A gabion lasts as long as its wire. The stone does not wear out; the coating does. IS 16014:2024 gives working lives by coating and site — here they are, and what changes them.
| Site (ISO 9223) | Typical places | Heavy zinc | Zinc–aluminium | PVC over zinc–aluminium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 · low | Rural areas and small towns, dry or cold zones | 25 years | over 50 to over 120 years | — |
| C3 · medium | Towns; tropical sites with low pollution; coast with little salt | 10 years | 25 to over 50 years | over 120 years |
| C4 · high | Industrial areas; coastal sites without salt spray; tropics with medium pollution | not offered | 10 to 25 years | 120 years or more |
| C5 · very high | Heavy industry; coastline and sheltered shore positions | not offered | not offered | 120 years or more |
| CX · extreme | Very wet tropics with heavy pollution; coastal and offshore, salt spray | not offered | not offered | over 120 years (zinc–10% aluminium core) |
Published values of IS 16014:2024 Table B-1. The standard rates PVC only over a zinc–aluminium core; we supply PVC over heavy galvanized wire as standard and over zinc–aluminium on request.
| Bare wire | Coating | Life | PVC coated | Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.70 mm core | Hot-dip galvanized, 260 g/m² zinc | 15–20 years | 2.70 / 3.70 mm, galvanized + PVC | 30–60 years |
From our PVC wire brochure — our estimate for typical Indian sites, not an IS 16014 value.
It depends on the coating and the site. IS 16014:2024 gives heavy-zinc gabions 25 years in low-corrosion rural sites and 10 years in medium ones; PVC over zinc–aluminium wire is rated at over 120 years even in very aggressive sites.
Yes — the PVC jacket keeps water and salt off the zinc. IS 16014 rates PVC over zinc–aluminium at over 120 years; our own estimate for PVC over heavy galvanized wire is 30–60 years.
Tell us your dimensions, wire specification and quantity — we'll come back with a quotation and lead time.
