Difference between revisions of "Sand"

Latest revision as of 15:17, 6 April 2018

This article needs expert input.

Sand may be the most widely used building material of all.

Sand is mainly tiny particles of stone, usually with some clay & shell too. It comes in different varieties, each one better for certain tasks. normally another sand type can be used instead if necessary.

Types of Sand

Sharp sand & builder's sand are the most popular sands. Both are used for brickwork and bedding paving. Cue argument about what should be used for what...

Sand has a density of apx 2.2kg per litre.

Builder's Sand

General purpose building sand
much less pointed grain shape than sharp sand
dredged from the sea bed
contains a little clay
tends to contain salt
Red sand with lime can produce a light pink mortar (gently brushing the surface when 'green' (softly set) exposes more of the red sand)

Sharp Sand

sharper particle shape than builder's sand
contains larger particles too

Kiln Dried Sand

aka Jointing sand
Minimal clay content for good stability
Dried sand flows well with no stickiness
Used for filling block paving joints

Silver Sand

Fine sand
Used in final plaster coat
Light iron-free colour

Plastering Sand

Colours

Sand used for DIY is red, yellow or near white. Choosing different colours can affect the final appearance with light coloured mortar mixes such as lime mortar, which is near white.

Other sand colours also exist, such as green, black, white, orange. Black sand is available sold as a sand blasting medium. It's ground low silica slag.

Uses

Concrete

Mortar

Mortar Mixes

Plaster

Plastering Beginner's Guide

Paving

Sand forms the base of a lot of block paving & slab paving. It needs to be compacted to form a stable base, preferably with a whacker plate. Sharp sand is preferred as the particles lock together more than builder's sand.

Water flowing through sand can erode it over time, even if the sand is compacted and weighted. If this is liable to be a problem, water erosion can be prevented by a minimum cement addition of 1:12 by volume.

Well dried sand is easier to use to fill paving joints, damp sand resists falling down the joints.

Sandpits

For kids' sandpits choose clay free yellow or white sand to avoid staining. Some stores sell play sand.

Soil Amendment

Sand is added to clay soil for greater drainage, and to help break up clay lumps.

Sandblasting

Sand is the cheapest abrasive for blasting. Its downsides are that it only works well blasted once, and some sand releases fine silica dust into the air when blasted, which can cause a lung health issue if used day in day out.

It's also possible to sandblast using a pressure washer. This is sometimes done when no more suitable equipment is available.

Sandbags

Sandbags are primarily used for flood protection. They're also used for building in some countries.

Other uses

Cob
Textured paint
Sprinkling on ice to give grip
Metal casting
Water filtration
As a filler in resins, fillers etc. The result is not sandable.

Suppliers

Nearly all building material stockists sell sand. It can also be obtained from garden centres.

Alternatives

Occasionally alternatives to sand are used, such as stone waste or crushed glass. See Mortar Mixes for more.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[image:Kiln dried sand 3701-7.JPG|right|250px]]
+'''This article needs expert input.'''
 '''Sand''' may be the most widely used [[:Category:Materials|building material]] of all.
-Sand is tiny stone particles, mostly quartz. It comes in different varieties, each one optimal for certain tasks. In most cases another sand type could be used instead if necessary.
+Sand is mainly tiny particles of stone, usually with some clay & shell too. It comes in different varieties, each one better for certain tasks. normally another sand type can be used instead if necessary.
-Today the majority of building sand is dredged from the sea bed.
 ==Types of Sand==
 Sharp sand & builder's sand are the most popular sands. Both are used for brickwork and bedding paving. Cue argument about what should be used for what...
+Sand has a density of apx 2.2kg per litre.
 ===Builder's Sand===
-* General purpose 'soft' sand
+* General purpose building sand
-* May contain some clay
+* much less pointed grain shape than sharp sand
-* For kid's sandpits choose yellow sand, red can stain
+* dredged from the sea bed
-* Red sand with lime can produce a light pink mortar (gently brushing the surface when 'green' (softly set) exposes more of the red sand)
+* contains a little clay
+* tends to contain salt
+* Red sand with lime can produce a light pink [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] (gently brushing the surface when 'green' (softly set) exposes more of the red sand)
 ===Sharp Sand===
-* Grittier than builder's sand
+[[image:Sharp sand 5444-2.jpg|right|190px]]
+* sharper particle shape than builder's sand
+* contains larger particles too
 ===Kiln Dried Sand===
@@ Line 30: / Line 38: @@
 ===Silver Sand===
 * Fine sand
-* Used in final plaster coat.
+* Used in final plaster coat
 * Light iron-free colour
+===Plastering Sand===
+==Colours==
+Sand used for DIY is red, yellow or near white. Choosing different colours can affect the final appearance with light coloured mortar mixes such as lime mortar, which is near white.
+Other sand colours also exist, such as green, black, white, orange. Black sand is available sold as a sand blasting medium. It's ground low silica slag.
+==Uses==
+===Concrete===
+===Mortar===
+[[Mortar Mixes]]
+===Plaster===
+[[Plastering Beginner's Guide]]
+===Paving===
+Sand forms the base of a lot of block paving & slab paving. It needs to be compacted to form a stable base, preferably with a whacker plate. Sharp sand is preferred as the particles lock together more than builder's sand.
+Water flowing through sand can erode it over time, even if the sand is compacted and weighted. If this is liable to be a problem, water erosion can be prevented by a minimum cement addition of 1:12 by volume.
+Well dried sand is easier to use to fill paving joints, damp sand resists falling down the joints.
+===Sandpits===
+For kids' sandpits choose clay free yellow or white sand to avoid staining. Some stores sell play sand.
+===Soil Amendment===
+Sand is added to clay soil for greater drainage, and to help break up clay lumps.
+===Sandblasting===
+Sand is the cheapest abrasive for blasting. Its downsides are that it only works well blasted once, and some sand releases fine silica dust into the air when blasted, which can cause a lung health issue if used day in day out.
+It's also possible to sandblast using a [[Pressure washer FAQ|pressure washer]]. This is sometimes done when no more suitable equipment is available.
+===Sandbags===
+Sandbags are primarily used for flood protection. They're also used for building in some countries.
-===Silt===
+===Other uses===
-* Consists of the same material as sand, but finer.
+* Cob
-* Not widely used in [[:Category:Construction|construction]]
+* Textured [[paint]]
-* Sometimes used as a sand substitute
+* Sprinkling on ice to give grip
+* Metal casting
+* [[Water]] filtration
+* As a filler in [[Adhesive|resins]], [[filler]]s etc. The result is not sandable.
 ==Suppliers==
-The great majority of building material outlets sell sand. It can also be obtained from
+Nearly all building material stockists sell sand. It can also be obtained from garden centres.
-* garden centres
-* ...
 See also [[Suppliers]]
@@ Line 49: / Line 104: @@
 ==Alternatives==
-For alternatives to sand see [[Mortar Mixes]]
+Occasionally alternatives to sand are used, such as stone waste or crushed glass. See [[Mortar Mixes]] for more.
 ==See Also==
-* [http://www.pavingexpert.com/aggs01.html#Scalpings Aggregates]]
+* [http://www.pavingexpert.com/aggs01.html#Scalpings Aggregates]
 * [[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]]
 * [[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]]