The clean alternative to the gravel strip
Whether gravel, chippings or crushed stone: the loose fill used as a splash-protection strip at the base of the wall grows weeds, silts up and blocks valuable space. Sobekon® replaces it with a walkable, barrier-free facade connection featuring a made-to-measure grating.
The gravel strip can be replaced – with no step and no dead zone.
Whether gravel, chippings, ballast or a drip strip: the loose fill used as a splash-water strip along the base can be replaced. Instead, Sobekon® creates a walkable, barrier-free facade connection – a made-to-measure grating on a rear-ventilated base console. Splash-water protection is retained, while weeding, silting up and topping up are eliminated.
Learn more: barrier-free facade connection, the alternative to the classic facade channel and in the guide: why the gravel strip has had its day.
- GaLaBau Innovation Medal 2024
- RAL-GZ 638 quality-assuredtested gratings
- DIN-compliantincl. DIN 68800-2, DIN 18040
- Made in Germany
- 40 years of landscaping practice
Why the gravel strip has had its day
The classic loose fill creates more work than protection – and stands in the way of barrier-free access.
Weeds & silt
Seeds, leaves and fine material clog the gravel over time. Weeds take hold, and the strip has to be weeded and topped up.
Wasted space
The loose strip cannot be walked on. On small plots especially, usable space right next to the house is lost – in many locations the price per m² of building land is higher than an installed Sobekon® system.
Pushes water against the base
Once a downward-draining gravel strip clogs up, it no longer carries water away but directs it onto the base. Experts increasingly advise against it.
Restless appearance
Loose fill frays at the edges and looks unkempt. A clean, designed edge looks more refined – and stays that way.
Alternatives to the gravel strip compared
There are several ways to replace the gravel strip. Only one is walkable, barrier-free and rear-ventilated at the same time.
- 01
Facade channel
Many suppliers on the market – yet for years without a flexible alternative.
Inflexible and not very maintenance-friendly.
- 02
Raised base (solid construction)
An affordable solution for solid-build houses.
Only possible for solid houses with a raised base. Splash water soils the base – often causing long-term damage. Experts advise against it.
- 03
Chippings or ballast
Cheap to buy.
Like gravel: weeds over, silts up, not walkable. Accessibility is not provided.
- 04
Bolted angle brackets
No advantages over the Sobekon® system.
L-stones are pre-drilled before setting – prone to execution errors from weakened concrete elements and water ingress.
- ★
Sobekon® – the walkable, barrier-free alternative
A made-to-measure grating on a rear-ventilated console: walkable, step-free, permanently protected against splash water and removable at any time for cleaning – the standards-compliant replacement for the gravel strip.
Gravel strip vs. Sobekon®
Same task – splash-water protection at the base of the wall – solved far better.
| Criterion | Gravel strip | Sobekon® |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability | Dead zone, not walkable | fully walkable (DIN 24537) |
| Accessibility | Threshold or step remains | step-free, level |
| Maintenance | weed, top up, clean | lift the grating, rinse |
| Rear ventilation | often buried | permanently accessible |
| Splash-water protection | degrades as it weeds over and silts up | permanent, standards-compliant |
| Appearance | loose fill | clean, designed edge |
Without and with Sobekon® – the difference in detail
Three drawings, one principle: more usable space, barrier-free access and reliable base ventilation – entirely without a gravel bed.
Top view – use of space
Door cross-section – access
Wall cross-section – ventilation & drainage
Clean base protection – entirely without gravel
Beneath the walkable grating sits a rear-ventilated channel on a bracket – instead of a loose eaves strip of gravel. Splash water is drained away from the base of the wall in a controlled manner, and the rear ventilation stays clear.
The grating can be removed at any time – for cleaning or to repaint the facade. This keeps the base protection permanently functional and well maintained.
What does the alternative to a gravel strip cost?
Costs depend on length, grating type (galvanised, stainless steel or powder-coated) and the substrate. We calculate per project and include the matching installation plan free of charge – standard consoles and edge profiles are stock items, while the gratings are made to measure. Our prices have been stable since 2024 – so we offer solutions from €130 per linear metre.
Free installation plan
Send us your dimensions – we plan your connection and quote the price. As in this example: every grating with dimensions, cut-outs and the price per item.
A standard-compliant replacement – no compromise
- ISO 21887
- A walkable metal grating over a ventilated channel is recognised as splash-water protection at the base – Sobekon® meets this, making the loose gravel strip unnecessary.
- ISO 14122
- Walkability of the gratings verified structurally: deflection under 4 mm at a 1.5 kN point load.
Frequently asked questions about gravel strips
No. What is required is protecting the base from splash water – not the gravel strip itself. It is only one of several recognised solutions. A walkable grating over a ventilated channel performs the same task.
DIN 68800-2 specifies 30 cm horizontally from the base and 15 cm vertically from the facade overhang. What matters is the function: carrying water away from the base in a controlled way. Manufacturer specifications may deviate from this.
Sobekon® handles this task via the rear-ventilated channel beneath the grating – we plan it with you per project, true to the motto: as much as necessary, as little as possible.
No. There is no open gravel bed under the grating for seeds to germinate in. The grating is removable and can be rinsed off in seconds.
Yes. DIN 68800-2 recognises a walkable metal grating over a ventilated channel as splash protection at the base. Sobekon does exactly that – barrier-free and permanently maintainable.
Sources
- DIN 4095-1:2026 – Water effects in the ground and drainage (new edition June 2026) — DIN Media
- DIN 18533 – Waterproofing of soil-contact components — DIN Media
- DIN 24537-1 – Gratings as flooring (load capacity, slip resistance) — DIN Media
- Wood protection – structural measures (holzbau handbuch series 5, pt. 2, no. 2): base detail with grating over a channel — Informationsdienst Holz / Holzbau Deutschland-Institut e. V.
Done with the gravel strip?
We plan your walkable, barrier-free facade connection – including a matching installation plan.