The Moltexo non-woven polyester (PET) geotextile is offered in three grammages: 100, 200, and 400 g/m². Choosing the wrong one can mean the sheet tears at the first ground movement, or that you overpay for reinforcement your project does not need. This comparison helps you decide which grammage fits your project, whether it is residential drainage, geomembrane protection, or medium-traffic road construction.
🎯 Choose your variant in 10 seconds
- If your case is gardening, landscaping, or layer separation under decorative gravel: go to 100 g/m² variant
- If your case is drainage, geomembrane protection in a pond, or light road construction: go to 200 g/m² variant
- If your case is medium-traffic roads, structural reinforcement, or protection in landfills: go to 400 g/m² variant
What to consider before choosing a variant
All three grammages share the same material (non-woven polyester filament), the same manufacturing structure, and the same format in rolls of 5.95 m × 100 m (595 m² per roll). The differences lie in thickness, mechanical strength, and application. These are the key criteria for the decision:
- Primary geotextile function: separation, filtration, drainage, protection, or reinforcement. Drainage and filtration call for light to medium grammages; protection and reinforcement call for heavy grammages.
- Nature of the contact soil: sandy, clean soils accept low grammages; rocky soils or soils with sharp edges require a higher grammage to avoid puncturing. If the geotextile goes under an HDPE geomembrane, the critical figure is CBR puncture resistance.
- Traffic load and depth: higher static or dynamic load above requires greater tensile strength. For pedestrian or garden traffic, 100–200 g/m² is sufficient; for light vehicle traffic, 200–400 g/m².
- Overlap and panel joints: for drains and filtration applications, the recommended minimum overlap is 30 cm, sewn or heat-fused; for separation under gravel, 15–20 cm is sufficient.
- Compatibility with other geosynthetics: geotextile is frequently combined with nodular drainage sheet, PE geocell, or geomembrane. Consider the complete system, not just the geotextile in isolation.
Variant 100 g/m² white: the lightweight option for gardening and separation
- The lightest and most economical in the range
- 0.8 mm thickness: unobtrusive under gravel or soil
- 2-person handling and easy cutting with a utility knife
- 0.05–0.3 mm opening: filters fines without clogging
- Low CBR puncture resistance (0.9 kN)
- Not suitable for geomembrane protection in rocky soils
- Not recommended under vehicle traffic
The 100 g/m² grammage is the entry-level option and is used primarily as a separation layer in gardening and landscaping: under decorative gravel, beneath patio tiles, in flower beds, and in small residential drains. Its role is to prevent layers from mixing (keeping gravel from sinking into the soil and soil from rising into the gravel). It is not designed to bear traffic or protect a geomembrane under pressure.
Variant 200 g/m² black: the standard for drainage and protection
- Tensile strength 12 kN/m: twice that of the 100 g/m²
- Grab strength 700 N: withstands point loads
- 1.6 mm thickness: effective protection against small stones
- CBR puncture 1.9 kN: suitable under geomembrane on prepared soils
- Still insufficient for heavy vehicle traffic
- On unscreened soils, consider moving up to 400 g/m²
The 200 g/m² grammage is the most widely used reference in light civil construction in the Dominican Republic. It works as protection under geomembrane in small to medium ponds and reservoirs, as a drainage layer in landscaped gardens, and as separation under pedestrian walkways and light-traffic roads. If your project includes an HDPE geomembrane, this grammage is a reasonable starting point unless the soil has many stones.
Variant 400 g/m² white: the heavy-duty option for reinforcement and civil works
- Tensile strength 24 kN/m: 4 times that of the 100 g/m²
- Grab strength 1,400 N: highest in the range
- 2.8 mm thickness: reinforced protection against sharp edges
- CBR puncture 3.9 kN: ideal under geomembrane in demanding applications
- The most expensive per m² in the range
- Over-specified for gardening or residential drains
- Heavier handling (bulkier roll)
The 400 g/m² grammage is the specification for demanding projects: geomembrane protection in municipal landfills, subbase reinforcement on secondary roads, separation in civil works with rocky soils, and applications where puncture risk is high. If your project does not fall into these categories, the 200 g/m² is likely more appropriate and economical.
Variant comparison table
All variants share the same material (non-woven polyester filament), the same elongation (30–80%), and the same roll format of 5.95 m × 100 m. Differences lie in grammage, thickness, mechanical strength, and color.
| Feature | 100 g/m² white |
200 g/m² black |
400 g/m² white |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal use | Gardening and separation | Drainage and protection | Reinforcement and civil works |
| SKU | 764389 | 709840 | 909095 |
| Type | Non-woven filament | Non-woven filament | Non-woven filament |
| Material | Polyester | Polyester | Polyester |
| Thickness | 0.8 mm | 1.6 mm | 2.8 mm |
| Tensile strength | 6 kN/m | 12 kN/m | 24 kN/m |
| Grab strength | 300 N | 700 N | 1,400 N |
| Tear resistance | 0.15 kN | 0.29 kN | 0.57 kN |
| CBR puncture | 0.9 kN | 1.9 kN | 3.9 kN |
| Elongation | 30–80 % | 30–80 % | 30–80 % |
| Equivalent opening | 0.05–0.3 mm | — | 0.05–0.3 mm |
| Color | White | Black | White |
| Format | 5.95 m × 100 m | 5.95 m × 100 m | 5.95 m × 100 m |
Use-case matrix → recommended variant
| If your case is… | Recommended variant |
|---|---|
| Separation under decorative gravel or patio tiles | → 100 g/m² white |
| Drainage in landscaped gardens or raised planters | → 100 g/m² white |
| Geomembrane protection in a pond or reservoir | → 200 g/m² black |
| Light road construction or pedestrian walkways | → 200 g/m² black |
| Medium-traffic roads or soils with stones and sharp edges | → 400 g/m² white |
| Geomembrane protection in a landfill or industrial reservoir | → 400 g/m² white |
When the geotextile goes under a geomembrane, the critical figure is not the grammage itself but the CBR puncture resistance. The difference between 1.9 kN (200 g/m²) and 3.9 kN (400 g/m²) is more than double. As a practical rule, use 200 g/m² on screened, clean soils and 400 g/m² on rocky or unscreened soils. That is the figure that prevents a stone from perforating the geomembrane years after installation.
Do not use 100 g/m² geotextile to protect a geomembrane. Its CBR puncture resistance (0.9 kN) is insufficient against medium-sized stones under hydrostatic pressure, and a single perforation destroys the entire waterproofing. For geomembrane protection, always start with 200 g/m² and move up to 400 g/m² if the terrain is not fully screened.
Frequently asked questions
Does the color difference (white vs. black) affect performance?
Functionally, mechanical properties are determined by grammage, not color. White makes it easier to see the geotextile during installation and to mark zones on site; black tends to blend in with dark soils and tolerates brief sun exposure during installation slightly better. Always choose by grammage and resistance, not by color.
How much overlap should I leave between rolls?
It depends on the application. For drainage and filtration, the recommended minimum overlap is 30 cm, sewn or heat-fused, to ensure continuity. For separation under gravel or in gardening applications, 15–20 cm without sewing is sufficient. If the geotextile goes under a geomembrane, maintain 30 cm and avoid wrinkles, as high points at the overlap concentrate stress on the upper sheet.
When should I use woven geotextile instead of non-woven?
Use non-woven (this product) when the dominant function is drainage, filtration, or protection: it lets water pass, retains fines, and absorbs puncture loads. Use woven geotextile when the main need is separation and reinforcement under medium or heavy traffic loads: it offers higher tensile strength for a similar density, but lower filtration capacity.
