Polymeric sand is a newer product that is creating quite a buzz among homeowners, contractors, and material suppliers. When concrete paving brick was first introduced to the market in the early 1980s, the joints between the bricks were just filled with sand. Homeowners soon realized that weeds were growing quickly, and any cleaning efforts would wash away the sand. Polymeric sand solves this problem as it is best described as outdoor grout; it is a blend of different colored sand grains and chemical binders or glues that are activated by water.
When the polymers dry and cure, the sand between the joints becomes very hard and cements the pavers together. Because it cements the pavers together, weeds will not grow in between plus, the sand does not wash away when you clean your paving. Of course, it is a little more costly than normal sand, but it is worth every penny because it works much better than sand and doesn’t need to be replaced or filled in.
How To Install The Polymeric Sand
When buying polymeric sand, it is important that you get the sand in a mixture of different colors that will either match or compliment the color of your paving. Once you have bought the sand, clean your paving thoroughly and allow it to dry. Cleaning removes any weeds that may have grown and removes sand if you had previously used any. Once the paving is dry, pour the polymeric sand into a zip-lock bag and snip one of the tips. Using the snipped tip end, pour the sand directly onto the spaces/cracks; this may seem like an extremely tedious approach, but it is the best because it allows the sand to get directly into the spaces. Ensure that your application is not too heavy and only stays in between the spaces.
Simple Clean Up
Once the sand is in place, hose down the paving using light pressure so as to not wash it out before it sets. Ensure that you get every part wet so that the sand sets well. With time, you will notice that weeds do not grow as often as they used to, if at all.
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