Above all, landscape fabric exists to hold back weed growth and keep your beds looking sharp. It also helps cut down on moisture loss and adds stability to the space. The most common types are woven, non-woven, spun, and perforated.

What Is Landscape Fabric's Objective?

Landscape fabric was originally designed to put a physical barrier between the sun and the soil. Usually built from woven or non-woven material — and commonly called weed fabric, weed barrier, or simply landscape fabric — it stops weed seeds from germinating by cutting off their sunlight, which in turn reduces the need for herbicidal weed control.

The Benefits And Faults Of Landscape Fabric

Like any product, landscape fabric has its pros and cons. A closer look:

The Benefits

• Blocks sunlight so the soil holds moisture and loses less to evaporation.
• Adds stability and acts as a preventative step against erosion in areas where heavy rains tend to wash soil away.
• Plays a major role in hardscaping by keeping inorganic mulch like pea gravel and rock from working down into the soil.

The Weak Points

• It isn't a 100% weed solution — it reduces weed-seed growth, but roots can still travel over the mulch and germinate.
• Organic wood chips decompose over time into compost that weeds can root in; a pre-emergent herbicide helps stop that growth.
• Some fabrics can block nutrients from decomposing organic matter from reaching the soil below.

If the faults outweigh the benefits for your project, alternatives like cardboard, burlap, or newspaper exist — but for most uses the benefits of landscape fabric come out ahead. Pick the type that best fits your requirements.

See Ground Cover Fabric Installed

The Types Of Landscape Fabric

There are several kinds of landscape fabric, and when it comes time to choose, always weigh the highest-quality material when installing geotextile fabric. Material quality genuinely matters — the cheapest plastic weed barrier may be tempting, but you'll be far better off matching the right fabric to the right project. A closer look at the common types:

Woven

The most popular and common fabric used in yards. Made from linen fibers and polypropylene woven together into a strong, semi-permeable material. Its small holes let water and nutrients reach the soil while stopping weeds from growing toward the sun, making it ideal around shrubs and trees. It comes in black, brown, green, or a natural burlap color, and most homeowners choose innate or treated UV stabilization so it holds up outdoors. Cost varies with quality.

Non-Woven

Made from polypropylene or polyester, best suited to controlling weeds in gravel, rock paths, or beds. Non-woven fabrics are less permeable than woven, so they restrict water and nutrients from passing into the soil. They're known for stability and for keeping stone from sinking into the ground — and professional-grade versions are often used under stone pavers and in large-scale hardscaping.

Spunbound

A non-woven type made from bonded polyester fibers, which makes it extremely durable and resistant to tears and rips. Thickness varies widely. The thinner, spun-bonded version stays permeable to air and water while remaining strong — great as a weed barrier over beds and under rock, and for securing borders against insects and invasive grasses. The thicker version is strong enough for drainage, irrigation, and retaining-wall applications where you need to prevent seepage.

Perforated

Lightweight and inexpensive, with pre-cut holes that plants are set into, so it won't suffocate plants and is easy to replace. It's a good fit for gardens where plants are swapped frequently — you'll often see vegetable gardens lined with it. Because it's lightweight, many pros advise against using it in areas with heavy foot traffic, large roots, or animal activity.

When To Use Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabric is typically used in mulch areas near shrubs, trees, and bushes — laid over the soil with a layer of mulch added on top. It's also frequently used under rock or hardscaping, and works well under flower beds and ground cover for solid weed control. As a caution, avoid using it beneath vegetable gardens or beds planted with annuals, since the replanting those require can be difficult through fabric.

Summary

Landscaping fabric has proven to be one of the best choices for protecting flower beds, vegetable gardens, and many other projects — keeping weeds down and leaving your yard with a clean, finished look.