Building Basics: A Complete Guide To Concrete Sand

Concrete sand, also known as building sand, is a soft material utilised in a range of construction projects, where it makes a highly versatile addition to cement mixes and bricklaying formulas. This kind of sand is produced over thousands of years from decomposed rock deposits, usually found in water sources. As such, it is typically dredged from rivers, lakes or the sea floor.

Uses Of Building Sand

This kind of sand has a wide array of uses where it produces a soft, workable material with a smooth finish. These uses include:

Paving

Building sand can provide bulk and strength to the materials used in various kinds of paving. This includes block or concrete paving work, as well as more detail-oriented construction work such as the laying of patios.

Plastering & Rendering

Plastering and rendering work involves the process of applying a mortar coat over a brickwork surface, where rendering is for outside walls, and plastering is for interiors. Building sand is mixed with water and cement to make this mortar.

Pond Linings

Building sand can be utilised as bedding for pond liners, where the application of sand provides a base layer for the installation of the waterproof liner. This helps to provide a flat bed which prevents sharp objects such as stones from puncturing the liner.



Masonry

Building sand that’s made up into mortar can also be used for a variety of masonry projects. Bricklaying necessitates a smooth mortar layer to link together bricks and provide a secure, weatherproof finish, which this kind of sand can facilitate.

Other Sand Types

Concrete isn’t the only sand type used in a variety of construction projects. Washed sand is a purer material usually used for rendering and jointing, or other tasks that require a smooth texture. Sharp sand is made from larger aggregate granules and can be used for making concrete or mortar types that don’t need to be as malleable as those made up from building sand. Dry pavior sand is the finest sand variety, and is used to fill small gaps and joints, such as between paving slabs.

W M Thompson & Sons Ltd: Expert Quarrying Services

In addition to supplying concrete sand, we also provide a variety of quarrying services and products to fulfil all your building and waste management needs. We supply a variety of stone types, including whindust, gabion and armour stone.

Our business is also environmentally conscious, where we supply recycled aggregate delivery services throughout the Glasgow area, in addition to our professional waste removal and landfill services. Quality control is one of our top priorities for all our products, where we are committed to providing the best of quarry materials and aggregates.

Contact us for more information about the services we offer or for advice on sourcing building materials for your next project.