&usg=__kzBU4sD7wWF8bvKWMt0-3iJgHPc%3D

Posted By: Nick ParsonsIf I remember rightly the late lamented Earth Centre at Conisbro' had gabions filled with recycled concrete and brick which looked good

Could well be, and I might like it myself in that place, but I'm looking for 'stone that is OK to be visible'

FT, it closed in about 2003/4. When they started advertising kids' holidays with abseiling and canoeingmentining nothing about the environment, I knew it was on its way down the tubes.

djh - it seems there is a conspiracy to get you to use anything but stone!

I have just finished a 44m long gabion wall. I bought the cheapest unwashed stone I could get - I specc'd the size range as per advice on the internet and they completely ignored my request and delivered what they thought was gabion stone - ie 20% pieces with at least one side longer than 30cm or more and a good 40% was smaller in most or all dimensions than the size of the open space in the net. I paid 900 Euros (net) for 45m3 incl delivery.

I was up against both a budget constraint and a we can't do this for 6 months if it rains hard constraint, so beauty was way down my list. The stone turned out to be perfect for gabions and (the point of this post) all that 'ugly' stone looked pretty damn good even though I threw it in as fast as I could. Obviously one has to stack the bigger stuff at the side. I'll post a pick or 2 if you want. Point is though ANY stone will do if it has enough big ugly stuff to cover the sides....IMO obviously. As I am in Italy I can't recommend a supplier - sorry

Posted By: Gotanewlife. I'll post a pick or 2 if you want.

Go on then, let's see some piccies.

I am currently putting a seawall in along a riverbank using 1.5x600x600mm concrete blocks that have stone faces on them. We have selected to only have about 6 stones inserted into the face but they can do a method whereby they place stone flat and tight on the bottom of the mould, then pour sand around each then pour concrete ontop. When popped out it produces a block that has a very flat flush face and is difficult to distinguish from a built stone wall. The blocks have nobbles on that allow them to fix tight on each other and cost about £80 each delivered. They last for ever and can retain large amounts of soil. Gabion are doomed to rust and collapse in time proving costly in the long term. The following link shows some rough ones, but they do much neater ones.

http://www.plymcretesouthwest.co.uk/concrete-blocks-plymouth-lego-concrete-blocks-plymouth-concrete-block-supply-plymcrete-concrete-plymouth.html