The best drainage fleeces, compared.
Top pick: Spudulica 1.1 m x 8 m trench fleece Best value: Spudulica Caisse 2.25 m x 8 m – 18 m2 of stated 100 gsm fleece at £37.55, about £2.09 per square metre, with 4.5 from 87 reviews. Updated October 2026.
Drainage fleece for a UK garden is a permeable non-woven geotextile. It lets water through and keeps soil fines out of clean stone, a perforated pipe or a soakaway crate. Householders usually buy a folded cut, often titled 100 gsm, for a French drain, a crate wrap, or a separation layer under a patio or an artificial-grass base. Woven weed fabric, horticultural frost fleece and a reptile hydro fleece solve different problems. This page compares ten amazon.co.uk listings. Nine are garden cuts, mostly Spudulica. The tenth is the Lucky Reptile HF-100, a terrarium sheet. Garden shelf prices run from £26.02 to £44.06. The terrarium sheet is £8.99 and is not a garden price. The top pick is 2.25 m x 5 m soakaway fleece, with the highest score in this comparison (9.3 out of 10, from 73 amazon.co.uk reviews). The best value is the Spudulica Caisse, 18 m2 at £37.55, with 4.5 from 87 reviews. A 100 gsm title is not a datasheet and it is not a BS EN 13252 certificate. None of these listings publishes an opening size or a puncture figure. How to choose construction, weight, width and area is in the [drainage fleece buying guide](/hub/weed-control/drainage-fleece/sub/drainage-fleece-buying-guide).
Drainage fleece for a UK garden is a permeable non-woven geotextile. It lets water through and keeps soil fines out of clean stone, a perforated pipe or a soakaway crate.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you lining?
This 1.1 m by 8 m cut is 8.8 m2 of white 100 gsm non-woven fleece at £29.55, and UK reviewers have used it in a French drain rather than under a wide patio. One described a 300 mm trench in clay, this fleece, about 20 mm rounded gravel and a perforated pipe. Another laid it over an 80 mm pipe and gravel, and a reviewer needed a sharp knife to cut it. The listing average is 4.9 stars from 45 reviews, the highest star line here and a much smaller sample than the 300-review Spudulica cuts. The technical row says plastic while the bullets say non-woven geotextile, so read the current page before you treat the material line as settled. It is the top pick for a short, narrow trench in this set. Forty-five reviews are not a laboratory test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short clay-soil trench where a narrow 100 gsm fleece, clean stone and a perforated pipe are the job.
Less suitable: A wide sub-base, a buyer who wants hundreds of reviews, or a specification that needs a datasheet.
Specifications
Common questions
What width is this piece?
The title and bullets state 1.1 m by 8 m, which is 8.8 m2, at 100 gsm. The narrow width suits a trench or border rather than a wide driveway in one sheet.
Have UK reviewers used it in a French drain?
Yes. One review describes a 300 mm trench in clay, this non-woven fleece, about 20 mm rounded gravel and a perforated pipe. Another used it over an 80 mm pipe and gravel. A reviewer also said a sharp knife was needed to cut it.
This folded piece is 2.25 m by 5 m, 11.25 m2, titled as 100 gsm non-woven membrane at £30.00, and the technical block does not name a brand or a model. The listing average is 4.7 stars from 73 reviews. UK review texts mention an underground soakaway box, crate wrap and a gravel bed, and one buyer reported a small shortfall that the supplier made up. Six written UK review texts sit against that count of 73, so the written detail is thinner than the star line suggests. Listed weight is 1.11 kg and the bullets call it a breathable drainage layer and a silt barrier. Without a brand on the specification table, a later replacement is harder to match. It can wrap a small soakaway if the size is right, and it is the wrong sheet if you need a named datasheet.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small soakaway wrap or gravel bed when an unnamed 100 gsm cut of this size is acceptable.
Less suitable: A specification that needs a named manufacturer, or a job where a short length would leave a gap.
Specifications
Common questions
Which brand sells this piece?
The technical block does not name a brand or model. The bullets describe a 100 gsm non-woven membrane cut to 2.25 m by 5 m, boxed and folded, with a listed weight of 1.11 kg.
What did UK reviewers use it for?
Reviews mention an underground soakaway box, soakaway crate wrap, and a gravel bed. One buyer reported a small shortfall that the supplier made up. Six UK review texts are recorded against a listing count of 73.
The Spudulica 1.1 m by 10 m piece is 11 m2 of 100 gsm non-woven fleece at £30.91, and that 1.1 m width is the one UK reviewers reach for when a French-drain trench is narrower than a patio. Across 319 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.6 stars, the largest review count among the garden cuts in this set. Reviewers describe it as tough but compliant and easy to cut, and it arrives as a boxed piece rather than on a roll. One UK review measured a piece short of the stated 10 m, so check the length before you cut it to the trench. The listing does not publish an opening size or a puncture figure, so a 100 gsm title is not a datasheet. It suits a short domestic trench or border, and it is the wrong buy if you need one sheet to cover a wide driveway.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short French drain or border where a 1.1 m width lines the trench without a wide surplus of fabric.
Less suitable: A wide patio in one sheet, or a job that needs a published opening size and puncture figure.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is this drainage fleece?
The listing states a pre-cut piece of 1.1 m by 10 m, which is 11 m2, at 100 gsm. The packed weight in the technical details is 1.4 kg. One UK review said a piece measured short of 10 m, so check the length before you cut it to a trench.
Is it described as non-woven?
Yes. The title and bullets call it 100 gsm non-woven fleece, thermally bonded, for filtration and separation such as French drains, trench lining and soakaway wrapping.
The Lucky Reptile HF-100 is a terrarium hydro fleece, model SLF100, at £8.99, with a title size of 100 by 50 cm. That is 0.5 m2 if the title size is the sheet itself. Across 237 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.6 stars, and UK reviewers say it is easy to cut and lets water through to a drainage layer under reptile substrate. The listing is for an artificial water table in a vivarium, stopping humus from entering that layer. It is not described as a French-drain or soakaway geotextile. gsm is not stated, the pack dimensions differ from the title size, and the colour row lists the sheet as black. At 100 g for the item it is a small sheet, not a garden roll. Buy it for a reptile enclosure. Buy a geotextile cut if the job is in the ground.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A reptile terrarium where you want a thin fleece between substrate and a drainage layer.
Less suitable: Any garden trench, crate wrap, path or patio.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a garden drainage fleece?
The listing is a reptile hydro fleece for terrariums. It is meant to sit with hydro drain substrate, stop humus entering the drainage layer, and help form an artificial water table. It is not described as a French-drain or soakaway geotextile.
What size is the sheet?
The title says 100 by 50 cm. Technical details list pack dimensions of 15 x 7.5 x 23.5 cm and a weight of 100 g. gsm is not stated. UK reviews say it is easy to cut and lets water through to the drainage layer.
This 2.25 m by 3 m cut is 6.75 m2 of 100 gsm non-woven fleece at £26.02, and the listing says that area wraps one 190 litre soakaway crate. A UK review used the same piece on two stacked Polystorm crates measuring 400 x 500 x 1000 mm, which is a tighter fit once you add overlap, so a larger stack needs more fabric. The 4.5-star line comes from 303 reviews. One reviewer said the cut edge does not fray the way black woven plastic does, and that it was easy to cut under stone chippings. The same review noted a white colour under light chippings, so the sheet can show if the cover is thin. There is no flow rate on the page. At 6.75 m2 it is a crate piece, not a trench-length roll.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Wrapping a single small infiltration crate when you can still buy a second piece for overlap.
Less suitable: A long trench, a multi-crate stack, or anyone expecting a weed-proof black sheet.
Specifications
Common questions
How many soakaway crates does 6.75 m2 cover?
The listing says this 2.25 m by 3 m piece is enough for one 190 litre storm crate. A UK review said the same area wrapped two stacked Polystorm crates measuring 400 x 500 x 1000 mm. Allow overlap, so a larger stack needs more fabric.
Is the cut edge said to fray?
One UK review says the cut edge does not fray the way black woven plastic does, and that the piece was easy to cut and lay under stone chippings.
This is the largest garden cut in the set, 2.25 m by 10 m and 22.5 m2, at £44.06, and the listing calls it a thermally bonded, fully porous landscape fleece for crate wrap and French drains. The specification table does not state gsm. A UK review says the fleece was advertised at 100 g per square metre and the piece supplied was stamped Lotrak 80, so the weight on this ASIN is unverified. The 4.5-star line is from 103 reviews. One reviewer of an artificial-grass job said to overlap by at least 150 mm and to order enough fabric for that. Item weight is listed at 2.2 kg. Buy it only after you have checked the stamp on the piece in front of you, and do not treat a marketplace title as 100 gsm proof.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large area only after you have confirmed the weight printed on the piece you receive.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs 100 gsm stated in the specification table, or a short trench that does not need 22.5 m2.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the weight given as 100 gsm?
The specification table does not state gsm. A UK review says the fleece was advertised at 100 g per square metre and the piece supplied was stamped Lotrak 80. Treat the weight as unverified on this ASIN.
How much overlap did a reviewer allow?
One UK review of this 2.25 m by 10 m piece, used under artificial grass, says you need to overlap by at least 150 mm and should order enough fabric for that.
The Caisse cut is 2.25 m by 8 m, 18 m2 of stated 100 gsm non-woven fleece, at £37.55, which works out at about £2.09 per square metre at the listed price. That is among the lower unit prices in this garden set for a piece whose weight is printed as 100 gsm. The 4.5-star average comes from 87 reviews. One UK reviewer used it so a patio sub-base did not disappear into wet clay, another wrapped perforated drainage pipes and cut the sheet with scissors, and a third laid it under MOT Type 1. Origin is stated as Belgium and the item weight is 1.8 kg. It still has no puncture or opening-size figure, and 87 reviews are a moderate sample. In this set it is the best value wider cut when you need area more than a trench-width strip.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A patio or light separation layer, or several crate faces, where you want more square metres for the money.
Less suitable: A narrow trench where most of a 2.25 m width is spare, or a trafficked base that needs a declared strength.
Specifications
Common questions
What area does this piece cover?
The listing states a cut piece of 2.25 m by 8 m, measured as 18 m2, at 100 gsm, with an item weight of 1.8 kg. The model name on the listing is Caisse. Origin is stated as Belgium.
Do the reviews mention clay or pipes?
One UK review used it so a patio sub-base did not disappear into wet clay. Another wrapped perforated drainage pipes so soil and stones stayed out of the holes, and cut it with scissors. A third used it under MOT Type 1.
The Powerroad piece is 2.25 m by 8.88 m, 20 m2 of 100 gsm non-woven fleece at £41.81, and the title also lists weed prevention, driveways and artificial-grass underlay. The 4.4-star average rests on 314 reviews, so the sample is large. One UK review said grass came through 4 to 6 inches of decorative stone within six weeks and would not recommend it as a weed membrane. Another reported tears in the first metre. The bullets claim that water passes and debris stays out, which is the job this kind of fleece is built for. The listing gives no puncture figure, and the weed line in the title is the claim those reviews contradict. Use it as a separation and filter sheet, and cover it, rather than as a light-blocking ground cover.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A soakaway or sub-base separation layer where you want about 20 m2 and will cover the fleece properly.
Less suitable: A weed barrier under bark or decorative stone, or a driveway that needs a published puncture strength.
Specifications
Common questions
What are the stated dimensions?
The bullets state a cut piece 2.25 m wide by 8.88 m long, 20 m2, at 100 gsm. Technical details list 880 x 225 x 0.1 cm and 2 kg.
Do UK reviews treat it as a weed membrane?
Weed prevention is in the title. One UK review said grass came through 4 to 6 inches of decorative stone within six weeks and would not recommend it as a weed membrane. Another review reported tears in the first metre.
This 2.25 m by 6 m piece is 13.5 m2, titled as 100 gsm non-woven fleece, at £30.85. A UK review says it arrives as one folded item, not on a roll as the pictures suggest, so leave room to unfold it before you measure the trench. The 4.4-star line is from 87 reviews. The listing names Vietnam as the country of origin and does not give an item weight in kilograms. The bullets call it fully porous and list soakaways, French drains and driveway underlay. There is no opening size, and a 2.25 m width is more than a narrow trench needs. It is a mid-size domestic cut when the stated weight and the price are enough for you. If cars will sit on the base, you still want a product that publishes a strength figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A modest soakaway or underlay where about 13.5 m2 of stated 100 gsm fleece is enough.
Less suitable: A long trench that wants a 1.1 m strip, or a buyer who needs a roll and a published strength figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this arrive on a roll?
No. A UK review says it comes as one complete folded item, not a roll as pictured. The bullets describe a 2.25 m by 6 m cut, 13.5 m2.
What weight does the title state?
The title states 100 gsm non-woven fleece. The listing names Spudulica as manufacturer and Vietnam as country of origin. Item weight in kilograms is not stated.
The 2.25 m by 4.4 m cut is 10 m2 of 100 gsm non-woven geotextile at £29.99, and the title lists soakaways, underlay and weed prevention. UK reviews do not agree on how substantial it feels. One calls it rather thin and suitable only for a lightly used path, not vehicular areas, while another calls it thick and easy to cut for small areas. The listing average is 4.1 stars from 47 reviews, the weakest star line in this set. It arrived as a bundle in a box rather than on a roll, and the listed weight is 997.9 g. No puncture figure is given, so the driveway wording in the title is not evidence that it will take a car. Keep it for a small, light job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small path or a short underlay where the load stays light and 10 m2 covers the area with overlap.
Less suitable: A driveway, a long trench, or anyone buying it mainly to stop weeds.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this piece described as strong enough for a driveway?
The title lists driveways. One UK review says it is rather thin and only suitable for a lightly used path, not vehicular areas. Another calls it thick and easy to cut for small areas. The listing does not give a puncture figure.
How is it packed?
A UK review says it arrived as a bundle in a box, not on a roll as pictured. The stated cut is 2.25 m by 4.4 m, 10 m2, at 100 gsm, with a listed weight of 997.9 g.
Ten drainage fleece listings on amazon.co.uk were scored from the UK star average, not from a laboratory test of opening size, permeability or puncture resistance. The score is that average times 20, so 4.9 becomes 98 and 4.1 becomes 82. A short sample and a missing datasheet are written on the product. They do not change that arithmetic. Price does not enter the score. Price decides only the best-value badge. A stated 100 gsm figure is a listing claim. The score ranks a listing inside this set. It is not a BS EN 13252 or BS 8661 approval.
Amazon stars
100%The published score is the amazon.co.uk star average times 20. A 4.9 becomes 98 and a 4.1 becomes 82. The star line and the review count on each product stay the UK listing figures.
Start with construction, then with the duty the gsm line is claiming, then with width and area after overlap, then with whether a datasheet exists. Price comes after those. The notes below follow that order for these ten amazon.co.uk listings. None of the scores is a laboratory test of permeability or puncture resistance.
Drainage fleece for a UK garden or a small drainage job is a permeable non-woven geotextile. It lets water through and keeps soil fines out of stone, a perforated pipe or a soakaway crate. You are not buying a light-blocking weed sheet. Geoworks points soakaways and sustainable drainage to non-woven fabric. A woven weed membrane is the wrong wrap, and an impermeable geomembrane is for a storage tank, not for infiltration. Frost fleece is a plant cover.
A woven weed membrane blocks light. It is a poor filter for a soakaway crate. Geoworks points soakaways to non-woven fabric. If the listing is a weed membrane, it is the wrong wrap.
UK reviews report grass growing through drainage fleece, including through several inches of decorative stone. The sheet lets water through. That is the opposite of a light-blocking ground cover.
On the 22.5 m2 Spudulica cut the specification table does not state gsm. A UK review reported a Lotrak 80 stamp against a 100 gsm advert. Check the stamp on the piece in front of you.
The first split is the fabric. Non-woven geotextile is the drainage product in this set: the nine Spudulica and unnamed garden cuts. The Lucky Reptile HF-100 is a terrarium hydro fleece, about 0.5 m2, and it does not belong in a trench. A woven weed membrane is a different comparison. An impermeable liner is for storage, not for a soakaway that has to infiltrate. Then read the weight as a claim, not as a standard. Eight garden listings print 100 gsm.
Width decides waste. A 1.1 m cut lines a narrow trench. The top pick is 1.1 m by 8 m, 8.8 m2, at £29.55. The 1.1 m by 10 m cut adds length, 11 m2 at £30.91, and one UK review measured a piece short of 10 m, so check it before you cut. A 2.25 m cut suits crate faces or a modest base. The 6.75 m2 piece is listed for one 190 litre crate. The unnamed 2.25 m by 5 m cut is 11.25 m2 at £30.00, with no brand on the specification table. The Caisse cut is 18 m2 at £37.55. Powerroad is 20 m2 at £41.81.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You need a narrow non-woven cut, clean stone and an outfall. The Spudulica 1.1 m by 8 m piece is 8.8 m2 at £29.55. UK reviews describe it in a clay trench with rounded gravel and a perforated pipe. The 4.9 comes from 45 reviews.
The 2.25 m by 3 m cut is 6.75 m2 at £26.02, and the listing says that area wraps one 190 litre crate. A UK review used it on two stacked crates, which is tight once you add overlap. Buy a second piece if the stack is larger.
You want more square metres than a trench strip. The Caisse cut is 18 m2 of stated 100 gsm fleece at £37.55, about £2.09 per square metre, with 4.5 from 87 reviews. It still has no puncture figure.
The top pick is 2.25 m x 5 m soakaway fleece, with the highest score in this comparison (9.3 out of 10, from 73 amazon.co.uk reviews). The best value is the Spudulica Caisse, 18 m2 at £37.55, with 4.5 from 87 reviews and a stated 100 gsm. The other eight have no award. The Lucky Reptile HF-100 is a terrarium sheet, not a garden geotextile. None of these scores is a laboratory test.
Spudulica Caisse 2.25 m x 8 m
18 m2 of stated 100 gsm fleece at £37.55, about £2.09 per square metre, with 4.5 from 87 reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the product listings used for this page. gsm, permeability and puncture lines are listing claims or review notes, not a test run for this page.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing figures used for this page. We did not lab-test these drainage fleeces.
