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Sand Types for Pavers

• Bedding Sand: Coarse concrete sand, screened, 1" layer
• Joint Sand: Fine mason sand or polymeric sand
• Polymeric Sand: Contains polymer that hardens when wet
• Regular Sand: Traditional option, needs replenishment

Bedding Sand

• Purpose: Provides leveling layer and allows adjustment
• Type: Coarse concrete sand (washed, no fines)
• Depth: 1" after screeding (uncompacted)
• Installation: Screed level, do not compact
• Important: Never walk on screeded sand before laying pavers

Joint Sand

• Purpose: Fills gaps between pavers, locks them together
• Application: Sweep into joints, compact, repeat
• Multiple passes: May take 2-3 applications to fill joints
• Polymeric option: Hardens, resists weeds and washout

Polymeric Sand Benefits

• Weed prevention: Hardens to prevent weed growth
• Ant resistance: Solid surface resists ant tunneling
• Washout resistance: Stays in place during rain
• Joint stabilization: Keeps pavers from shifting
• Cost: 3-4x more expensive than regular sand

Sand Installation Tips

• Use 1" PVC pipes as screed guides for bedding sand
• Keep bedding sand dry during installation
• Apply joint sand after pavers are compacted
• For polymeric sand, follow manufacturer instructions carefully
• Avoid polymeric sand in wide joints (over 1/2")
• Clean paver surface before polymeric sand activation

Coverage Reference

• Bedding sand: 1 ton covers ~100 sq ft at 1" depth
• Joint sand: 1 ton covers ~150-200 sq ft
• 50 lb bag: Covers ~10-15 sq ft of joints