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Thread: polymeric sand for joints between pavers

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Las Cruces, NM
    Posts
    2,037

    polymeric sand for joints between pavers

    Does using polymeric sand (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sakrete-40-...c-Sand/3502168 ) to fill joints between pavers make it difficult to reset pavers that have settled or been heaved up?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    NE OH
    Posts
    2,615
    A little harder than if it were plain sand, but PS is nowhere near as hard as, say, mortar or grout, so it's pretty easy to dig out if you need to remove a paver or two. Of course the real answer is to do a proper base so heaving or settling isn't a problem. If for some reason you have a large area to remove, a pressure washer will blast it right out.

    I find I have to refresh the polymeric sand about every 4 or 5 years. By then the bond tends to break down and stuff starts to grow between the pavers, just like with regular sand.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    2,652
    Agree with Paul. The polymeric sand doesnt bond as hard as they make it sound like it will. I still have to replace it where it gets washed out by hard rains. I would still use it, however.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Las Cruces, NM
    Posts
    2,037
    Thanks to Paul and Stan for the replies. In my situation, I'm not worried about weeds. I'd like to be able to use a leaf blower or a hose (not a pressure washer) occasionally to get debris off the pavers and I do expect some of the pavers to settle eventually.

  5. #5
    I've found the fastest method for removing polymeric joints without disturbing the underlying base is to use a drill motor with the appropriate sized drill bit: Drill into the joint and then move the bit sideways like a router to remove the material.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
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    1,347
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    I just had my driveway done with pavers and the mason said he didn't think the polymeric sand (which was much more expensive) was necessary so he just used regular sand.
    As an aside ,as he was doing the driveway, he discovered,after he took up the blacktop, that he needed much less of the base than he thought he would need so he reduced the price by $800, talk about honest ,I would have never known anything about the need for less base, if he hadn't told me. He clearly could have charged me the original amount and I'd have never known the difference.
    Dennis

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