silver sand, plasterers' sand, children's sand, etc

Hello,

I had a look on google groups because I am sure this gets asked every summer but I wanted to know what sand is used in children's sandpits. Toy shops sell bags of "sandpit sand" but I am sure there are cheaper ways to buy it.

Builders' sand is soft but red, and I understand it would stain children's clothes, so that rules that out.

Sharp sand is sandy in colour but would it be too sharp?!

Am I right to think plasterers' sand is just a finer version of sharp sand? So it might be just what I need?

And is silver sand even finer still, so even better?

I have read old posts of people digging and lining holes to make a sand pit but I was going to have something above ground. I thought four sides of treated timber (gravel board?) to contain the sand and a sloping plywood roof to keep the rain off and cats out. Any flaws with that plan?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen
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Crikey I am sure I used to know the answer to that when I was young and had children but I have completely forgotten it now. What is happening to me?

Tim W

Reply to
Tim W

IIRC kids sand is free of clay and red sand, both of which stain

NT

Reply to
Tabby

I think what you want is silver sand aka playpit sand. A few year ago I got a 1 tonne bag delivered which was about 10 times more than I needed but still worked out cheaper than buying it by the little retail bags sold in B&Q or Homebase etc.

Builders'/soft sand definitely stains and claggs up with water - not what you want. Sharp sand which I think is the same as plasterers' sand (actually used for rendering not plaster plastering) may stain as well, and is a bit gritty - not pleasant for play.

Sounds good. You'll need something to separate sand from ground but let water out. The non-woven ply-something textile stuff they use on building sites etc for various purposes is good for this: tough as nails but water runs through it.

Reply to
John Stumbles

Doesn't the proper sandpit sand come with cat turds already in it?

Reply to
Gazz

On May 6, 11:01=A0pm, "Gazz" wrote:>

If he accidentally leaves the lid off for just one night he will soon get those added for free. Around here you just have to dig over a small patch of soil and by morning you will see paw marks all over it. Cats will go bonkers to christen a new sandpit.

Dave.

Reply to
Dave Starling

Silver sand is what I understand play pit sand to be. Go to a builders merchant and if the is an option of washed go fo that.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

You're starting to "get old". It's the better option of the two... ;-)

ISTR silver sand as the "posh" stuff used by gardeners in the 50s, but I've never seen it advertised anywhere on the Interweb..

Reply to
Frank Erskine

Some places its yellow - but either way it stains.

Sharp can be ok depending on what you local stuff is like. Often not unlike beach sand - a mixtures of granule sizes with larger fragments of stone in it. (aka grit sand)

Plasters is usually fine and washed.

Can be too fine for doing anything satisfying with... same goes for paving sand.

Kiln dried is often not too bad.

Reply to
John Rumm

I think its sold as 'playpit' sand.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Builders sand in my part of the world is sand dredged at sea ... it is golden yellow ..... your red sand is probably pit sand. Sharp sand is the same but too rough for a play area.

Extra fine jointing sand & silver sand I would avoid as they are too fine ... will get everywhere. Try & get normal dredged builders sand ... B&Q might have it.

Treated wood above ground, lined with some PVC is better than dug in ... there are loads of plans for these. Whatever you have, cover the pit or it will very quickly have a unique aroma ... courtesy of local feline population.

Reply to
Rick Hughes

It's in the Wickes catalogue, which is how I learnt that such a thing exists, but I've never seen any on the shelf at my local store.

Reply to
Stephen
[about silver sand]

Is that too fine for children to do anything with, or too fine for DIY uses?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen

I was thinking of putting a base in to contain the sand but I had thought of using 18mm ply or osb3, depending what I could find cheaply. If it is covered when not in use, does it really need drainage?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen

It has its DIY uses, but is not very satisfying for kids - it so fine it has little body and even when wet is not easy to make free standing "things" out of. IME play sand works better with a bit more variation in grit size so that it locks together better.

Reply to
John Rumm

Now I'm not sure what to buy, the other replies seemed to recommend it!

Reply to
Stephen

standing

variation

Depends what the kids want to do with the sand.

Builders soft sand is more akin to what you'll find on a beach and when damp will make sandcastles from packed and up turned buckets. It does contain a lot of very fine mud and will stain clothing and fingers. It'll mostly wash out though.

Silver sand won't have quite the same the damp constructional properties but when dry will pour and flow nicely and you can push it into heaps with toy diggers etc.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

When filling ours, I used kiln dried, and chucked a bag of sharp sand in there as well to add some body.

Reply to
John Rumm

I know this post is old however I wanted to get the correct answer. sand i s usually silica with some kind of metal oxide if its red could be iron oxi de and silica. silver sand is simply silica with very very very little met al oxide. it does not refer to its color nor does it refer to the grit. I d o park with tree which involves burning wood and silver sand is used there. I hope that helps at least it's already answer thanks

Reply to
trkmker41

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