Coir matting is a biodegradable woven blanket made from coconut fibre, used to hold soil and seed in place on slopes and waterways while vegetation establishes.
Coir matting is one of the most reliable tools for short-term erosion control where you want vegetation to take over the job within twelve to twenty-four months. It is heavier and longer-lasting than jute, fully biodegradable, and stocked in three common GSM weights for different slope conditions.
This guide covers what coir matting is, when to use which weight, how to install it correctly, and how it compares to other erosion control options. Written for landscapers, civil contractors, and council crews specifying erosion materials on Australian sites.
Coir matting is a woven blanket of coconut husk fibre held together with biodegradable netting. The blanket sits over freshly seeded or planted soil, locks the surface in place against rain and runoff, and breaks down naturally as the vegetation root system takes over the soil-holding job.
Unlike synthetic geotextiles, coir does not need to be removed once it has done its job. The fibres degrade into the soil over a period of two to four years depending on weight and exposure, leaving nothing behind.
All Stake Supply stocks the standard three weights in 2 m x 25 m rolls, which suits most civil and landscaping jobs without offcuts.
Coir matting is the right choice when you need to stabilise soil long enough for vegetation to establish, and you want the material to break down on its own. The most common applications are slope rehabilitation, waterway and creek bank work, dam edges, and temporary stockpile cover.
On steeper or more exposed slopes, it is often used together with 300 mm coir logs at the base or stepped down the slope to slow water and trap sediment before it reaches the matting.
GSM stands for grams per square metre and reflects how much fibre is woven into each square of the blanket. Heavier weights last longer, hold more soil, and handle steeper slopes, but cost more per square metre. Match the weight to the slope and the establishment time needed.
| GSM | Lifespan | Best for | Slope range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 GSM | 12 to 18 months | Mild slopes, fast-establishing seed | Up to 1:3 |
| 700 GSM | 18 to 30 months | Moderate slopes, slower vegetation | 1:3 to 1:2 |
| 900 GSM | 24 to 48 months | Steep slopes, harsh conditions, slow species | 1:2 to 1:1 |
If unsure, the safer choice is one weight up rather than down. The cost difference between weights is small compared to the cost of redoing a slope where the matting failed before vegetation took hold. Browse the available weights here:
Installation method matters more than the weight you chose. A properly pinned 400 GSM blanket will outperform a poorly pinned 900 GSM blanket every time. The order of operations is preparation, seed, lay, anchor, and overlap.
Use timber, bamboo, or biodegradable pins on rehabilitation sites where nothing should remain in the soil. Steel pins are fine for shorter-term work where you will be back to inspect.
Ground contact is everything. Air gaps between the matting and the soil let water run underneath, lift the blanket, and undo the work. If the matting is bridging hollows after pinning, add more pins until it lies flat against the soil surface.
Coir matting is one option in a broader category of biodegradable erosion control. The right product for any given job depends on slope, expected lifespan, vegetation type, and how much sediment you need to capture before water leaves the site.
| Product | Lifespan | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coir matting | 2 to 4 years | Heavy, long-lasting, handles steep slopes | Higher upfront cost than jute |
| Jute matting | 12 to 18 months | Cost-effective for mild slopes | Shorter lifespan, lighter weight |
| Coir logs | 3 to 5 years | Excellent at base of slopes and waterways | Linear coverage only |
| Sediment fence | Variable | Catches sediment at perimeter | Does not protect soil surface |
| Hydromulch | 6 to 12 months | Fast application over large areas | Less robust on steep slopes |
Most well-designed sites use a combination of these. A typical batter might use coir matting on the slope face, 200 mm coir logs at the toe, and a erosion control products selection at the perimeter to catch anything that escapes.
The two things that matter when buying coir matting are consistent GSM weight across the roll and reliable stock for repeat orders. Cheaper imports sometimes vary by 20% from the labelled weight, which is the difference between a job that holds and one that fails on the first heavy rain.
All Stake Supply stocks all three coir matting weights, the full coir log range, and the rest of an erosion control kit including tree guards and weed mat. The full product range covers what most landscapers and contractors need from a single supplier.
For project quantities or trade pricing, contact the team at All Stake Supply. Bulk and freight options are available across Australia.
Coir matting is one of the simpler products in erosion control to specify and install, but the small details around weight selection and pinning method are where most failures happen. Get those right and the matting will hold the slope long enough for vegetation to take over the job.
