If it is sharp sand and not builders' sand, digging it in to heavy soil will improve it. You can also mix it with compost to make a better growing medium. Basically anywhere you would use fine horticultural grit, you can substitute shap sand.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Is there such a thing as builders' sharp sand? I have been planning on buying some sharp sand from Wickes to mix with grit and soil to go under topsoil for a lawn, but am nervous about it. The reviews seem mainly to use it for building projects, but some have used it to improve soil.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
I actually use Wickes sharp sand both on the garden and for making concrete (which is what it is actually sold for.) There is no salt or clay in any of it that I have had delivered (and, yes I have tasted it!)
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I don't think you can distinguish between the two by colour, that depends on which gravel/sand mine it came out of.
Builders/soft sand is for brick laying and gives a more pasty mix to stick the bricks together, the grains are rounded. Sharp sand has more angular grains and is better for improving drainage because the separate grains are held apart by the pointy bits
Fairy your right, and just to correct something said in earlier post. You use sharp sand to lay slabs as it doesn't compress, building sand is used if you want to wet bed them with compo. Each quarry has diffrent types of sand so the easiest way to gauge which it is is by looking. Small fine looking sand is building sand used to make mortar for laying blocks and bricks etc course gritty sand is sharp sand used for dry laying slabs driveway blocks etc. Sharp sand is also good for growing carrots leeks etc. I probably should say that i work for the biggest builders merchant in Britain and have done for ten years.
It was me that used that phrase - was just trying to establish if there is more than one kind of sharp sand, or if you're okay to use it as long as that's what it's called. ie: if sharp sand from a builder's merchant might be different from that bought elsewhere. But it would seem not. I'm going to go with BobtheGardener's view and get some, anyway!
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
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If it is sharp sand and not builders' sand, digging it in to heavy soil will improve it. You can also mix it with compost to make a better growing medium. Basically anywhere you would use fine horticultural grit, you can substitute shap sand.
Is there such a thing as builders' sharp sand? I have been planning on buying some sharp sand from Wickes to mix with grit and soil to go under topsoil for a lawn, but am nervous about it. The reviews seem mainly to use it for building projects, but some have used it to improve soil.
I actually use Wickes sharp sand both on the garden and for making concrete (which is what it is actually sold for.) There is no salt or clay in any of it that I have had delivered (and, yes I have tasted it!)
Bob - you need to get out more....
It's often a bit confusing as different companies use different names too - grit sand for instance.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yay! (and that is dedication).
Sheep poo's probably the least of your worries Jo
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't think you can distinguish between the two by colour, that depends on which gravel/sand mine it came out of.
Builders/soft sand is for brick laying and gives a more pasty mix to stick the bricks together, the grains are rounded. Sharp sand has more angular grains and is better for improving drainage because the separate grains are held apart by the pointy bits
In the sticks near Peterborough
You're right nut - the soft stuff makes claggy ground worse, not better.
It has to be sharp and gritty to do the job.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Fairy your right, and just to correct something said in earlier post. You use sharp sand to lay slabs as it doesn't compress, building sand is used if you want to wet bed them with compo. Each quarry has diffrent types of sand so the easiest way to gauge which it is is by looking. Small fine looking sand is building sand used to make mortar for laying blocks and bricks etc course gritty sand is sharp sand used for dry laying slabs driveway blocks etc. Sharp sand is also good for growing carrots leeks etc. I probably should say that i work for the biggest builders merchant in Britain and have done for ten years.
It was me that used that phrase - was just trying to establish if there is more than one kind of sharp sand, or if you're okay to use it as long as that's what it's called. ie: if sharp sand from a builder's merchant might be different from that bought elsewhere. But it would seem not. I'm going to go with BobtheGardener's view and get some, anyway!