Curlex is considered the industry standard by many because of the plethora of Curlex Features and Benefits. Remember, there is only one Curlex. Accept no imitations.
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American Excelsior Company is the inventor of biodegradable erosion control blankets. Developed in the early 1960s, Curlex excelsior blankets are specifically designed to actually promote ideal growing conditions for grass seed, while simultaneously protecting topsoil from wind and water erosion. Curlex excelsior blankets have long passed the test of time. By design, Curlex blankets have a built-in swell factor — wet curled excelsior fibers slightly expand in thickness and interlock to form a strong, fiber matrix. This allows the fibers to provide intimate contact with local terrain. Water flow is trained to follow the curled fiber matrix. The roughness of the curled excelsior matrix slows the velocity to a point where gravity takes over, which allows moisture to slowly seep into the topsoil to promote ideal growing conditions.
Material Characteristics
Curlex blankets consist of unique softly barbed, interlocking, curled, Aspen excelsior fibers. They are naturally seed-free. Curlex blankets are available with a variety of environmentally sensitive and/or stronger netting types to match job si
te requirements. We offer a green color-coded plastic netting for applications requiring UV resistance, strength, and longevity. Our photo-degradable Quick Mow™ netting is recommended for urban, golf course, and certain roadside projects. It is color-coded (white) to identify it as a rapid breakdown, polypropylene netting designed for use in areas to be mowed. Also available is our FibreNet™ — 100% biodegradable netting — for use in critical environmentally sensitive areas.
Most straight-line fiber blankets draw the line at 270 g/m2 (.50 lb/yd2), but not Curlex. At just under 400 g/m2 (.75 lb/yd2), Curlex blankets bring 50% more erosion control fibers to your job site. Curlex blankets are available in natural Aspen or QuickGRASS® (green). Combine that with a roll that is wider than conventional blankets and you have today’s most effective and efficient multi-purpose biodegradable erosion control blanket. Curlex excelsior blankets are available individually wrapped or in master packs to allow for mechanical unloading and stacking.
All Excelsior Blankets Are NOT Created Equal
Learn more about the differences amongst various fibers used for erosion control.
Watch the Natural Mechanical Functions of Engineered Curlex Fibers.
Performance Capabilities
Channels
Shear Stress
- Curlex I: 84 Pa (1.75 lb/ft2)
- Curlex II: 108 Pa (2.25 lb/ft2)
Curlex I ASTM D6460 Vertical Wall Test
Curlex I ASTM D6460 Trapezoidal Test
Slopes
Steepness
- Curlex I: ≤ 2H:1V
- Curlex II: ≤ 1.5H:1V
Curlex blankets have long passed the test of time. Curlex has been successful for over 40 years because of its superior performance. Watch Curlex being tested on a slope and notice the clean, clear runoff that is exiting the plot.
Typical Applications
- Highway embankments, ditch bottoms and slopes, bridges, approaches, and medians
- Residential, commercial, & industrial developments
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Urban drainage, stream banks, and waterways
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Golf course fairways, roughs, waterways, & drop structures
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Landfill caps, side slopes, and let down structures
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Pipeline right-of-ways
Curlex Case Studies
Choosing the Right Curlex Product
Curlex Single Net (Curlex I)
This is the one that started it all – the erosion control blanket that literally defined an industry: Curlex I. Born in 1963, Curlex I continues to set the standard for a majority of erosion control blanket requirements.
A specific cut of Great Lakes Aspen curled wood excelsior with 80% six-inch fibers or greater fiber length. It shall be of a consistent thickness, with fibers evenly distributed throughout the entire area of the blanket. The top of each blanket shall be covered with photodegradable or biodegradable netting. Material is naturally seed-free and does not contain chemical additives.
Specifications
| Recommended Use: | Slopes to 2:1; Channels to 7 ft/s, shear stress to 1.75 lb/ft2 |
| Roll Sizes: | 4’ x 101.25’ (50 yd2) 8’ x 101.25’ (100 yd2) 16’ x 112.5’ (200 yd2) |
| Weight*: | .73 lb/yd2 |
| Netting Options: | Green, Quick Mow White (90 day), FibreNet |
| Color: | Natural Aspen or QuickGRASS (Green) |
*Weight is based on a dry fiber weight basis at the time of manufacture. Baseline moisture content of Great Lakes Aspen excelsior is 22%.
Curlex Double Net (Curlex II)
A specific cut of Great Lakes Aspen curled wood excelsior with 80% six-inch fibers or greater fiber length. It shall be of a consistent thickness, with fibers evenly distributed throughout the entire area of the blanket. The top and bottom of each blanket shall be covered with photodegradable or biodegradable netting. Material is naturally seed-free and does not contain chemical additives.
Specifications
| Recommended Use: | Slopes to 1.5:1; Channels to 9 ft/s, shear stress to 2.25 lb/ft2 |
| Roll Sizes: | 4’ x 112.5’ (50 yd2) 8’ x 112.5’ (100 yd2) 16’ x 112.5’ (200 yd2) |
| Weight*: | .73 lb/yd2 |
| Netting Options: | Green, Quick Mow White (90 day), FibreNet |
| Color: | Natural Aspen or QuickGRASS (Green) |
*Weight is based on a dry fiber weight basis at the time of manufacture. Baseline moisture content of Great Lakes Aspen excelsior is 22%.
Are you interested in the same great benefits of Curlex without the net(s)? Check out Curlex® NetFree™. In addition, for steeper slopes, higher shear stresses, and longer functional longevity requirements check out Curlex® Heavy Duty Blankets.
Technical Support
Visit our Technical Support Library to view all Technical Support Documents by clicking on Technical Support at the top of any page or please Contact Us if you have further questions.
Disclaimer: Curlex is a system for erosion control and re-vegetation on slopes and channels. American Excelsior Company (AEC) believes that the information contained herein to be reliable and accurate for use in erosion control and re-vegetation applications. However, since physical conditions vary from job site to job site and even within a given job site, AEC makes no performance guarantees and assumes no obligation or liability for the reliability or accuracy of information contained herein for the results, safety or suitability of using Curlex, or for damages occurring in connection with the installation of any erosion control product whether or not made by AEC or its affiliates, except as separately and specifically made in writing.