Ground Reinforcement Grid DIU30, 60 x 40 x 3 cm, Black

The DIU30 Universa grid is made for the parts of a garden that are walked on day after day: a footpath across the plot, a walkway beside the lawn or the line between vegetable beds. Laid on the ground and filled, it turns soft earth into a stable surface, so the soil between the beds is not trodden down and you can get around on rainy days without coming back with mud on your boots.

Each module is moulded in one piece from black plastic. It measures 60 x 40 cm, stands 3 cm high and weighs 662 g, and the manufacturer describes the grid as resistant to weather conditions. The module is an open lattice of diamond-shaped cells with openings in the cell walls, so the finished surface stays permeable and rain soaks into the ground beneath. Along the edges the cells step down, so each module overlaps its neighbour and locks into place with a click. Pointed fins on the underside bed into the ground, and four of the cells have a round hole for a ground anchor where extra fixing is wanted; anchors are not included.

What goes into the cells decides the look. Gravel gives a neat, clearly marked path, while soil and grass let the route blend into the lawn and keep the natural character of the ground. The manufacturer’s own pictures show both finishes side by side in one layout.

To work out how many modules you need, count on approximately 0.22 m² per module, the manufacturer’s figure, so every 5 modules add about 1.10 m². A pack of 5 covers about 1.10 m², a pack of 50 about 11.00 m², a pack of 90 about 19.80 m² and a full pallet of 232 about 51.04 m². Packs run from 5 to 90 modules in steps of 5, or a full pallet of 232 modules, the price is for the whole pack, and the modules are supplied without retail packaging.

It suits gardeners and allotment holders who want a firm walking line between beds, and anyone reinforcing a footpath, a cycle route or a recreational area outdoors. The manufacturer also shows the grid in areas used by cars, such as a driveway or a parking space, but only where a suitably designed structural sub-base has been provided underneath.