Description
Building Sand (Bulk Bag or Loose Option)
Building sand, also known as soft sand, river sand or builders’ sand, is an aggregate widely used and appreciated in construction and hard landscaping due to its’ universal and functional properties.
Building sand is extracted from quarries or by marine dredging. It is made from distinguishable fine and even particles of silica quartz, coral, shell and minerals, which is essential while creating mortar.
This aggregate is mainly used in bricklaying but can be adapted for other applications like pointing applications, rendering, block and concrete paving and general building and landscaping use.
- BRICKLAYING:
Building sand, also called soft sand, is suitable for bricklaying. Its characteristic softness and small and regular particles make this aggregate an essential ingredient for making mortar (mixed with cement and water). It makes the binder more flexible, which allows an effortless and smooth application.
- BUILDING:
Builders’ sand is commonly used to add extra weight, bulkiness and strength while mixed with asphalt or cement.
Thanks to its’ characteristic softness, building sand is excellent for many applications like making fine grade plaster, pointing, mentioned above bricklaying and while producing precast concrete such as concrete blocks and concrete pavers.
- LANDSCAPING:
Because of the soft nature of building sand, we do not recommend using it for the slab and block laying as it can lead to the paving sinking.
Although building sand is not necessarily designated while laying block pavers, it is commonly used during the finishing stages of slab laying to fill gaps between pavers. This helps in locking and stabilizing individual slabs and prevents them from shifting.
Damp sand won’t be easy to brush in between the pavers or blocks, so we suggest finishing your paving or block paving project in sunny and dry weather.
- GARDENING:
Building sand can also be used while gardening. Mixing building sand with soil improves the water and air movement within the soil.
What is the difference between sharp and building sand?
Sharp sand (otherwise known as grit sand or concrete sand) is made of larger and more irregular particles, hence is harsher in texture and heavier compared to building sand.
While used to make mortar, sharp sand will increase its strength but won’t make it as flexible as soft sand.
Sharp sand is commonly used for floor screeds, concrete work and in hard landscaping while laying pavers. In addition to that, concrete sand is also used as a top dressing for lawns to increase drainage.
Our Building Sand in Bulk Bags comes in a minimum of 850kg weight.
Loose aggregates priced per 1 tonne. Loose option – collection only.
Features & benefits:
-
- Consistent quality and colour.
- Multi-purpose.
- Can be utilised in a variety of applications including bricklaying mortar.
- Suited for landscaping and building applications.