How large of a gap can you fill with polymeric sand?

How Big a Gap Can Polymeric Sand Fill? Polymeric sand works best to fill gaps between 1/4 inch and 1.5 inches wide. Wider joints will require more time to harden.

Can you apply polymeric sand twice?

First, you run the danger of disturbing your base/shifting your pavers. Secondly, you will have to wait a day while the surface dries before you can reapply your new sand. Remember polymeric sand and moisture don't mix until after it's in the joints!

How deep can you put polymeric sand?

Polymeric Sand can be used in pavers with false joints that are at least ¼” deep and ¼” wide. Specialized products such as TechniSeal SmartSand are designed for these applications. However, special care must be taken while cleaning off excess dust from pavers, especially if a leaf blower is used.

When should you not use polymeric sand?

#6 - Too Narrow or Too Wide Joints

The sand is simply pushed out of the joints. This is why we don't recommend using polymeric sand on extremely narrow joints. Similarly, too-wide joints can lead to washout, because they allow too much water flow during the activation process.

Can you put too much sand under pavers?

The amount of sand you use can make or break your paver installation, so it's best that you use no more than the recommended 1 inch. Here's why: A sand layer that is too thick can create waves in your patio during the installation. Pressing pavers into a thick sand bed may result in misalignment and a messy look.

How To Use Polymeric Sand for Pavers

How thick should polymeric sand be?

Polymeric Sand needs a minimum depth of 4 cm (1 ½”) to be effective. Use a power washer to empty the joints. If there is already polymeric sand between the pavers, soak the sand to soften it up before emptying the joints.

Will water drain through polymeric sand?

Polymeric sand, if installed properly, will harden to lock you pavers in place and create a more effective weed and insect deterent while still allowing water to drain freely.

Will polymeric sand stop pavers from moving?

If you're looking for a way to improve the stability of your paver patio or walkway, polymer sand is a great option. Polymeric sand helps to hold the pavers in place and prevents them from shifting or moving.

Can you add another layer of polymeric sand?

If you are installing polymeric sand in an existing job, it's important to uniformly remove at least an inch of the joint depth before reinstalling polymeric sand.

Why does polymeric sand fail?

Polymeric sand cures by drying. And in order to fully set, it needs to dry out completely. If your polymeric sand didn't harden up, it's pretty much guaranteed there's a moisture issue. If the joints remain wet after the installation, they will remain soft until they dry.

Which polymeric sand is best?

What happens if it rains on polymeric sand?

Installing polymeric sand on a damp or wet surface could cause the sand and polymers to stick to the surface and become difficult to remove. After installation, a hard rain on polymeric sand that has not fully set up could result in polymeric sand all over the top of the pavers.

How long does it take for polymeric sand to harden?

A minimum of 24 hours drying time is required prior to allowing significant foot traffic and 48 hours for vehicular traffic on the paver surface. Polymeric sands are designed to soften and re-heal.

Can you use polymeric sand to fill driveway cracks?

Sweep the polymeric joint sand into the cracks between the pavers as you would with other materials. It is recommended that you do this three times to ensure that all of the joints are properly topped off. This will increase weed, insect and water protection.

How often should you apply polymeric sand to pavers?

If you chose polymeric sand, even if exposed to the same circumstances as regular sand, it may last up to ten years (or more). Note that to increase durability, you can apply a sealer over pavers in both cases (polymeric and regular sand).

What can I use instead of polymeric sand?

When looking for alternatives to polymeric sand, you will also want to find high quality materials. There are other products, such as EnviroSAND, EnviroSTONE and EnviroPATH on the market that are able to stop water erosion from occurring.

Should you seal pavers before polymeric sand?

Traditionally, concrete paver manufacturers have recommended waiting at least 90 days after polymeric sand installation to apply a protective sealant to a paver surface.

Can I put 2 inches of sand under pavers?

Sinking pavers

The sand should be 1 inch thick when laid. This is just the right amount of sand for the pavers to nestle in once they have been compacted. When too much sand is used, the pavers can sink further than they should as the support from the subbase is too low down.

How thick should sand be under pavers?

Paver sand holds the pavers in place and allows you to adjust them. The final paver sand depth needs to be 1 inch and you need to account for sand filtering into the paver base and into the joints between the pavers. Make your calculations using a sand depth of 2 inches or 0.1667 feet.