System and method for making tied block mat with border

A method of connecting first and second sheets of tied block mat, the first sheet of tied block mat having a first sheet of open mesh material and a first plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material embedded in the first sheet of open mesh material, and the second sheet of tied block mat having a second sheet of open mesh material and a second plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material connected to the second sheet of open mesh material, the method comprising:

• arranging the first plurality of the imperforate, pyramidal blocks on the first sheet of tied block mat and the second sheet of tied block mat such that the imperforate, pyramidal blocks thereof are spaced apart from each other to expose the open mesh material of the first sheet of the open mesh material and the second sheet of the open mesh material therebetween and to form a longitudinal strip along an edge of the first sheet of the open mesh material spaced from an adjacent row of the imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material of the first sheet of tied block mat that is free of the first plurality of the imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material such that a width of the longitudinal strip is greater than a width of blocks in an adjacent row of the second plurality of blocks of the second sheet of tied block mat;
• placing the first sheet of tied block mat on a support surface;
• and
• placing the second sheet of tied block mat on the support surface adjacent the longitudinal strip of the first sheet of tied block mat such that a longitudinal edge of the second sheet of tied block mat tied block mat is placed over the longitudinal strip of the first sheet one of the tied block mat so that the imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material of the adjacent row of the second sheet of tied block mat completely overlie the longitudinal strip of the first tied block mat and are spaced from an adjacent row of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material of the first tied block mat to expose the open mesh material of the sheets of open mesh material of the first and the second sheets of tied block mat therebetween in overlapping relation.

A tied block mat, comprising:

• a first sheet of tied block mat having a first sheet of open mesh material and a first plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material embedded in the first sheet of open mesh material;
• a second sheet of tied block mat having a second sheet of open mesh material and a second plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material embedded in the second sheet of open mesh material;
• wherein the first plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks is arranged on the first sheet of open mesh material and spaced apart from each other to expose the open mesh material of the sheet of open mesh material therebetween and to form a longitudinal strip along an edge of the first sheet of open mesh material that is free of the first plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks, the longitudinal strip being adjacent a first longitudinal row of the first plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks;
• and
• wherein the second sheet of tied block mat is positioned adjacent the longitudinal strip of the first sheet of open mesh material such that a second longitudinal row of the second plurality of imperforate, pyramidal blocks adjacent an edge of the second sheet of tied block mat overlies the longitudinal strip of the first sheet of tied block mat so that the strip of the first sheet of tied block mat extends beneath an entire width of the blocks of the longitudinal row of the second plurality of blocks to form an overlapping region and are spaced from an adjacent row of imperforate, pyramidal blocks of hardened material of the second tied block mat to expose the open mesh material of the sheets of open mesh material of the first and the second tied block mats therebetween in overlapping relation;
• and
• a plurality of fasteners inserted through the open mesh material in overlapping relation thereby connecting the first sheet of open mesh material to the second sheet of open mesh material.