Installing a Hesco barrier is a straightforward process, but the details matter. This guide provides the complete, step-by-step instructions you need.
We’ve included video tutorials and clear photos to cover every critical stage, including proper site prep, unit layout, and filling techniques. Whether it’s your first time or you need a refresher, this guide will ensure that the Hesco barriers you construct are safe and effective.
Table of Contents
Prepare The Tools
Before you begin construction, ensure you have the following basic tools ready. This will greatly improve your installation efficiency.
Shovels, Gloves, Safety Helmets, Tape Measures, Reflective Vests, Work Boots, etc.
How do you build a HESCO bastion wall?
1. Site Selection and Foundation
Choosing the construction site is the first step of the installation. In many cases, no surface preparation is required. Normal flat earth, established turf, and paved surfaces are generally acceptable.
However, if the surface has significant irregularities such as ruts, potholes, woody brush, or other obstacles, it should be grubbed and graded first to ensure the Hesco units can be placed stably.
Any surface with a slope greater than 10 degrees should be cut down to achieve a flat foundation surface. Never add fill to build up a surface.
2. Layout and Joining panel
- Layout the Unit: Two people should lift the folded Hesco unit, stand it upright, and open it out in the desired location. Pull the unit out to its full length and adjust the outer walls to ensure they are parallel.
- Join the Units (Joining Pins): Hesco barriers are typically used to form a continuous wall. Butt two units together, overlap the corner coils , and insert the provided Joining pin down through the center of the overlapped coils.
- Secure the Top (Zip-Ties): When joining one 5-cell unit to another at the unit ends, use zip-ties to ensure that the panels are tight together at the top. This prevents fill material from becoming lodged between the end panels.
3. Filling and Compaction
- Tuck the Fabric Inwards: Before filling, please ensure that all geotextile fabric edges at the bottom of the cage are tucked inwards and laid flat. This step is to create a seal and prevent the filling material from leaking out. they are parallel.
- Artificially Filled Soil: The first layer of soil needs to be manually backfilled,
so that the fill material presses the geotextile fabric against the inner sides, filling to a height of approximately 300-450 mm (12″-18″).
- Pull out the panel: Gently pull the bottom center of each mesh section outwards by approximately 7–10 centimeters (3–4 inches) so that the filling material can flow in and the mesh maintains the correct curved shape.
- Compacted filler material: The cells are designed to bulge when filled. Pulling the bottoms out prevents the mesh from being caught and turned under. It also allows the fill material to flow into that space and maintain the proper curvature of the panel.
- Continue filling with material: After the base layer is compacted, continue placing fill in 12″ (300mm) layers. Ensure the cells are filled evenly and that each subsequent layer is also compacted.
Note: Do not prefill cells at the end of cells that need to connect to the next cell.
3. Use a Front Loader
- Place the first layer of fill 12″ – 18″ (300mm – 450mm) in first two cells, on top of the anchoring fill.
- Continue along the section to be filled. Ensure that the bottom center of each panel is pulled out as the cell is filled. Before adding the next layer, ensure that each fill layer is evenly distributed and compacted.
- Return to the beginning and continue the process until the units are completely filled.
Mastering the correct Hesco Barrier installation is a high-return investment that makes your construction projects safer and significantly faster.
Now that you understand how to install a Hesco barrier, remember that quality and installation are equally important. If you’ve decided to use it in your project, you can get factory pricing directly from Fudas Metal. We offer full-size Hesco baskets and also support customization.
Advanced Detailed Guide
This guide covers basic installation information. For detailed advanced instructions, Please refer to the complete Hesco engineering manual (PDF).
More Related Questions
How long does it take to fill a Hesco Bastion？
It takes two workers and one loader approximately 20 minutes to fill a 10-meter-long, 1.5-meter-high Hesco blast wall. However, in confined spaces where the loader cannot access, it would take significantly longer if only manual labor is used.
Do you need to apply a moisture barrier to the Hesco barrier?
Generally, you don’t need to apply an additional moisture barrier to a Hesco barrier—it’s designed to perform well in wet or flood-prone environments.
However, there are some special circumstances where it is still necessary.
Hesco flood barriers are engineered systems designed for flood control and military defense. Key design feature eliminates the need for a separate moisture barrier; the internal geotextile fabric is permeable to water. This lining is designed to allow rainwater and groundwater to slowly seep in, which significantly reduces hydrostatic pressure.
However, precisely because of this “advantage” of permeability, a small amount of water will seep out. Some scenarios require 100% waterproofing, such as power plants, data centers, and any scenario requiring complete water isolation, which necessitates adding a layer of plastic film.
How long do HESCO barriers last?
Hesco barriers are expected to last 5-10 years or even longer. Different usage environments, materials, fillers, mesh wire diameter, and surface treatments will result in significantly different lifespans.
