Filling paving stone joints is the final step to a beautiful patio, walkway or driveway. Not all joint fillers are created equal.
In the past, natural sand was used to fill joints. Although sand works, it leads to issues down the road such as joint erosion and weed growth.
Over the past couple of decades, polymeric sand has grown to become the common practice when it comes to joint fillers. This durable compound offers great benefits not seen with natural sand.
In this article, we'll go over the benefits of using polymeric sand and the reasons we use it on every paving stone project.
What is Polymeric Sand?
Polymeric sand is a sand material used to fill paving stone joints. Paving stone joints are the spaces between each paving stone, tile or stone. Also referred to as jointing sand. Unlike natural sand, polymeric sand is made with a mixture of additives. These additives allow the polymeric sand to act as a powerful bonding agent that quickly binds together, leaving the joints with a hardened, durable fill.
The Benefits of Using Polymeric Sand as a Paving Stone Joint Filler
Appearance
Polymeric sand is available in a variety of colours and grain sizes whereas traditional sand comes in one style and grain size. Using polymeric sand will allow you to create the desired look and feel you'd expect in your patio surface.
Match Your Patio
With the colours available, you'll be able to match the sand to your patio, bringing you a consistent patio that looks great.
Increase the Hardscapes Durability
Polymeric sand hardens, leaving you with a hard sand surface that creates a durable joint compound and hardscape. Polymeric sand reduces shifting, ensuring your paving stone feature lasts through the harsh weather and freeze, thaw cycle.
Longer Lifespan
Polymeric sand has a longer lifespan when compared to traditional jointing sand. Ensuring your patio lasts years with little maintenance.
No Erosion
Traditional sand erodes during a rainfall. The sand gets washed away, leaving you with more maintenance, requiring you to top up the sand. Polymeric sand bonds together, leaving you with a hardened compound that doesn't erode.
Manages Water Drainage
Traditional natural sand allows water to penetrate the surface of the hardscape, the water then reaches the base, causing erosion and shifting. This effect is more severe during the freeze thaw cycle. Polymeric sand allows the water to drain off the patio as intended, in the direction your patio was designed.
Easy Installation
Polymeric sand offers a quick and easy installation process. Leaving you with a hardened hardscape that can be used within 24 hours. The ease of installation ensures your patio has a lower cost of installation, saving you money.
Low Maintenance
Polymeric sand also offers reduces maintenance when compared with traditional sand. Often times polymeric sand will last 10+ years before requiring a new application. With natural sand, you can expect to do consistent maintenance throughout your patios life.
No Room for Weeds or Insects
Adding polymeric sand restricts the joints so seeds won't grow, leaving you with a smooth surface, undesirable to seeds. As such, you won't find weeds growing in your hardscape like you would natural sand.
A common issue with traditional jointing sand, is ants burrowing through the joints, leaving you with small ant hills right on your patio. With polymeric sand, you won't need to worry, ants can't burrow through the joints.
As you can see, polymeric sand has many great benefits. It was a great breakthrough in hardscaping technology and for these reasons, with the exception of some natural stones, all of our hardscapes are installed with polymeric sand.
In the Winnipeg area and looking for a patio, walkway or driveway? We can help! Contact us today.
Q: Have you had a hardscape with natural sand? What was your experience? | Comment Below
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