Polymeric sand blends fine sand with additives to lock pavers in place.
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Polymeric sand is a mixture of fine sand combined with other additives.
Learn how to use polymeric sand to secure pavers into a surface.
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wipe the Surface of the Pavers
Do not skip this important step.
Use aleaf bloweror broom to clean excess sand off the top of the pavers to avoid staining.
ensure sand is not blown out of the cracks between pavers.
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A fine brush can also work if you don’t have a leaf blower.
It can be tough to fill narrow joints with sand.
It can be challenging to get the right drainage on large projects.
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A professional can best handle a largepatioorwalkwayinstallation of pavers.
Buying Polymeric Sand
Home improvement stores and retailers selling pavers typically sell polymeric sand.
This product usually comes in 20- or 40-pound bags, so it is relatively easy to handle.
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It is marketed under different brand names depending on the manufacturer.
Polymeric sand comes in a variety of colors, usually in different shades of gray and beige.
Choose the color that goes best with your pavers.
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For example, a shade of gray looks good with flagstone pavers.
Curing can take weeks.
The sand’s instructions can help you determine how to handle drainage when watering the installation.
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Avoid making the sand flush with the top of the paver to eliminate this issue.
you might accidently under-fill a joint by brushing or blowing away too much sand from the cracks.
Put a leaf blower on the lowest setting to remove sand from the surface of the pavers.
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Improper Watering
Poor watering can cause failure of the installation.
You will need to add enough water to fully activate all the layers of the polymeric sand.
Overwatering, however, can cause the sand’s polymers to form a weak bond.
Unsecured Pavers
Incorrectly installed pavers can move around and impact the polymeric sand in the joints.
The sand can slightly flex to accommodate micro-movements.
However, it cannot handle larger movements of unsecured pavers.
Polymeric sand has a few disadvantages and needs proper installation, especially for drainage.
It can also heave and crack during deep freeze and thaw cycles.
It can stick to and stain surfaces, as well.
Lastly, it can only be used for narrow joints or the sand won’t set well.
Polymeric sand does not drain water.
However, drainage is required when the sand is curing so weeping holes may be necessary.
Weeping holes can later be filled with stone or other draining materials to keep the sand intact.
Polymeric sand lasts five to 15 years, depending on the installation and other factors.
