Polymeric Sand: A Secret Ingredient for Nearly Maintenance-Free Patios, Walkways and Driveways

Many once-beautiful patios, driveways and walkways have transformed into weedy eyesores over the years.

The fine sand employed to fill the joints between pavers and stones tends to blow away with wind and wash away by rain. Once that sand disappears, dirt moves in. Weeds love unoccupied dirt. So do insects: a sand and dirt mixture makes for an attractive habitat for ants.

Polymeric sand all but eliminates this problem. Polymeric sand, often called poly-sand, is a fine sand mixed with a powdered-epoxy adhesive.

When we're building your patio, walkway or driveway, we sweep and vibrate polymeric sand into the joints, just as we would with regular sand, but after blowing the surface clean, we sprinkle the entire surface with water. Water activates the epoxy adhesive, cementing the sand into place, a lot like mortar does between bricks.

Polymeric sand has another benefit. Sand, regardless of type, helps maintain the interlock between pavers. This interlock allows loads to be distributed to adjacent pavers. If the sand washes away, we lose that interlock. Polymeric sand resists this washout.

There are different formulations of poly-sand for pavers with narrow joints and pavers with wide joints. It's available in a range of colors too.

With the sand cemented in place, walkway repairs or patio repairs and changes are a little more difficult, but it's a good trade-off for a low-maintenance landscape that can be cleaned with a hose or even a pressure washer without a worry.

We'd love to install a patio at your Winnipeg home! Please get in touch to get a very easy preliminary estimate by email.