Questions?
(800) 524-4161
(800) 524-4161
BioBarrier
Typar · Root Control Fabric
BioBarrier
Stop the Root. Not the Tree.
A porous fabric carrying time-release nodules that create a treated “no root” zone in the soil. Root tips entering it stop dividing — nothing is severed, and the tree stays healthy.
- Guaranteed 15 years
- Vertical, horizontal or surround
- Fixing pins included · ships free
- 15yrGuaranteed service life
- 6Roll widths, 12″ to 58.5″
- 17.5%Trifluralin, non-systemic
Choose Your Width
BioBarrier Root Control Fabric — A Chemical Barrier, Not a Wall
Every other root barrier is a physical wall. Roots reach it and get deflected around or under. Typar BioBarrier works on a different principle: time-release nodules bonded to a flexible geotextile release Trifluralin slowly into the surrounding soil, creating a treated zone on both sides of the fabric. A root tip entering that zone stops dividing and grows elsewhere. Roots outside the zone carry on normally, nothing is cut, and because the herbicide is non-systemic it is never taken up and translocated through the plant.
Because it is fabric rather than panel, it also goes where a rigid barrier cannot — wrapped around a pipe, laid flat under a slab or container, or shaped to an irregular excavation. It is the only root barrier that will stop roots escaping through the drain holes of a pot. Six widths from 12″ to 58.5″, sold by the roll with fixing pins included, guaranteed for 15 years, made in the USA. Every order ships free.
Original price
$750.05
-
Original price
$750.05
Original price
$750.05
$750.05
-
$750.05
Current price
$750.05
Biobarrier 12" x 102 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213014 The narrowest roll in the range — 12" wide by 102 feet of Typar BioBarrier root cont...
View full details
Original price
$750.05
-
Original price
$750.05
Original price
$750.05
$750.05
-
$750.05
Current price
$750.05
Original price
$1,045.55
-
Original price
$1,045.55
Original price
$1,045.55
$1,045.55
-
$1,045.55
Current price
$1,045.55
Biobarrier 19.5" x 102 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213015 19.5" wide by 102 feet of Typar BioBarrier root control fabric — the step up from th...
View full details
Original price
$1,045.55
-
Original price
$1,045.55
Original price
$1,045.55
$1,045.55
-
$1,045.55
Current price
$1,045.55
Original price
$1,301.60
-
Original price
$1,301.60
Original price
$1,301.60
$1,301.60
-
$1,301.60
Current price
$1,301.60
Biobarrier 24" x 100 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213016 24" wide by 100 feet of Typar BioBarrier root control fabric. Two feet of treated de...
View full details
Original price
$1,301.60
-
Original price
$1,301.60
Original price
$1,301.60
$1,301.60
-
$1,301.60
Current price
$1,301.60
Original price
$1,499.94
-
Original price
$1,499.94
Original price
$1,499.94
$1,499.94
-
$1,499.94
Current price
$1,499.94
Biobarrier 29" x 102 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213017 29" wide by 102 feet of Typar BioBarrier root control fabric — a deeper treated zone...
View full details
Original price
$1,499.94
-
Original price
$1,499.94
Original price
$1,499.94
$1,499.94
-
$1,499.94
Current price
$1,499.94
Original price
$1,887.56
-
Original price
$1,887.56
Original price
$1,887.56
$1,887.56
-
$1,887.56
Current price
$1,887.56
Biobarrier 39" x 102 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213018 39" wide by 102 feet of Typar BioBarrier root control fabric. Over three feet of tre...
View full details
Original price
$1,887.56
-
Original price
$1,887.56
Original price
$1,887.56
$1,887.56
-
$1,887.56
Current price
$1,887.56
Original price
$2,696.01
-
Original price
$2,696.01
Original price
$2,696.01
$2,696.01
-
$2,696.01
Current price
$2,696.01
Biobarrier 58.5" x 102 ft. - Root Control Fabric - Typar
Typar · BioBarrier Root Control Fabric · 213019 The widest roll in the range — 58.5" by 102 feet of Typar BioBarrier root control fa...
View full details
Original price
$2,696.01
-
Original price
$2,696.01
Original price
$2,696.01
$2,696.01
-
$2,696.01
Current price
$2,696.01
Buyer's Guide
How BioBarrier Works
Also sold and searched for as bio barrier, root control fabric, root barrier cloth, root barrier fabric or simply a root stopper, Typar BioBarrier is the odd one out among root barriers — it is the only chemical option rather than a physical one. Small nodules bonded to a porous geotextile release Trifluralin slowly into the soil around the fabric. That creates a treated “no root” zone extending on both sides, and a root tip that enters the zone stops dividing and grows in another direction instead.
Two consequences follow, and both matter on site. Protection does not depend on a root physically touching the barrier, which is why the fabric can be thinner and more flexible than a rigid panel. And because the herbicide is non-systemic, it acts locally on dividing root tips and is never taken up and moved through the plant — nothing is severed and overall tree health is unaffected. The fabric itself stays porous throughout, so water, air and nutrients continue to pass through it.
1
Time-release nodules
Herbicide is held in nodules bonded to the fabric and released slowly, which stretches effectiveness across fifteen years rather than one season.
2
A zone, not a surface
The treated zone extends into the soil either side of the fabric, so roots are turned before they reach it. Roots outside the zone grow normally.
3
Root tip division stops
Trifluralin acts on dividing cells at the growing tip. The root simply stops extending in that direction.
4
The tree is unharmed
Non-systemic, so it is not translocated through the plant. Nothing is cut, and the fabric still passes water, air and nutrients.
Choose Your Roll Width
Every roll is the same fabric with the same nodule loading and the same fifteen-year guarantee. Width sets how deep the treated zone runs — deeper installs and more aggressive species call for a wider roll.
12″
102 ft roll
Shallow trenches, pipe wraps, under containers
19.5″
102 ft roll
Sidewalk edges and light paving
24″
100 ft roll
General hardscape and street tree work
29″
102 ft roll
Deeper trenches, foundations, utility runs
39″
102 ft roll
Vigorous species, structural protection
58.5″
102 ft roll
Deepest installs, dams, landfill caps
The 24″ roll is 100 feet where every other width is 102. Typical uses are a guide only — root depth varies with species, soil, climate and rainfall.
Three Ways to Install It
This is where a fabric beats a panel. The same roll handles all three orientations, and it shapes to whatever the excavation looks like.
Vertical
The standard install. The fabric stands in a trench between the tree and whatever you are protecting, creating a treated zone through the full depth.
Horizontal
Laid flat under a slab, a pathway or a container, so roots cannot climb up into the structure from below.
Surround
Wrapped around a root ball, a pipe or a utility run, giving protection on every side without a single rigid joint.
Where BioBarrier Gets Used
Sidewalks & pathsStop slab heave and the trip hazards that follow.
Foundations & damsKeep structural roots away from footings and embankments.
Around pipesWraps the pipe itself — no rigid barrier can do this.
Septic & drain fieldsKeeps root tips off joints and perforations.
Around treesLinear runs or a full surround of the root ball.
Under pots & containersStops roots escaping through drain holes into the ground.
Roadways & kerbsProtect the pour and the kerb line from lifting.
Substations & fencingDocumented in both case studies below.
Product Selector
Typar's selector chart cross-references application against roll width — the fastest way to sanity-check a width before you order.
Storage matters with this product more than any other barrier we sell. BioBarrier is herbicide-based, so its potency depends on how it has been kept. Stock left outside on a pallet in the sun can arrive partially exhausted, and you will not know until years later when roots come through. Ours is stored indoors in a cool, dry area. Keep yours the same way until the day it goes in the ground.
- Cut easily to size with no special tools
- Fixing pins included with every roll
- Join rolls with the sod pins supplied or construction adhesive
- Made in the USA
BioBarrier in the Ground
Guides, Case Studies and Safety Data
BioBarrier or a Physical Barrier?
We stock all three types of root barrier. BioBarrier is the right answer in some situations and the wrong one in others.
Use BioBarrier when
- The shape is awkward — around a pipe, over a drain field, an irregular excavation
- You need to lay it flat, or under a pot to stop roots at the drain holes
- You want protection that does not depend on a root touching the barrier
- The fabric needs to stay porous to water, air and nutrients
Use a physical barrier when
- A herbicide is not permitted on the site or in the spec
- You need a service life measured in decades rather than fifteen years
- You are in a tight concrete cutout and need vertical ribs to drive roots down — use panels
- You are running a long perimeter and want the lowest cost per foot — use the HDPE roll
Not sure? Compare all three root barrier types side by side, or call (800) 524-4161.
BioBarrier FAQs
How does BioBarrier differ from a physical root barrier?
A physical barrier is a wall that deflects roots around or under it. BioBarrier creates a chemical treated zone in the soil either side of a porous fabric, and root tips entering that zone stop dividing. Nothing is severed, and water, air and nutrients still pass through the fabric.
Will BioBarrier harm my tree?
No. Trifluralin is non-systemic, so it is not taken up and translocated through the plant. It acts only on dividing cells at root tips inside the treated zone. Roots outside the zone continue growing normally and overall plant health is unaffected.
How long does BioBarrier last?
Guaranteed for 15 years. The herbicide sits in time-release nodules bonded to the fabric, which spreads effectiveness across that period rather than a single season.
Which width should I choose?
Width sets how deep the treated zone runs. Narrow rolls suit shallow trenches, pipe wraps and under-container work; wider rolls suit deeper trenches, foundations and vigorous species. Use the width cards and the Typar selector chart above as a starting point.
Can it be laid flat rather than vertically?
Yes. It installs vertically in a trench, horizontally under a slab or container, or wrapped as a surround around a root ball or pipe. That flexibility is the main practical advantage over a rigid panel.
Does the herbicide leach into groundwater?
Trifluralin has extremely low water solubility, which limits leaching, and it biodegrades in soil. It is non-systemic and acts locally on root tips within the treated zone. The MSDS is in the documentation section above.
How should BioBarrier be stored?
Cool and dry, out of direct sunlight, until the day it goes in the ground. Heat and sun exposure degrade the herbicide, and a partially exhausted roll will not deliver the service life you paid for. Our stock is kept indoors for exactly this reason.
How do I join two rolls?
With the sod pins included in the box, or with construction adhesive. Fixing pins ship with every roll.
Does it stop roots getting into pipes and septic fields?
That is one of its strongest applications. Wrapped around a pipe or laid over a drain field, the treated zone keeps root tips away from the joints and perforations where they would otherwise get in.
Is it authentic Typar BioBarrier?
Yes. We only sell genuine Typar BioBarrier and never ship look-alike or imitation product. You get what you ordered, every time.
What does shipping cost?
Nothing — shipping is free on every order. BioBarrier orders placed before 12:00 noon PST ship the same day, Monday to Friday.