The Pillar Black Platinum Weed Control Mat is a dual-layer landscape fabric, 0.9m wide and 10m long, laid under mulch or decorative stone to stop weeds pushing up through a planted bed. The second layer is a moisture barrier, so unlike a plain woven mat it also slows evaporation out of the soil beneath it.
What it does
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Weeds blocked from below. A continuous fabric layer prevents weeds establishing and spreading up through the mulch, which is where most bed weeding comes from.
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Moisture held in. A built-in barrier keeps water in the soil through hot, dry conditions, which counts most in the months when beds dry out fastest.
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Still breathes. It remains water and air permeable, so rain and irrigation reach the root zone and the ground underneath does not go stale.
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Dual-layer build. Two layers give it more durability and better performance under stone and foot traffic than a standard single-layer mat.
How to use it
Remove the existing weeds and level the soil surface first, because anything left underneath either lifts the fabric or grows through a join. Roll the mat out and cut it to size, overlapping adjacent runs by a hand width so there is no straight gap for a weed to follow. Peg it down, cut a slit where each plant sits, then cover the run with mulch, bark or decorative stone, which is where the mat performs best. One roll covers 9 square metres laid flat, less once you allow for overlaps and offcuts around curves.
What it suits
Planted beds under mulch. Shrubs, trees and permanent plantings are the right job for it, since nothing has to be lifted and the fabric can stay undisturbed for years.
Gravel and pebble finishes. Decorative stone is a listed covering, and its weight helps hold the fabric flat between pegs.
Warm climate gardens. The moisture barrier earns its place through the hotter months, when bare beds dry out fastest. It is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95.
Understand the limit: it stops what comes up from beneath, not what lands on top, so seed blown into the mulch will still germinate there. It is the wrong choice for a bed you turn over each season.
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