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In most cases, people think of sand as a nuisance. It’s course, it’s gritty, when you go to the beach it gets all over your car and it’s impossible to get rid of. But even sand has a part to play in this life – especially if you have pavers installed somewhere on your commercial or residential property.

That’s because sand plays a very important role in binding your pavers together at the joints. Without paver sand, your paver joints would crumble and the paver stones themselves would start to shift and drift away from one another – leaving an ugly and potentially dangerous mess.

And that’s why paver sand exists. But what exactly is paver sand? Well in the simplest terms: it’s really just sand. To get a bit more technical, it is a mixture of fine sand with an additive such as silica to make it more course and binding. But in the following post, we will get into the details of what this type of sand is and why it’s so important. Let’s get started.

What is the Purpose of Paver Sand?

The joint compound used to set paver stones and bricks is naturally porous. These pours, if left unfilled, would develop fissures, allow moisture to seep through them, allow weeds to grow between pavers and would eventually crack the joint compound itself. The fine paver sand is essentially used to fill in these pours and make the joint compound more stable and resilient.

Is Paver Sand the Same as Playground Sand?

In short, no. If you are thinking about driving out to your local park or school and taking a handful of sand from the playground to spread over your pavers, get that thought out of your head. While it may not be directly harmful to your pavers, it will be ineffectual. The sand granules used to fill playgrounds are extra-fine and much too fine to fill paver joints. The playground sand would simply wash away and deposit in other areas of your yard.

What about Mortar Sand?

We get asked this question a lot. Many DIYers get confused by the difference between mortar sand and paver sand. But mortar sand is not appropriate for filling in paver joints because it tends to clump together in an inconsistent manner. This can prevent drainage and leave some joint pores overfilled and some under filled.

Should you use Polymeric Sand?

Polymeric sand does have some advantages. It contains strong binding agents that are more effective for fortifying the paver joints. It even comes in a variety of colors. But using polymeric sand can be tricky. If you aren’t very careful, it can actually stain your pavers and impart an unpleasant residue on them. Polymeric sand should be used by professionals…

Professional Paver Sanding

The best way to extend the life of your pavers is to hire professionals like us here at Century Painting, Give us a call at; (704) 245-9409. We have skill and experience to spare so hire us for paver sanding and paver sealing!