Tried brick sand vs silica sand for a big patio job last month

Always used silica because it's cheaper, but my supplier was out so I grabbed brick sand on a whim. The joint packing was way tighter and I didn't have to sweep it three times like I usually do. Anyone else notice a real difference or was this just luck?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamie_smith8d ago

Oh man, I had almost the exact same thing happen! I switched to brick sand on a whim a few months back when my usual silica batch was dusty garbage, and I was shocked. The joints packed up solid on the first sweep, no repeat passes needed, and it didn't wash out during a heavy rain a week later. I thought maybe it was just a fluke with that particular load, but your story makes me think there's something to it. Honestly, I'm probably sticking with brick sand from now on.

jennifer9658d ago

Stuck with brick sand after trying it for a job last spring. Had a similar one where the silica kept washing out of the joints after a few days. The brick sand held tight through a whole rainy week. Plus it didn't kick up as much dust when I was sweeping. Just felt more solid overall.