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Bamboo Barrier
HDPE Rhizome Barrier
Bamboo Barrier
Contain the Rhizome. Keep the Bamboo.
Smooth HDPE sheet that rhizomes cannot penetrate — they turn and run along its face instead. Five thicknesses from 30 to 100 mil, on 100-foot rolls.
- Up to 100 years in the ground
- Cuts with a utility knife
- Made in USA · ships free
- 5Thicknesses, 30–100 mil
- 100ftContinuous rolls
- 100yrIn-ground lifespan
Choose Your Thickness
Bamboo Barrier — HDPE Rhizome Barrier for Running Bamboo
Bamboo earns its place in a garden. It grows fast, screens year-round, and looks like nothing else. That same vigour is the problem: running bamboo spreads by rhizomes travelling horizontally through the soil, and left uncontained it crosses into lawns, beds, neighbouring gardens and up against hardscape. It only takes one rhizome to establish a new stand somewhere you did not want one.
A bamboo barrier — also called rhizome barrier or a root barrier for bamboo — is a sheet of high density polyethylene installed vertically in a trench around the planting. The surface is deliberately smooth, so a rhizome meeting it cannot get purchase and instead turns and runs along the face. Ours is made in the USA from UV-stabilised HDPE, rated for up to 100 years in the ground, supplied on 100-foot rolls, and cuts to length with a standard utility knife. Five thicknesses, because a modest clumping variety and an aggressive runner next to a driveway are not the same job.
Original price
$19.99
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$505.84
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$19.99
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$505.84
$19.99
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$505.84
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$19.99
30 Mil Bamboo Barrier
Bamboo Barrier · HDPE · 30 mil 30 mil bamboo barrier in depths from 12″ – 48″ on 100-foot rolls. The lightest grade stocked, in six ...
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Original price
$19.99
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Original price
$505.84
Original price
$19.99
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$505.84
$19.99
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$505.84
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$19.99
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$778.90
Original price
$19.99
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$778.90
$19.99
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$778.90
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$19.99
40 Mil Bamboo Barrier
Bamboo Barrier · HDPE · 40 mil 40 mil bamboo barrier in depths from 18″ – 96″ on 100-foot rolls. More puncture resistance than the l...
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Original price
$19.99
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$778.90
Original price
$19.99
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$778.90
$19.99
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$778.90
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$19.99
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$892.31
Original price
$19.99
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$892.31
$19.99
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$892.31
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$19.99
60 Mil Bamboo Barrier
Bamboo Barrier · HDPE · 60 mil 60 mil bamboo barrier in depths from 18″ – 60″ on 100-foot rolls. The recommended thickness to adequa...
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Original price
$19.99
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Original price
$892.31
Original price
$19.99
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$892.31
$19.99
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$892.31
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$19.99
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$1,257.85
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$19.99
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$1,257.85
$19.99
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$1,257.85
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$19.99
80 Mil Bamboo Barrier
Bamboo Barrier · HDPE · 80 mil 80 mil bamboo barrier in depths from 10″ – 96″ on 100-foot rolls. A heavy-duty grade in seven depths,...
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Original price
$19.99
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$1,257.85
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$19.99
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$1,257.85
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$1,257.85
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$980.14
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$19.99
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$980.14
$19.99
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$980.14
Current price
$19.99
100 Mil Bamboo Barrier
Bamboo Barrier · HDPE · 100 mil 100 mil bamboo barrier in depths from 36″ on 100-foot rolls. The heaviest grade stocked, for the mos...
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Original price
$19.99
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Original price
$980.14
Original price
$19.99
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$980.14
$19.99
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$980.14
Current price
$19.99
Buyer's Guide
How a Bamboo Barrier Stops Rhizomes
Running bamboo spreads underground. Rhizomes travel horizontally, close to the surface, sending up new culms wherever they find space and light. That is why cutting shoots never solves the problem — the plant is already somewhere else by the time you see it. A bamboo barrier interrupts the travel rather than fighting the growth.
A rhizome barrier — the same product sold as bamboo barrier or a root barrier for bamboo — interrupts that travel. The material is high density polyethylene, and the important property is that the face is smooth. A rhizome pushing against it cannot get purchase, so instead of penetrating it turns and runs along the barrier. Provided the barrier is deep enough, continuous, and standing proud of the soil, the rhizome stays on your side of it. Nothing is poisoned and nothing is severed — the bamboo simply grows where you have allowed it to.
1
Smooth HDPE face
Rhizomes cannot grip or penetrate it, so they deflect sideways and run along the barrier instead of through it.
2
Two inches above grade
The top edge must stand proud of the soil. That exposed strip is how you spot a rhizome attempting to cross over the top before it establishes.
3
Continuous, taped seams
Overlap 4 feet and tape inside the overlap. A butted joint is an open door — rhizomes find seams.
4
Seasonal inspection
Walk the line each season and clip anything crossing the top edge. A barrier is a control system, not a one-off fix.
Choose Your Thickness
Every thickness is the same HDPE rhizome barrier with the same smooth face and the same 100-year in-ground rating. Thickness buys puncture resistance and rigidity — which is what matters against an aggressive runner, or where a failure would be expensive to put right.
30mil
Light duty
Lightly aggressive runners, non-invasive species, moisture protection around foundations and putting greens.
Most popular
40mil
The standard
3/64″ (1.19 mm). The recognised baseline for standard bamboo containment — many varieties are held by 40 mil at 24″ deep.
60mil
Heavy duty
Our recommendation for most aggressive bamboo. Enhanced puncture resistance, and the only thickness offered in depths up to 60″.
80mil
Extra heavy duty
For sites where bamboo overgrowth would cause real property damage and you want more margin than 60 mil.
100mil
Extreme duty
1/10″ (2.5 mm). The thickest we stock, with maximum puncture resistance, for the most demanding containment jobs.
We recommend 60 mil and thicker for most aggressive bamboo containment. Thinner material has its place, but not where a breach would mean lifting hardscape to fix it.
How Deep Do Bamboo Roots Go?
Most bamboo rhizomes travel in the top 12 inches of soil. That does not mean they cannot go deeper — certain species in certain soils, particularly sandy ones, send rhizomes considerably further down.
Because it takes a single rhizome to establish a new stand across your garden, the arithmetic is one-sided: going deeper than you strictly need costs a little more digging, while not going deep enough costs you the whole installation. Err deep.
- 24″ — the most commonly installed depth
- 30″ — the other common choice, and our suggestion where you are unsure
- 36″–48″ — aggressive species, sandy soils, valuable hardscape nearby
- Up to 60″ — available in 60 mil only, for the deepest installations
Trench to the barrier depth less about two inches, so the top edge finishes above grade. And consult a certified arborist about the growing habits of your species in your region — bamboo behaviour varies enormously by climate.
How to Install Bamboo Barrier
Six stages. The two that people get wrong are the above-grade edge and the taped overlap — and those are the two that decide whether the barrier holds.
- 1Dig the trench
Around the planting, or between the bamboo and what you are protecting. Remove topsoil and the heavier subsoil separately — you will backfill in that order. Avoid tight corners, which put stress on the material.
- 2Clear the trench
Take out rocks, roots, glass, metal and any other sharp debris. A smooth clean trench wall lets the barrier sit properly and prevents punctures.
- 3Set the barrier, two inches proud
The wall should stand out of the soil by at least two inches. This is not optional — plastic above grade is how you prevent rhizomes escaping over the top without you knowing.
- 4Overlap and tape any seam
Overlap by 4 feet and use double-sided seam tape inside the overlap, with several vertical strips placed within it, so rhizomes cannot breach the joint.
- 5Backfill subsoil first, and compact
Put the heavier subsoil back first and compact it to drive out air pockets, then finish with the lighter topsoil and pack it tight.
- 6Maintain it seasonally
Walk the barrier line each season and clip any rhizome attempting to cross the exposed top edge. Effective bamboo control needs this — installing the barrier is most of the job, not all of it.
Sizing & seam tape
Request a quote
Rolls are 100 feet, so measure your run and add 4 feet for every seam. Any run longer than one roll needs double-sided seam tape inside the overlap — order it with the barrier rather than discovering you need it mid-install.
What Else It Contains
Running bambooThe primary job — keeping a stand where you planted it.
Japanese knotweedSame principle, same material — an aggressive rhizome against a solid face.
Tree rootsThe same HDPE sheet is what we supply as tree root barrier.
FoundationsSolid sheet, so it resists both rhizomes and moisture against a wall.
Hardscape & pathsStop rhizomes lifting pavers, slabs and driveway edges.
Property linesKeep a stand on your side of the boundary, and out of a neighbour's garden.
Putting greensMoisture and root separation around a green — a 30 mil application.
Beds & plantersClean boundaries between planted areas and lawn.
Shipping and Ordering
Free ground shipping on every order, with no minimum. Transit times on the map are business days for standard ground service and are approximate — they depend on stock at the warehouse nearest you. If your order has to arrive by an exact date, call first and we will check stock before you commit.
Barrier ships on 100-foot rolls. Because the material cuts easily with a utility knife, ordering a single roll and trimming it to your run is usually simpler than trying to buy an exact length.
Why Buy Bamboo Barrier From Landscape Discount
Professional-grade HDPE onlyMade in the USA, UV-stabilised, rated for a century in the ground. No thin off-brand sheet sold as barrier.
Five thicknesses, honestly matchedWe will tell you when 40 mil is enough and when it is not. The wrong thickness is a false economy.
Free shipping, every orderNo minimum, on every thickness and every depth.
We answer the phoneA helpful, live person on (800) 524-4161, Monday to Friday, 5:00 am – 3:00 pm Pacific.
Bamboo Barrier FAQs
Which thickness do I need?
We recommend 60 mil or thicker for most aggressive bamboo. 40 mil is the recognised standard and holds many varieties at 24″ deep. 30 mil suits lightly aggressive runners, non-invasive species and moisture work. 80 and 100 mil are for sites where a breach would cause real property damage and you want more margin.
How deep do bamboo roots go?
Most rhizomes travel in the top 12 inches of soil, but certain species in certain soils — sandy ones especially — go considerably deeper. The most commonly installed barrier depths are 24″ and 30″. Since one rhizome is enough to start a new stand, going deeper than you need costs a little digging while going too shallow costs the whole installation.
How far should the barrier stick out of the ground?
At least two inches above grade. That exposed strip is essential — it is how you notice a rhizome trying to travel over the top before it establishes on the other side. Burying the barrier flush is the most common installation mistake.
How do I join two lengths?
Overlap the two pieces by 4 feet and use double-sided seam tape inside the overlap, placing several vertical strips within it. Never butt two edges together — rhizomes find seams, and a taped 4-foot overlap is what stops them.
Will a bamboo barrier stop bamboo completely?
It will contain it, provided the barrier is deep enough, continuous, and standing proud of the soil — and provided you walk the line seasonally and clip anything crossing the top edge. A barrier is a control system that makes bamboo manageable, not a fit-and-forget fix.
Can I use it for Japanese knotweed?
Yes. Knotweed spreads by rhizome in the same way bamboo does, and the same smooth HDPE face works against it. Use a heavier thickness — 60 mil or above — given how persistent knotweed is.
How much barrier do I need?
Measure the run you want to enclose or separate. Rolls are 100 feet, and you should allow an extra 4 feet for every seam where two rolls join.
Can I cut it on site?
Yes, with a standard utility knife. No heat welding, no special tools.
How long does it last in the ground?
Up to 100 years. It is UV-stabilised HDPE, so the strip standing above grade holds up as well as the buried sheet.
Should I plant the bamboo inside the barrier, or barrier off the area I want to protect?
Either works. Enclosing the planting gives full control and is the usual approach for a new stand. Running a linear barrier between an established stand and what you are protecting is the normal retrofit. Avoid tight corners in both cases, since they stress the material.
What does shipping cost?
Nothing — free ground shipping on every order, with no minimum.