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Built for garden beds

Garden Weed Barrier Fabric for Beds, Rows and Raised Beds

A garden weed barrier has one job: block the light weeds need while water and air still reach the roots. SHIELD is the 3.2oz woven garden fabric for flower beds, vegetable rows, and raised beds, with a guide stripe every 12 inches so planting and overlaps stay straight. Works best under mulch, soil, or straw. Free US shipping, no minimum.

Shop SHIELD 3.2ozUse the Fabric Calculator

Free US shipping, no minimum · 12 inch planting guide stripes · 180/105 lb grab tensile

Garden weed barrier in use: planting seedlings through DOTDAY SHIELD 3.2oz woven garden fabric along the 12 inch guide stripes
SHIELD 3.2oz planted along the guide stripes
Blocks light so weeds do not root.
Water passes roots stay watered.
12 inch stripes for rows and overlaps.
3.2oz woven numbers on the data sheet.
We spec the bed with you.
The problem

Most garden fabric fails in the first season

Garden fabric, garden cloth, weed barrier: the shelf uses the names loosely, and the material behind them varies a lot. A garden bed asks for three things at once. Light has to stay out, water and air have to get in, and the sheet has to survive being pulled tight, pinned, and cut for plants. Most cheap rolls manage one of the three.

Plastic sheeting.Blocks light and blocks water too. Soil under it dries out or turns sour, and roots suffer.
Thin spun garden cloth.Lets water through, then tears when you pull it tight or pin it, and weeds come up through the rips.
Fabric left uncovered.Sun and foot traffic wear any fabric faster. A garden weed barrier is built to sit under mulch, soil, or straw.
No guide on the roll.Without lines to follow, plant spacing and seam overlaps drift, and gaps at the seams are where weeds start.
Cutting DOTDAY SHIELD garden fabric along a printed guide stripe with a tape measure laid beside it
The fix

SHIELD: the garden weed barrier built for beds

SHIELD is a 3.2oz woven polypropylene fabric. Flat tapes woven tight block the light that weed seeds need, while the gaps in the weave let rain, irrigation, and air through to the soil. It is strong in the plane of the sheet, with 180 lb grab tensile along the roll and 105 lb across, so a long run pulls tight over a bed without tearing. A printed guide stripe every 12 inches gives you planting rows and straight overlaps without a tape measure.

  • 3.2oz woven polypropylene: blocks light, passes water and air
  • 180/105 lb grab tensile (ASTM D4632)
  • Guide stripe every 12 inches for plant spacing and overlaps
  • Cuts clean with scissors or a knife and pins with standard staples
Shop SHIELD 3.2oz

What a garden fabric has to do in a planted bed

Weed control and healthy soil pull in opposite directions unless the fabric is woven. SHIELD does both.

Close up of DOTDAY SHIELD woven garden weed barrier fabric with a yellow guide stripe

Blocks light, so weeds do not start

The tight flat-tape weave shades the soil surface. Seeds already in the bed do not get the light they need to establish, and the mulch on top handles what blows in.

Water beading on and passing through DOTDAY SHIELD woven garden fabric

Breathes, so roots stay watered

Water moves through the gaps in the weave instead of sheeting off. Rain and drip irrigation reach the root zone, and the soil can still exchange air.

When to use a garden weed barrier, and when not to

Flower beds and shrub borders

Choose this when the bed is planted and then covered with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. SHIELD stops weeds from below while the mulch protects the fabric.

Use SHIELD 3.2oz

Vegetable rows and raised beds

Cut or burn planting holes along the 12 inch stripes and plant through. The fabric keeps rows clean and cuts weeding time through the season.

Use SHIELD 3.2oz

Around trees and new shrubs

Works best under a mulch ring around new plantings. Cut a slit to the trunk, lay the fabric flat, pin it, and cover it so weeds do not compete for water.

Use SHIELD 3.2oz

Not under gravel, rock, or pavers

Sharp stone and foot traffic puncture a bed fabric. Under gravel paths, patios, and pavers, use XBAR, the 5oz dual-layer with a needle-punched backing.

Use XBAR 5oz instead

Not in a drain or behind a wall

Drainage needs a fabric that filters silt through its thickness. For French drains and retaining walls, use TERRA non-woven geotextile.

Use TERRA instead

Not left bare in the sun

Any weed barrier wears faster uncovered. If the area will not get mulch, soil, or straw on top, plan the cover before you lay the fabric.

View Installation Guide

How to lay garden weed barrier fabric in a bed

  1. 1
    Clear and level the bed
    Pull existing weeds with their roots, rake out sharp debris, and level the soil. Add compost or amendments now, before the fabric goes down.
  2. 2
    Roll out, stripes up
    Lay SHIELD flat with the guide stripes facing up. Overlap seams by 6 inches and cut to the bed edge with scissors or a knife.
  3. 3
    Pin it
    Staple the edges and seams every 12 to 18 inches so wind and watering cannot lift the sheet.
  4. 4
    Plant through and cover
    Cut an X at each planting spot, using the 12 inch stripes to keep spacing even. Finish with 2 to 3 inches of mulch, soil, or straw so no fabric is exposed.
DOTDAY SHIELD 3.2oz garden weed barrier fabric roll, 4 ft x 100 ft, with product label
Professional-grade

Pick your SHIELD roll for the garden

Match the roll width to the bed so you lay fewer seams. 3 and 4 ft rolls suit most home beds and rows; 6 and 8 ft cover wide beds in one pass. Prices per roll; free US shipping, no minimum.

3 ft x 10 ft$10.99
Sample or one small bed
4 ft x 100 ft$64.49
Most home garden beds
8 ft x 100 ft$94.49
Wide beds in one pass
3 ft x 300 ft$85.49
Long narrow rows
4 ft x 300 ft$85.99
Many beds or long rows
6 ft x 300 ft$142.99
Large gardens and market plots

Not sure how many rolls? Enter the bed dimensions in the Fabric Calculator and it returns the count with overlap built in.

Shop SHIELD 3.2ozUse the Fabric Calculator
Size your bed

How much garden fabric do you need?

Enter the length and width of each bed and the calculator returns the roll size and count, with seam overlap already included.

Use the Fabric Calculator
DOTDAY Buyer's Guide

Best Landscape Fabric for Weed Control: 10 Questions Every Gardener Asks

DOTDAY Field Team

Weight, weave, cover, and cost: the longer answers behind this page, for anyone comparing garden weed barrier options before buying.

Read the buyer's guide
DOTDAY SHIELD garden weed barrier rolls held beside fabric laid on a nursery floor full of plants

Garden weed barrier, common questions

What is the best garden weed barrier for flower and vegetable beds?

A woven fabric around 3 oz per square yard. It blocks light, lets water and air through, and is strong enough to pull tight and pin. DOTDAY SHIELD is a 3.2oz woven polypropylene fabric made for this job. Heavier fabric adds cost in a bed without adding benefit.

What is garden cloth material made of?

Garden cloth, garden fabric, and weed barrier usually mean polypropylene, either woven from flat tapes or spun into a thin felt. Woven holds up to pulling and pinning and blocks light well. SHIELD is 100% woven polypropylene at 3.2 oz per square yard.

Does water get through garden fabric?

Yes, through a woven fabric. Rain and irrigation pass through the gaps in the weave to the soil. Solid plastic sheeting does not let water through, which is why it is a poor choice in a planted bed.

Do I need to cover garden weed barrier fabric?

Yes. Cover it with 2 to 3 inches of mulch, soil, or straw. The cover protects the fabric from sun and wear, holds it down, and handles any weed seeds that blow in on top.

What are the guide stripes for?

SHIELD has a printed stripe every 12 inches along the roll. Use them to space plants evenly, keep rows straight, and line up seam overlaps without measuring each one.

Can I use garden weed barrier under gravel?

Not SHIELD. Stone and foot traffic puncture a bed fabric. Under gravel, rock, or pavers use XBAR, the 5oz dual-layer fabric with a needle-punched backing for puncture resistance.

How do I plant through the fabric?

Cut an X or a small hole at each planting spot, fold the flaps back, plant, and fold them in around the stem. The Plant Spacing Calculator gives the number of plants and the spacing for your bed.

From the field

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Tell us about the bed and we will name the roll

Send the bed sizes and what goes on top and we will confirm SHIELD is the right fabric, the roll widths, and the count. Landscapers, growers, and nurseries can request bulk pricing.

Find Your FabricRequest Bulk Pricing

Keep planning your garden beds

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