|Free Shipping on Orders|Woven & Non-Woven Available|Pro Contractors: Request Bulk Pricing|SHIELD. XBAR. TERRA. One for Every Job
SHIELD, XBAR, and TERRA are not three grades of the same thing. They are three constructions built for three different ground conditions. This landscape fabric comparison shows exactly what changes between them.
Choose by the ground condition, not by the weight alone. Each column below is one fabric, and every band lines up the same property across all three.
Weed control for beds, rows, and everything under mulch.
Drainage and filtration that keeps soil and stone apart.
Woven polypropylene
Flat-tape weave
Woven top plus non-woven backing
Dual-layer
Non-woven needle-punched
Felt-like fiber mat
Permeable weave
Water and air reach the roots
gal/min/sf under load
ASTM D4491
gpm/ft2 at 8 oz
ASTM D4491
Grab strength MD/CD
ASTM D4632
CBR puncture resistance
ASTM D6241
CBR puncture at 8 oz
ASTM D6241
Beds, mulch, farm rows, nurseries
6 roll sizes, from $0.08/sq ft
Gravel, pavers, driveways, hardscape
9 roll sizes, from $0.15/sq ft
French drains, walls, road base
3 weights, from $0.47/sq ft
| SHIELD | Attribute | XBAR |
|---|---|---|
| Weed control | ||
| Takes load | ||
| Permeable | Water flow | 10.5 gal/min/sf |
| Filters fines | ||
| Plant through it | ||
| 3.2 oz | Fabric weight | 5 oz |
| $0.08 | Best per sq ft | $0.15 |
| XBAR | Attribute | TERRA |
|---|---|---|
| Weed control | ||
| Takes load | ||
| 10.5 gal/min/sf | Water flow | 310.8 gpm/ft2 |
| Filters fines | ||
| Plant through it | ||
| 5 oz | Fabric weight | 4/6/8 oz |
| $0.15 | Best per sq ft | $0.47 |
| SHIELD | Attribute | TERRA |
|---|---|---|
| Weed control | ||
| Takes load | ||
| Permeable | Water flow | 310.8 gpm/ft2 |
| Filters fines | ||
| Plant through it | ||
| 3.2 oz | Fabric weight | 4/6/8 oz |
| $0.08 | Best per sq ft | $0.47 |
From $64.49 per roll, or $0.08 per sq ft.
3.2 oz woven polypropylene. Six roll sizes.
Flat-tape woven polypropylene.Strong in-plane, so a full run pulls across a bed without tearing.
Blocks light, not water.Rain and irrigation pass through to the roots while weeds stay denied.
Plant straight through it.X-cuts at your spacing let seedlings in; the surface between stays covered.
108/105 lb grab strength.ASTM D4632, so it survives being pulled, pinned, and planted.
70% UV retention at 500 hrs.ASTM G154. Cover promptly with mulch or soil to protect it.
Available in 9 roll sizes
From $37.99 per roll, or $0.15 per sq ft.
5 oz dual-layer woven. Nine roll sizes.
Two layers, one job each.The woven face carries the load; the needle-punched backing blocks light and stops pumping.
332 lb CBR puncture resistance.ASTM D6241, so angular stone and machine traffic do not open it up.
10.5 gal/min/sf water flow.ASTM D4491. Breathable under load instead of pooling beneath the surface.
12 inch guide lines woven in.Keeps rows, cuts, and overlaps straight across a long run.
29.5 mil thickness, sealed edges.Cuts clean with a knife and does not unravel.
From $69.99 per roll at 4 oz, $89.99 at 6 oz.
Non-woven needle-punched. Three weights.
310.8 gpm/ft2 water flow at 8 oz.ASTM D4491. Water moves through the mat, not across it.
Filters the fines.Holds silt and soil out of your stone so the drain still works in year five.
697 lb CBR puncture at 8 oz.ASTM D6241, built for angular stone and compaction.
Three weights, one construction.4 oz for drainage, 6 oz for drains and walls, 8 oz for road base.
Conforms to the trench.The felt-like mat drapes around pipe instead of bridging and tenting.
Matched to SHIELD, XBAR, or TERRA by your actual ground condition.
Contractor and farm volumes, quoted and shipped from Miami Gardens, FL.
Enter your dimensions and get strip count, overlap, and the exact rolls to order.
The prep and install steps that decide whether fabric lasts one season or ten.
Read it in the browser or take it to the job.
Every number below is published on the product page it comes from.
| Attribute | 3.2 oz woven | 5 oz dual-layer | 4 / 6 / 8 oz non-woven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | |||
| Construction | Woven polypropylene | Woven top plus non-woven backing | Non-woven needle-punched |
| 12 inch plant guide lines in yellow | Yes | Yes | No |
| Water | |||
| Behavior | Through the weave | Through the weave, under load | Through the body of the mat |
| Flow rate | Permeable | 10.5 gal/min/sf | 310.8 gpm/ft2 at 8 oz |
| Filters silt and fines | No | No | Yes |
| Strength | |||
| Grab tensile | 108/105 lb | 96/68 lb | 243 lb at 8 oz |
| CBR puncture | Not rated for load | 332 lb | 697 lb at 8 oz |
| Trapezoid tear | 82/75 lb | On request | 101 lb at 8 oz |
| UV strength at 500 hrs | 70% | 70% | 70% |
| Buy | |||
| Roll options | 6 sizes | 9 sizes | 3 weights |
| Starting price | $64.49 | $37.99 | $69.99 |
| Best price per sq ft | $0.08 | $0.15 | $0.47 |
TERRA figures are for the 8 oz weight. The 4 oz and 6 oz share the same construction at lower mass. Prices are per roll before promotion and exclude 3 x 10 ft sample rolls.
Enter your bed or pad dimensions and the calculator returns strip count, overlap, and the exact roll sizes to order.
Choose by ground condition. SHIELD 3.2 oz woven is for weed control in beds, rows, and under mulch. XBAR 5 oz dual-layer is for gravel, pavers, and anything carrying traffic or load. TERRA non-woven is for drainage, filtration, and soil separation. If two apply, buy both and use each where it belongs.
No. SHIELD is built for weed control under mulch and soil, not sustained load. Under gravel or pavers it will pump and tear, and the repair costs more than the fabric ever saved. XBAR is the fabric rated for that job at 332 lb CBR puncture resistance.
They are different tools. Woven landscape fabric such as SHIELD suppresses weeds while staying permeable. A non-woven geotextile such as TERRA is engineered so water passes through the body of the mat while silt and fines are filtered out. Weed suppression versus water movement is the whole distinction.
4 oz suits simple drainage and separation. 6 oz is the versatile middle for French drains and retaining wall backfill. 8 oz handles road base and heavier stabilization. Match the weight to the load above it and how much filtration the job demands.
Not quite. XBAR pairs a woven polypropylene top that carries load with a non-woven needle-punched backing that blocks light and stops stone pumping into the soil. It is a separation fabric that also suppresses weeds, not a thicker version of a garden barrier.
Weight is only part of it. SHIELD at 3.2 oz is a single woven layer made for beds and rows you plant through. XBAR at 5 oz adds a non-woven backing, 29.5 mil thickness, and a 332 lb CBR puncture rating, which is what lets it sit under gravel and pavers. Pick by where the fabric goes, then the weight follows.
Still deciding? FabricFinder matches you in under a minute. Buying for a job site? Send the dimensions and we will quote it.
SHIELD
XBAR
TERRA
