Matting Installation Sheet Step by step installation guide

PDF fileswith full details are available from Treemax.

1. Preparation before laying
a) Preliminary weed control is essential before laying the material.
b) Prepare an even slope, free of obstructions, tree stumps or rubble. The smoother the surface,
the better contact between soil and matting.
c) Topsoil (minimum 50mm) is required to successfully grow grass and plants.

2. Laying MaxJute™ fine, MaxBio™, MaxSyn™
and Soil Saver
a) Spread seed and fertiliser consistently over the topsoil. Applying seed via a hydro-seeding machine is recommended for larger areas.
b) The matting is rolled out from top to bottom of slopes and should be trenched at the top edge on steep slopes.
c) In swail drains the material can be laid down the flow line. The leading edges should be trenched and overlaps must follow the flow line downstream.
d) Overlaps of 100mm are required, and overlaps are pinned at 300mm intervals.
e) Allow the material to contour into undulations.

3. Laying MaxJute™ thick and ReCover™
a) The material should be rolled from top to bottom of steep batters, as opposed to across the batter. The material may sag between fastening pins if laid across steep slopes.
b) On slopes of 1:3 gradient or greater, trenching at the top edge of the matting is
recommended.
c) Minimum overlap of 100mm is recommended between sections of the matting.
Overlaps should be pinned at 300mm intervals.
d) Sites subject to flooding require the laying pattern to mimic a fish-scale pattern.
The material should be laid so that the leading edges are not exposed to water flow.
e) Do not pull the material tightly across the soil surface. Allow it to contour to
the soil profile and into undulations. This allows the material to settle and bond with
the topsoil.
f) If the site requires the matting to be laid across slopes, then the top edge
should be trenched and pinned at a higher rate.

4. Pinning
a) Minimum pinning frequency is three (3) pins per square metre.
b) On steeper batters, flooding areas, or areas prone to high wind and unstable
subsoils, a higher pinning rate should be used.
c) Pinning is extremely important to the long-term stability of the matting.
Insufficient pinning may result in the material lifting in the wind or under water flow.
d) For suggested pin sizes, refer to Fastening Pin Information sheet or call
Treemax staff.
e) On sites with loose top soil, avoid disturbance of the smooth soil or hydroseed.
The use of ladders on steep slopes is recommended.

5. Additional security with
star pickets and wire
a) For sites subject to higher-velocity water flow, such as river banks and steep
loose batters, a strapping system of short star pickets and fencing wire is recommended
to provide additional security for the matting.
b) Star pickets are driven into the ground, leaving 150mm exposed to thread the wire.
c) Spacing will vary from between two (2) to five (5) metres apart, depending
upon the site.
d) Fencing wire is threaded in a diamond pattern and pulled tight by hand and tied off.
e) When all the wire is in place, the star pickets are hammered completely into the
ground to give a taut, broad support.
f) Pinning over the wire will add support and ensure tripping hazards are avoided.
g) Eventually pickets and wire should be removed.

6. Planting into MaxJute™ thick and ReCover™
a) Treemax provides a unique service to pre-cut the matting with planting slits at
a variety of densities. When planting, this significantly reduces labour costs, reduces
time in setting out, and ensures uniformity of planting pattern.
b) Preferably using a Hamilton Tree Planter, Planting Drill or other means,
remove enough soil from under the material to plant the seedling. Ensure that excess
soil does not come into contact with the top surface of the matting to reduce spread of
weed seed.
c) If the matting is not pre-slit, planting into the mat requires a small slit to be cut
(150mm long) using a sharp blade or scissors.
d) Do not cut a circular hole for your seedlings, as this may facilitate weed growth.

7. Trenching
a) A trench is necessary on gradients of 1:3 or steeper and in riparian or flood areas.
b) Dig a trench at the top of the slope, minimum depth 150mm, and pin the end of
the roll into the bottom of the trench.
c) Back-fill the trench, and roll matting down the slope with a minimum overlap of 100mm.
d) Pin material ensuring the overlaps are secured well.