Best Polymeric Sand in 2022: Buying Guide

Every so often, there comes a time when you choose to get rid of the patio, the walkway, or something similar to that, and you decide to build a new one. One that looks even better is stronger, more capable, and serves your purposes more sufficiently than the previous walkway/patio.

Sometimes, you never actually had a walkway or patio, to begin with, and so, you’re deciding to build one for the very first time in your life. And, if this is the case, then you’re in a situation where you don’t have much knowledge or understanding of what to do, and the various things that are important and essential, for the process.

Regardless of where you are at, and what you intend to build, there is one thing that you will need, and that is sand. Sand is what’s used to hold things together, to keep things in place, so that they remain strong and durable, lasting for years, rather than for just a few weeks. With sand, you can fill in the individual joints that are between the various pavers that you have laid out. And, without this sand, it’s going to be a lot harder to keep those joints remaining in place.

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Our Recommended Polymeric Sand in 2022

5) Flexlock G2 Intelligent

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4) Mutual Industries 7015

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3) DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand

Last update on 2024-04-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2) Alliance Gator Maxx G2

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1) Alliance Gator Super Sand

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For a long time, people chose to use regular sand. Regular sand has many benefits, and, for a while, it was the most obvious choice. But, things began to change, once people realized that polymeric sand was a significantly better choice, due to the advantages that polymeric sand brings to the table when it comes to the strength and durability of the sand, as well as the ease in which you can lay the sand out.

Unfortunately, most people aren’t sure where, to begin with, polymeric sand, and they aren’t entirely sure what the benefits and advantages of polymeric sand are, either. This creates a situation where it’s rather difficult for people to find the polymeric sand that is the best for their purposes, because they aren’t sure what to look for in polymeric sand, or what they need to be thinking about and considering, in general.

That is why we’ve put this buying guide together. In this buying guide, you’re going to be learning all about polymeric sand. You will be learning all about the advantages of using polymeric sand, its many uses, along with what you need to think about and consider when buying polymeric sand.

Now, this isn’t going to be a particularly complex or elaborate guide, because there isn’t that much that we need to look at. But we will be diving into the various intricacies of polymeric sand so that you can attain a good and solid grasp of what polymeric sand brings to the table.

What Is Polymeric Sand?

Polymeric sand is just like fine sand. In fact, for the most part, it is fine sand. However, this fine sand has had various polymer additives added to it. Which, then, turns this sand into polymeric sand.

With these additives, the individual sand particles can bound together more effectively, especially when wet, then the particles in fine sand can be bound together. Regular fine sand particles aren’t always able to be bound together most effectively, and what this does is it makes it harder for the pavers that are lying within the sand to stay still, since the sand itself is rather loose, and lacking strength and durability.

Here’s the thing, though, polymeric sand is just as strong as fine sand, unless you apply water to it. Then, this begins to bind everything together, strengthening the individual bonds between the sand particles. When this solidification takes place, the pavers that the sand has surrounded become much more difficult to move and displace.

Ultimately, polymeric sand is just like regular sand, but a lot more durable and stronger, and much more effective than fine sand, for keeping pavers, and other types of materials, in place. Sure, it’s not as strong as concrete, but it doesn’t need to be. Instead, it just needs to be strong enough to keep things in place.

What Are The Advantages And Benefits Of Using Polymeric Sand?

We already talked about the main benefits, but we’re going to reiterate them because it’s important that you understand what differentiates polymeric sand from fine sand.

So, polymeric sand is a sand that is held together by the various polymer additives that have been added to the sand. But, these additives aren’t able to be used, until you add water to the sand. Once you do this, then the additives begin to work their magic, and the sand sticks together, creating a strong and somewhat immovable layer of sand, and this layer keeps whatever happens to be stuck within the sand, in place.

For pavers, this is especially important, because you can’t have them moving all over the place or being loose. This would lead to various issues. So, instead of that, you have polymeric sand, and this polymeric sand keeps those pavers in place, through the use of the sands polymer additives and the strength that these additives introduce to the sand when activated.

So polymeric sand is much stronger than regular fine sand, and it’s also around the same price. Along with that, you have different colors to choose from, for polymeric sand. Due to the strength, as well, ants aren’t able to get into the sand and to damage the pavers, and weeds are unable to grow.

What Do I Need To Consider And Look For?

Polymeric sand isn’t particularly complex or known for being dense with different features and attributes. But, with that being said, there are some things that you will need to consider, when searching for the best polymeric sand, the sand that will be able to do what you want it to do, with the minimum amount of hassle and effort.

What Type Of Weather Resistance Does The Sand Offer?

We’re going to start with one of the most important features that every type of polymeric sand should offer, and that’s resistance. More specifically, weather resistance, because, while polymeric sand is very strong, the elements are also very strong, too. Without the proper weather resistance – and this is especially important if you live in an area with harsh weather – your polymer sand is susceptible to things like rain damage, and snow damage, as well as UV damage.

You’ll be able to find whether or not a particular type of polymeric sand has weather resistance, by going onto the store page and reading the information that the manufacturer has provided. If there is weather resistance, they will tell you.

How Long Does It Take For The Sand To Set?

When you apply your polymeric sand, you’ll have to wait a short while, so that the sand is able to set properly. Sometimes, you’ll need to wait several hours before the sand sets, and this can be a little annoying, depending on the speed in which you need this particular project to be completed. Other times, though, it takes only an hour or two for the polymeric sand to set.

You’re going to find a variety of different “setting times”, but the best time is definitely between one-to-two-hours. Not too long, and not too short, either. Just perfect.

How Much Coverage Does The Polymeric Sand Give You, For Just One Bag?

The next thing that you need to consider is multifaceted. So, you need to consider the coverage that one bag of the polymeric sand you are looking at can give you. But, along with that, you also need to consider the amount of space that you need to cover because then you’ll have a much easier time finding the polymeric sand that can adequately suit your purposes.

Many of these polymeric sands are a bit unspecific, though, when it comes to the coverage. So, make sure to consider the size of the pavers that you are using, and how big you want the joints to be, along with other considerations that will, in the end, affect the entirety of your experience with the polymeric sand, and how well it works for you, when you set up your new walkway, patio, etc.

Conclusion

When looking at all of the different types of polymeric sand that are available to you, it’s important to consider what you need it for. What project will you be using it for. From that, you will be able to determine the ideal setting time, as well as the types of weather resistance that are needed, and the cost, among other factors.

Ultimately, though, polymeric sand is simple, and the buying process is simple, as well. Just know what you need, and what you want in the sand, and that’s all there is to it!

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