Frequently asked questions

We answered most of the questions that could be asked about our fences and noise barriers.

FAQ fences

Where can I find the price for your dried fences?

Click on “Free estimate” and explain your project to us, it will be a pleasure to assist you in its realization.

Does Green Barriers Ramo install the fences?

Green Barriers Ramo does not offer installation services, but we have authorized installers in all Quebec regions. Or, you could decide to install the fence yourself by using our information guide.

What are the materials used for your dried fences?

We use shrub-form willow stems, woven around hot-dipped galvanized steel rods. The structure of the panel is in larch, oak or hemlock.

Is it possible to fix the panels to the ground without making a hole? (For instance, on a balcony or a patio)

We can provide equipment for the standard panels, but we recommend you contact one of our distributors to evaluate the technical feasibility.

What are the dimensions of the panels?

The standard width of our panels is 1.52 meter (5 feet). The height is six feet.

For commercial purposes, tailored solutions are available. The depth is 5 inches.

Is the installation of your fences similar to the installation of conventional fences?

Yes, our fences are installed the same way as more conventional fences.

What type of maintenance do your dried fences require?

There is no maintenance required! We strongly advise you not to apply any type of varnish or any other product.

My neighbour is noisy, can I install a noise barrier wall?

Careful, our fences have no acoustic property. Only sound barrier walls, reserved for commercial or municipal clients, protect from noise. If you would like to have a sound barrier wall close to your residence, please contact your elected official.

FAQ Noise Barriers

Why do your sound barrier walls have greenery? Is the willow alive?

Our mission is to offer solutions to environmental issues thanks to green technologies and our products fit perfectly with a rural or urban setting. We use dried willow stems as stakes for climbing plants that we plant in front of each panel. Over the years, the barriers become covered with Virginia creeper or vines, giving them this unique combination of greenery and wood and creating the natural look that defines our projects.

An environmental sound barrier wall?

Our products are designed to limit their ecological footprint. The components are strategically selected and assembled to offer lifetimes comparable to the highest norms of the industry. All materials used in the production of our walls come mainly from Quebec. The materials used in our walls’ production are natural, recycled or recyclable.

Is it Green Barriers who built the green wall that was demolished in Laval on highway 440?

This work was not designed, nor produced, by Green Barriers. This project was one of the first green walls ever done in Quebec. Yet, these first-generation projects were using live willows which required, among other things, a lot of maintenance, a constant irrigation and frequent trimmings. This project had many gaps in its design.

The solutions offered by Green Barriers are adapted from a Scandinavian concept and are made of steel structures, dried willow facades and an acoustic core of stone wool giving absorbing properties to the wall. The wall is capped by a metallic piece which increases its lifespan and climbing plants are also integrated. This design permits to get durable acoustic performances and offers a maintenance-free product more compatible with clientele needs.

For how long have you being producing green barriers?

The Danish company Pilebyg has 25-years of experience in Scandinavia, designing and producing sound barrier walls made of willow. Since May 2010, Green Barriers offers a range of sound barrier wall products made in Quebec. We have done more than 10 km of acoustic barrier designed, fabricated and installed in the province in the last decade. With our partner, we stay in tune with new developments to ensure we offer durable products that respect current standards.

Are your walls as efficient as concrete walls for noise reduction?

Our walls are as effective as the concrete ones for noise reduction. We work with external companies who specialize in acoustics. The consultation of an acoustic study allows us to realize a proper design. In this study, the acoustic specialist not only recommends the height, length and placement of the wall, but also the type of wall in order to fulfill the specific noise reduction requirements. We respect the recommendations of the acoustic specialists and the standards of the Ministry of Transportation in Quebec.

Are your walls as durable as a concrete wall?

Yes! Although when speaking of noise barrier walls, the first reference that comes to mind is concrete walls, yet the use of wood or technologies like Green Barriers are decades-old and are as durable.

Is your wall fire-proof?

While wood has flammable properties, the flame-spread rating is relatively low in our products considering the materials used in the design. The rock wool, the steel rods and the galvanized posts will act as a flame retarder. Historically, by cumulating the 25-year expertise of the Danish company Pilebyg and our 10-year expertise, no one single project was exposed to fire.

Why the use of willow in your walls?

Willow is a plant that grows extremely fast in the northern conditions of Quebec. Within less than three years, it can reach a five-meter height! Moreover, when cut, it regenerates itself. It is our first source of raw material, and it is renewable almost indefinitely! At Green Barriers, the willow is used in producing sound barrier walls and fences, in phyto-technology projects and in mulch production.

Chez Ramo, le saule est utilisé dans la fabrication de murs antibruit et de clôtures, dans la réalisation de projet de phytotechnologies et dans la production de paillis.

What maintenance is necessary for the wall?

No maintenance is required.

Is the wood going to rot?

Wood has been used in house building and road infrastructures for centuries, including bridges, farm buildings, guard rails, phone posts that one can find in our landscape.

Depending on its use, wood can be more or less sensitive to rotting. The first enemy of wood is humidity. Thanks to smart integration of the wood components, we can obtain a long life expectancy of our products:

Vertical aspect of the exposed components helps with water drainage.
The addition of a protective metallic cap on top of the barrier
Specialized debarking to get a smooth, quasi-impermeable surface
Limiting contact between the wood components and the soil
Integration of climbing plants to decrease deterioration due to UV rays and rain
Usage of metallic structural components or wood species less prone to rotting

What are the benefits of fostering the greening of a wall made by Green Barriers?

Aesthetics of the product, fostering social acceptability
Tree planting
Natural, recyclable, or recycled materials
Greening of the landscape
Carbon storage in the willow biomass during growth
Useful against heat islands
Great flexibility in our range of products
Durable, environmental and efficient
Respect of standards
Range of economical product
Unique concept of circular economy
Creation of local jobs in green technologies