Geotextile Woven Material, SZ. 12.5' x 360'

Why use a woven instead of a nonwoven geotextile for stabilization & separation?

Woven Geotextile Fabrics are used as underlayment, driveway fabric, rip rap support and other long- term applications and are constructed from a polypropylene fabric that offers a high level of resistance to mildew, insects, and chemicals. All fabrics are fully synthetic fibers, woven tightly together, allowing them to maintain long-term support for your project location.

Woven Geotextile Fabrics are less expensive than non-woven geotextiles and are also permeable, allowing water to pass; and they do not elongate (stretch) like non-woven fabrics.  In most applications, a woven geotextile is the more effective and economical option. The manufacturing process, product characteristics, and applications differ dramatically from those of non-wovens. A non-woven's primary function is as a filter fabric and not a stabilizer. Also, non-wovens have much greater elongation, meaning they stretch much more.

What are the differences between woven vs non-woven geotextile fabrics?

Each geotextile type has its benefits and uses, depending on project requirements for strength, durability, and drainage. As the names indicate, the basic difference between the two lies not in how the geotextiles function, but rather in how they're manufactured.  Woven Geotextiles are woven with industrial looms in a consistently applied pattern for strength and drainage. Nonwoven geotextiles are most commonly manufactured with what's called a "needle-punch" process, using barbed needles to create a felt-like permeable geotextile fabric.

We offer cost-effective Woven Geotextiles Fabrics made from narrow strands of polypropylene tape that are woven together during manufacturing, producing a sturdy fabric, but one with less permeability than non-wovens. Commonly known as ground stabilization fabric, wovens are useful in separating fewer desirable sub soils from gravel or paved surfaces. These ground stabilization geotextiles have high tensile strength at low elongations. They allow drainage while adding an extra layer of support between road subgrades and aggregates, increasing stability and extending the life of the road surface. They reduce maintenance costs and improve the performance of paved and unpaved surfaces. While they are permeable, they are not typically used in applications requiring filtration as the main function. Woven Geotextile Fabrics perform at a high level and save time and money.

Woven Geotextiles Fabrics are used for separation/stabilization applications, such as parking lots, driveways, construction site entrances, under foundations and building pads, stabilizing material staging areas, or repairing / installing a gravel driveway. They will also keep mud below the rock from "pumping" up and help keep cleanup to a minimum.

When used as ground stabilization, Woven Geotextiles minimize rutting and prevent intermixing of the aggregate with the soft soils below. Think of woven geotextiles as affordable insurance for your aggregate. They save time and money by reducing or eliminating the need for additional rock. Perhaps the easiest way to understand the value of soil separation in roadway construction is to be aware that stone and gravel tend to sink into softer soils. A simple adage that road builders have used for years goes something like this: “Five pounds of stone on top of five pounds of mud equals ten pounds of mud”.

Similar to our other erosion control products, Woven Geotextile Fabrics come in several different strengths to accommodate different locations, projects, and requirements. Depending on your location and the amount of weight you need to place on the stabilization fabric, different strengths may work better than others for your application.