How To Install Erosion Control Blankets

Is your environment losing rock, soil, and other materials? If so, you’re experiencing erosion. The natural occurrence results from climate-based factors like wind, rain, or other severe weather conditions. But the livelihood of many businesses relies on external environments and its land features. Erosion removes topsoil and vegetation, leaving people and companies’ assets exposed.

In this article, we’ll walk through how installing erosion control blankets can benefit your space, ensuring seeds and roots can grow and prosper in many conditions. Here’s everything you need to know about erosion control blankets:

What Are Erosion Control Blankets?

Heavy rainfall causes water runoff, washing away topsoil. And, depending on your climate and location, high winds and gravity contribute to shifting soil down slopes. Erosion threatens water resources, carries contaminants, and damages infrastructure. Erosion control blankets protect soil from shifting or moving down slopes.

Installing erosion control blankets holds the earth still and allows seeds and roots to prosper in an environment. Blankets protect seeds and provide an area for growth with suitable water and sunlight resources.

When Should You Use Erosion Control Blankets?

If erosion has deteriorated sediment to a point where vegetation and landscaping need expensive repairs or replacement, turn your attention to erosion control blankets. However, different types of control blankets can take anywhere from 3 to 35 months to protect against erosion effectively, so it’s important to consider various factors before installing them.

Factors to Consider before Installing Erosion Control Blankets

Erosion control blankets can be installed as temporary or permanent matting. Temporary options are installed in seeding areas, while permanent matting is installed within the landscaping. Consider these factors before installing erosion control blankets:

Time to establish vegetation
Soil conditions
Runoff
Flow depth
Slope length
Slope Steepness

Erosion Control Blanket Types

There are three different types of control blankets. Photodegradable blankets are made from plastic and contain UV stabilizers. Expendable netting exposed to sunlight wears down over time, but other designed features are long lasting.

Biodegradable erosion control blankets contain natural fibers that break down into the environment, making this matting an excellent option for limited distractions. Biodegradable materials break down in anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.

Permanent erosion control blankets are the best solution available. The blanket is designed to never break down, while non-essential features slowly decompose over time. Turf reinforcement mats or high-performance turf reinforcement mats are the types of permanent material available for installation.

Are you looking for additional solutions to erosion? Check out this blog on sod installation.

Benefits of Sod Installation

Benefits of Erosion Control Blankets

We already know installing erosion control blankets is an excellent solution to protecting soil, landscaping, and vegetation. Check out a few extra benefits of control blankets:

Cost Efficiency

Erosion control blankets are an efficient, cost-saving measure for preventing soil shifts. Simple designs with natural or synthetic fibers save money down the road past the initial installation investment. The costs of regular maintenance or implementing different projects to eliminate erosion effects add up. A one-time installation of control blankets is your best bet.

Versatility

There are many different types of erosion control blankets, and they all serve to protect the same goal. Control blankets are built in various sizes for projects across multiple industries. Whether installing on a large commercial landscape or a small farm property, any size material is available to you.

Stress-Free

By scheduling a professional installation, erosion control blankets are a quick and easy process that won’t affect your schedule. They are installed in various environments and can be transported very easily. This is a limitation with other erosion-prevention tactics requiring heavy machinery. Control blankets can be transported by truck to waterways or mountains.

Decomposition

Almost all erosion control blankets available for installation contain natural materials. There is no need for additional projects to retrieve control blankets, as they wear out over time naturally in the ground.

Landscaping erosion control net staw blanket

Steps for Installing Erosion Control Blankets

Now that we know what erosion blankets are and why they can benefit our landscaping, let’s run through how to install erosion control blankets:

Clear Installation Site

Consider scheduling a professional erosion control installation. Before any groundwork begins, construction sites need erosion control matting, pins, staples, shovels, and a tiller or aerator. As contractors get into the background process, they will inspect your site for debris like branches, rocks, or dead vegetation. Be sure to provide your service with locations for underground piping or wiring.

Professionals then break the soil with a shovel or tiller. The control blanket must lay directly on the targeted topsoil.

Dig a Trench

Once the installation site is clear, professionals begin digging. If your construction site is on a steep slope or hill, a shallow trench must be dug to install control blankets. A slight angle is necessary to avoid blankets shifting downward from erosion or gravity. If your property is flat, shallow trenches are not required.

Tuck Blankets With Fasteners

Professionals use staples and pins at this point in the installation process. Blankets will sink into the trench, and fasteners will secure the material six to eight inches from loose edges into the center point. Once the fasteners are secure, additional blanket edges will overlap, and the trench will be refilled.

Unroll and Fasten Additional Blankets

Contractors will wait to unroll the blanket once the loose side is properly secured by stakes. The remaining erosion control blanket will be fastened every two to three feet around the construction site for added reinforcement.

Install Erosion Control Blankets With Varsity

Control blankets are your solution if you want to protect your landscape and vegetation from erosion. At Varsity, we professionally install erosion control blankets, ensuring prosperity and livelihood for years to come. Don’t take any chances with Mother Nature—contact our team today for long-lasting protection.