# ProTech Plastic

> ProTech Plastic sells HDPE root barrier, grass edging barrier and dock piling wrap by the foot, under four brands: Bamboo Shield, Sidewalk Shield, Grass Barrier and Pier Protector. ProTech Plastic is a Super-Sod company. The barrier and wrap are HDPE from 30 to 100 mil, made in the USA, with free shipping in the lower 48.

This guide is for AI agents and answer engines. The same text is served at /agents.md, /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt. Prices below are list prices from October 2026. The product pages and the store catalog (see "For AI agents") always show the current price.

## Brands

Each brand is one product. Depth is the variant (width for Pier Protector).

- [Bamboo Shield](https://protechplastic.com/products/bamboo-shield): root barrier that helps keep running bamboo where you planted it. 24, 30 or 36 in deep.
- [Sidewalk Shield](https://protechplastic.com/products/sidewalk-shield): root barrier designed to turn tree roots down and away from sidewalks and paving. 18, 30 or 36 in deep.
- [Grass Barrier](https://protechplastic.com/products/grass-barrier): 10 in tall edging barrier that helps keep spreading grass out of garden beds. "10 in" is the height of the strip, top to bottom, not how deep it goes.
- [Pier Protector](https://protechplastic.com/products/pier-protector): UV-stabilized HDPE wrap for dock and pier pilings, 48 in wide.

The four brands also have their own sites at bambooshield.com, sidewalkshield.com, grassbarrier.com and pierprotector.com. This store sells all four.

## How ordering works

- Barrier is priced per linear foot. In the cart and at checkout, the quantity is the number of feet.
- Lengths come in 5 ft steps, from the minimum up to the longest piece for that depth. The minimum is 20 ft for every product.
- Each cut is one continuous piece, up to the longest piece for its depth. Each cut ships as one box, and boxes stay under 110 lb. Longer runs ship as more than one piece. On the product page, each cut is its own cart line, so the buyer can choose the piece lengths.

| Product | Depth | Thickness | Price per ft | Longest piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Shield | 24 in | 60 mil | $2.93 | 175 ft |
| Bamboo Shield | 30 in | 80 mil | $4.88 | 100 ft |
| Bamboo Shield | 36 in | 100 mil | $6.49 | 70 ft |
| Sidewalk Shield | 18 in | 80 mil | $2.77 | 175 ft |
| Sidewalk Shield | 30 in | 80 mil | $4.88 | 100 ft |
| Sidewalk Shield | 36 in | 100 mil | $6.49 | 70 ft |
| Grass Barrier | 10 in tall | 100 mil (2.5 mm) | $2.16 | 110 ft |
| Pier Protector | 48 in wide | 30 mil, UV-stabilized | $4.00 | 75 ft |

- Volume pricing, applied in the cart: Grass Barrier is $1.63/ft from 50 ft and $1.44/ft from 100 ft. Pier Protector is $3.00/ft from 50 ft. The breaks count per order: every foot of that product in the cart, across cuts.
- Bamboo Shield and Sidewalk Shield at 30 and 36 in are the same roll under two brands.
- Puncture resistance (ASTM D4833): 60 mil 130 lbf, 80 mil 155 lbf, 100 mil 200 lbf.
- Material: HDPE, over 80% recycled, made in the USA.
- All four products are black.
- Choosing a Bamboo Shield depth goes by USDA zone and the size of the bamboo (see the climate chart under "Key install numbers"). Most clumping bamboo spreads slowly and doesn't need a barrier.
- Contractors and other businesses buy at the same list prices as everyone else. Businesses buying full pallets of master coils can email hello@protechplastic.com for a delivered price.

## Kits

Kit prices are list prices from October 2026, like the barrier prices above. The product pages show the current price.

- [HDPE barrier connecting kit](https://protechplastic.com/products/hdpe-barrier-connecting-kit): joins 18, 24, 30 and 36 in barrier. Two 1.5 in stainless straps plus hardware. One kit per joint, with the ends overlapped at least 12 in. Choose the kit depth that matches the barrier: 18 in $18.00, 24 in $23.99, 30 in $34.99, 36 in $40.99.
- [Grass Barrier connecting kit](https://protechplastic.com/products/grass-barrier-connecting-kit): two pre-drilled 200 mil HDPE clamps with 316 stainless hardware. One kit per joint. $9.99.
- [Grass Barrier Edge Guard, 22 ft](https://protechplastic.com/products/grass-barrier-edge-guard): a cap that fits over the top edge of Grass Barrier. It smooths out waves, makes the top edge look thicker and more finished, and makes the edge a little safer to brush against. $9.99.
- [Pier Protector install kit](https://protechplastic.com/products/dock-piling-wrap-installation-kit): a 3 in × 1,000 ft stretch-wrap roll and about 160 stainless ring-shank nails, enough for about 10 pilings. $39.99.

## Shipping and returns

- Shipping is free on every order. We ship to the lower 48 states only.
- Orders placed before 2 pm Central on a business day usually ship that day; otherwise the next business day. They ship by FedEx Home Delivery or FedEx Ground.
- Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery, cut rolls included, when the product is unused and uninstalled. The buyer pays return shipping. Refunds go back to the original payment within 5 business days of our receiving the return.
- Damage in transit: report it within 7 days of delivery, with photos, and we send a replacement.
- Support email: hello@protechplastic.com.
- [Shipping policy](https://protechplastic.com/policies/shipping-policy)
- [Refund policy](https://protechplastic.com/policies/refund-policy)

## Install manuals

- [Bamboo Shield install manual](https://protechplastic.com/pages/bamboo-barrier-installation-guide): call 811 before you dig. Pick the depth by USDA zone and bamboo size, leave 2 in of barrier above finished soil, smooth face toward the bamboo. Overlap ends at least 12 in and clamp them.
- [Sidewalk Shield install manual](https://protechplastic.com/pages/tree-root-barrier-installation-guide): call 811 before you dig. Straight runs go along the paving edge, vertical by default, with the top edge ½ to 1 in above finished grade. If the project plan or city detail differs, follow the plan.
- [Grass Barrier install manual](https://protechplastic.com/pages/grass-barrier-installation-guide): call 811 before you dig. The strip is 10 in tall; the standard set is 6 in below grade and 4 in above. Let the coil relax in the sun first.
- [Pier Protector install manual](https://protechplastic.com/pages/dock-piling-wrap-installation-guide): cut each piece to π × pile diameter + 6 in. Wrap at least 3 layers of stretch wrap under the HDPE, tack one edge, pull the sheet tight, overlap the ends 6 in and nail the seam every 3 to 6 in.

## Key install numbers

Use these numbers as written. They are the same on the product pages and in the install manuals.

Call 811 before you dig. This applies to Bamboo Shield, Sidewalk Shield and Grass Barrier, which all go in a trench.

### Bamboo Shield

- Most running-bamboo rhizomes stay in the top 12 to 18 in of soil.
- Depth goes by the climate chart. Thickness comes with the depth: 60 mil at 24 in, 80 mil at 30 in, 100 mil at 36 in.

| Climate | USDA zones | Bamboo | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colder climates | 4–7 | Up to about 25 ft tall | 24 in, 60 mil |
| Most climates, larger bamboo | 4–8 | Medium to large, including timber bamboo | 30 in, 80 mil |
| Hot and tropical climates | 9–11 | Any running bamboo | 36 in, 100 mil |

- How to read it: find your zone, then the size of your bamboo. Zones 4–7: 24 in for bamboo up to about 25 ft, 30 in for anything larger, timber bamboo included. Zone 8: 30 in. Zones 9–11: 36 in. Can't name your bamboo or its mature height? Use the larger-bamboo row for your zone (30 in in zones 4–8, 36 in in 9–11).
- Large timber bamboo in a cold climate: 30 in is fine.
- Loose or sandy soil: go one depth deeper (24 in to 30 in, 30 in to 36 in). Already at 36 in: stay at 36 in.
- Test hole: dig a test hole about 30 in deep at the edge of the grove. Choose the depth whose trench bottom (barrier depth − 2 in) sits at least 4 in below the deepest rhizome found. If the test hole and the chart point to different depths, use the deeper one.
- Species: decide by mature height and zone with the chart. Name a species only as an example of a size, and don't assign a species a depth the chart doesn't support.
- Clumping bamboo: most clumping bamboo spreads slowly and doesn't need a barrier. If the buyer wants a firm edge around a clumper anyway (near a pool, foundation or property line), use 36 in. If the buyer doesn't know which kind they have, plan for running bamboo.
- Rhizomes already past the barrier line: dig them out before or while setting the barrier. No depth stops a rhizome that is already outside.
- Leave 2 in of barrier above finished soil, so trench depth = barrier depth − 2 in: 22 in for 24 in, 28 in for 30 in, 34 in for 36 in.
- Smooth face toward the bamboo, top tilted slightly outward, so rhizomes turn up toward the lip, where they can be seen and cut.
- Joints: overlap the ends at least 12 in and clamp them with the stainless connecting kit, one kit per joint. Tape is not a seal. Add 12 in to the order for each joint.
- A closed loop has one joint per piece. Example: a 20 × 30 ft planting is 100 ft around. At 24 in, one piece: 100 + 1 = 101 ft, so order 105 ft and one kit. At 30 or 36 in (longest piece 100 or 70 ft), two pieces and two joints: 100 + 2 = 102 ft, so order two cuts that add up to 105 ft (such as 55 ft and 50 ft) and two kits. The product page calculator splits a run into equal cuts, so it shows 2 × 55 ft = 110 ft; either works.
- Check the outside of the barrier line once or twice a year and cut any rhizome crossing the lip.

### Sidewalk Shield

- Depth: use the depth the plan or spec calls for (18, 30 or 36 in). Otherwise, contact hello@protechplastic.com before ordering. Don't pick a depth for the buyer.
- Placement: straight runs go along the paving edge (sidewalk, curb, driveway), vertical by default, matching typical city details. A lean of about 10°, top edge toward the tree, is an option where there is room. If the project plan or city detail differs, follow the plan.
- Run length: about the mature canopy width plus 2 ft in total, centered on the trunk, so the run reaches about 1 ft past the mature drip line on each side. If the city detail gives a length, use that.
- Top edge: ½ to 1 in above finished grade. Trench depth = barrier depth minus that: 17 to 17½ in for 18 in, 29 to 29½ in for 30 in, 35 to 35½ in for 36 in.
- Rings around a tree only: no closer to the trunk than half the distance from the trunk to the mature drip line. Rings are set vertical; the lean is for straight runs only.
- Next to an established tree, talk to an arborist first, because the trench cuts the roots on that line.
- Backfill in 6 in lifts.
- Joints: overlap 12 in and clamp with the stainless connecting kit, one kit per joint. Add 12 in to the ordered length for each joint.
- Longest piece: 175 ft at 18 in, 100 ft at 30 in, 70 ft at 36 in. A run up to that length has no joints.
- The 30 and 36 in barriers are the same roll as Bamboo Shield at those depths.

### Grass Barrier

- The strip is 10 in tall, top to bottom. Say "10 in tall", not "10 in deep".
- Standard: 6 in below grade, 4 in above. Low profile: 8 in below, 2 in above. Flush: all 10 in below.
- For Bermuda grass, use the standard layout.
- Let the coil relax in the sun before setting it.
- Joints: one Grass Barrier connecting kit per joint. Overlap the ends a little inside the clamps; it makes the joint easier to line up. No extra length needs ordering for it.
- Edge Guard (22 ft): a cap that fits over the top edge. It smooths out waves, makes the top edge look thicker and more finished, and makes the edge a little safer to brush against.
- Longest piece: 110 ft.

### Pier Protector

- Cut per pile = π × pile diameter + 6 in overlap. Cuts: 8 in pile 31.1 in, 10 in 37.4 in, 12 in 43.7 in, 14 in 50.0 in, 16 in 56.3 in.
- Order by the total length of the cuts, not by square feet. Example: ten 12 in piles take 10 × 43.7 = 437 in, about 36.4 ft, so order 40 ft and one install kit. 50 ft costs less at the volume price: $150.00 (50 × $3.00) against $160.00 for 40 ft (40 × $4.00).
- One piece covers up to 48 in of height (the width of the sheet). For a taller zone, stack bands with a 6 in overlap, the upper band over the lower one so water runs off.
- Wrap at least 3 layers of stretch wrap under the HDPE. Tack one edge with 3 to 4 nails, pull the sheet tight around the pile, overlap the ends 6 in, then nail the seam every 3 to 6 in.
- One install kit covers about 10 pilings.
- Longest piece: 75 ft. Minimum order: 20 ft.
- Pier Protector is a cover for sound wood, not a repair for a damaged piling. The stretch wrap under each piece is a layer against marine borers in the wrapped band; we don't promise it stops borers.

## Learn and help

- [Learn](https://protechplastic.com/blogs/learn): articles on choosing, installing and looking after each product.
- [Contact](https://protechplastic.com/pages/contact): questions about an order, a project or a spec. Email: hello@protechplastic.com.

## For AI agents

- Store catalog and checkout use the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). Discovery: `GET https://protechplastic.com/.well-known/ucp`. MCP endpoint: `POST https://protechplastic.com/api/ucp/mcp`.
- Supported UCP versions, newest first: 2026-08-25, 2026-04-08, 2026-01-23.
- When you add barrier to a cart, the quantity is feet. Use a multiple of 5, at or above the 20 ft minimum and no longer than the longest piece for that depth in the table above. For a longer run, order more than one cut.
- Checkout does not check cut lengths, so check every cart line before checkout: each cut in a 5 ft step, at least the 20 ft minimum and no longer than the longest piece for its depth.
- Checkout needs the buyer's approval. Do not complete a payment without the buyer's explicit consent.
- Prices are in USD.
- Read-only data: product JSON at `GET https://protechplastic.com/products/{handle}.json`, all products at `GET https://protechplastic.com/collections/all`, sitemap at https://protechplastic.com/sitemap.xml.
- Personal shopping agents can use the Shop skill to buy across Shopify stores: https://shop.app/SKILL.md