Is it worth the trouble?

[Ironman]

I have a bag of polymeric sand from Home Despot which I planned to fill the cracks in my paving slabs with. Supposed to harden when wet.
When I opened the bag it was soaking wet. I guess that their idea of storing it outdoors is not too good.
So I am wondering if it is worth the effort, when I give them their sand back, to get another bag, maybe from Lowes, if it is dry. Or just spray the cracks with weed killer.

If you have used this stuff, is it any good, or just high priced sand?

[astronut]

Sorry Gerry I have never heard of or have any knowledge of the stuff. Hopefully someone else does. I am just curious though. If it is supposed to harden when wet, why was it not hard/solid in the bag when it was wet?

[greywynd]

It’s usually used on interlocking brick, apply dry, spread it around with a broom, and then run over it with a vibrating plate packer. As it works it’s way into the joints sweep more around til the joints are full. Then sweep the excess off, and wet it.

Some worked better than others, it’s basically adhesive applied the the sand.

If it’s wet already it would be a PITA to work with.


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[milomilo]

This one opinion.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by astronut

Sorry Gerry I have never heard of or have any knowledge of the stuff. Hopefully someone else does. I am just curious though. If it is supposed to harden when wet, why was it not hard/solid in the bag when it was wet?

Maybe because it is a shitty product. I did find a few lumps of hardened sand in the bag but 90% of it was just wet sand.

Originally Posted by greywynd

It’s usually used on interlocking brick, apply dry, spread it around with a broom, and then run over it with a vibrating plate packer. As it works it’s way into the joints sweep more around til the joints are full. Then sweep the excess off, and wet it.

Some worked better than others, it’s basically adhesive applied the the sand.

If it’s wet already it would be a PITA to work with.

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Why yes it was, so I stopped and want to do a re-think.

Originally Posted by milomilo

This one opinion.

This tells me as I suspected, I am wasting my time on this crap. I thought there was too much magic involved. I think a dose of Roundup or Curtail would be faster and better.

Thanks for the input, guys.

[kbs2244]

return it as defective foe cash refund
someone just thought it was sand and put it outdoors
the dept mngr will get dinged for it and next time it will be put indoors

[460 Delta]

Maybe just make your own LSM, low strength mortar, with some clean sand and a shovel full of Portland cement? How wide are the spaces around the pavers?

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by 460 Delta

Maybe just make your own LSM, low strength mortar, with some clean sand and a shovel full of Portland cement? How wide are the spaces around the pavers?

1/8 to 3/16" gaps.
The pavers are 24 x 30"

[Lew Hartswick]

I used it when I made the parking area for daughter in VA . After quite a few years there are some places the weeds do come in but I didn't have any vibrator to keep working more in the cracks, just kept brooming it. If done right I think it probably does work for a long time. What a "long" time is, may well depend on a particular persons idea. :-)
...lew...

[460 Delta]

Originally Posted by Ironman

1/8 to 3/16" gaps.
The pavers are 24 x 30"

Ah, I see, that's pretty tight as far as gaps. Probably use Roundup, then some clean sand swept in and call it done.