Types of Landscape Fabric: Which One Should You Choose?

Landscape fabric is a practical decision for long-term weed control, soil stabilization, and water management in construction or gardening. Whether you are a homeowner trying to keep your flower bed clean or a contractor dealing with erosion control on a construction site, landscape fabric is a great choice and can come in many different materials to help you achieve both durability and viability. 

Comsyn is a manufacturer and supplier of woven polypropylene solutions and offers a specialized line of landscape fabrics as a professional supply for residential and industrial applications.

What Is Landscape Fabric?

Every person uses the term landscape fabric a little differently. In the context of this overview, landscape fabric is a permeable textile, usually made of polypropylene, that will allow water and air to permeate through while limiting weed growth if installed as a barrier over soil and under gravel, mulch, or decorative stones. While plastic sheeting has its uses, landscape fabric allows moisture to get to plant roots and for oxygen exchange.

When Should You Use Landscape Fabric?

There are many applications where landscape fabric can be used to limit the wear and tear on your project and to maintain a clean and neat appearance.

• Garden Beds: Especially around your perennials, shrubs, and for mulch areas to limit weed infiltration.

• Gravel Paths: Provide separation from the soil underneath the gravel. Also controls weeds.

• Drainage Systems: Works like a filter to limit sediment build-up from blocking pipes.

• Construction Sites: Helps to stabilize soil and reduce erosion during site disturbance.

Whatever your reasons for doing the aesthetic landscaping or structural groundwork, selecting the appropriate types of landscape fabric will help to ensure a product that will look clean and last longer with lower maintenance in the long run.

Types of Landscape Fabric

There is no such thing as a “best” landscape fabric. However, knowing the difference between the various types helps answer the more common question: “What is the best weed barrier to use under rocks or mulch?” 

• Woven Landscape Fabric

Made of woven polypropylene strips, this type of fabric is strong, durable, and suited for high-stress areas where weeds tend to be competitive, like: 

• Gravel paths
• Under stones or pebbles
• Commercial landscape areas

This fabric allows for both durability and permeability, which is primarily why this is one of the best weed barriers to put under rocks. 

• Non-Woven Landscape Fabric

This type of fabric is made by bonding fibers rather than weaving them, thus being more geared for uses that involve drainage and filtration. With a lower permeability, this type of fabric is a better option for: 

• French drains
• Erosion control
• Sub-surface drainage layers

Given the nature of non-woven fabrics, it is not commonly used in planting zones because it limits the water and air to the root zone more than the previous option. 

• Spun Landscape Fabric

A lightweight, spun landscape fabric uses a spinning method to yield sheets that are breathable, making it a suitable option for flower beds, vegetable gardens, and even raised planters. This option is meant to provide moderate weed suppression while at the same time allowing for moisture and airflow that is plant-friendly.

• Perforated Landscape Fabric

Perforated fabric has uniform holes to allow for evenly spaced planting. It allows water and nutrients to reach the plants and is also easy to install in:

• Herb gardens
• Row plantings

• Seedling setups

All of these types of weed barriers have a specific use depending on your planting arrangement, moisture requirements, and soil composition.

Where Can You Use Landscape Fabric?

From construction work to home gardening, landscape fabric serves many applications:

• Parking Areas

When placed underneath gravel or asphalt, landscape fabric alleviates weight and reduces weed growth beneath driveways and temporary roads.

• French Drains

Non-woven fabric is ideal for French drains because it permits water to pass right through while filtering sediments.

• Garden Beds & Mulching Areas

When spun or perforated fabric is placed underneath mulch, it can help with soil moisture retention and provide a barrier to weeds.

• Slopes That Are Susceptible to Erosion

Landscape fabric stabilizes topsoil and helps to reduce water runoff, which is particularly beneficial on sloped sites prone to erosion from water.

• Barns & Other Outside Places

Used on sites to help control dust, weeds, and future vegetation around barns, sheds, and areas used for storage to provide a cleaner, easier, and safer area.

Benefits of Using Landscape Fabric

• Weed Control: Stops light from hitting the soil and significantly decreases weeds.

• Soil Stabilization: Binds soil and knits it together, particularly on high foot traffic or slope areas.

• Moisture retention and drainage: Keeps soil moist while reducing erosion and waterlogging.

• Cost savings: Uses considerably less chemical herbicides and reduces long-term maintenance. 

Disadvantages of Landscape Fabric

While the benefits are considerable, there are some disadvantages, including:

• Root Limitation: It could potentially limit roots from going deep if it is not cut correctly.

• Soil Compaction: Compacted fabric tends to restrict air and water from penetrating the soil over time.

• Installation Problematic: It can pool incorrectly, or eliminate the advantage of using a weed barrier.

Knowing these limitations will help clarify what types of landscape fabric we can use that are long-lasting without harming plants.

Is Landscape Fabric Right for Your Project?

Your goals will also be a factor in choosing a landscape fabric.

• Aesthetics: For flowerbeds and mulch, use either spun fabric or perforated fabric.

• Heavy-duty: When you are looking for gravel, stones, and heavy foot traffic areas, the best choice is woven fabric.

• Agricultural use: Either breathable fabrics or more traditional fabrics that resist weeds will provide a better yield overall.

You might be asking yourself, What is the best weed barrier I can put under rocks where I live? Knowing about what types of drainage you’ll have, along with fabric durability and whether it will work with the plants you are using, will help guide your decision.

Comsyn’s Range of Woven Polypropylene Landscape Fabrics

As a leader in geotextiles, Comsyn offers a versatile line of woven polypropylene landscape fabrics used in commercial and residential applications.

• High Tensile Strength: Ideal for heavy loads and ground stabilization.

• UV Resistant: Durable protection from the sun.

• Permeable: Allows for drainage and weed suppression.

From decorative gardens to construction-grade paths, you can count on Comsyn’s woven fabric for the job.

Final Thoughts

Due to the number of landscape fabric options available to choose from, it is important to make the right choice to accomplish the goals of your project. You have to consider if you want to control weeds, have soil supported, control moisture, etc. Each of the different types of fabric has different goals.

Comsyn can provide you with woven landscape alternatives that are of superior fabrication, durability, and sustainable sourcing of manufacturing that meet the needs and interests of today’s landscape and construction professionals.

FAQs

• What is the most durable type of landscape fabric?
  
  Woven landscape fabric is the most durable, ideal for heavy-duty and long-term use.

• Which landscape fabric lasts longest?
  
  Woven polypropylene fabrics tend to last the longest due to their strength and UV resistance.

• What is the difference between woven and nonwoven landscape fabric?
  
  Woven fabric is durable and suited for weight-bearing areas, while nonwoven is better for drainage applications.

• How many layers of landscape fabric?
  
  Typically, one properly installed layer is sufficient for most landscaping projects.