Sand Types: Which to Choose

Fill sand is a general-purpose sand used to raise ground and fill voids. It is often coarse and may carry some silt or clay, which makes it cheaper than washed grades. You use it where appearance and a clean surface do not matter.

Common jobs are backfilling a trench, raising a low area, and building up a rough base under a larger structure. Because it is bulk material, fill sand is bought and delivered by the ton in truck loads. It suits large volumes where you need mass more than finish.

Fill sand compacts to a firm base when it is placed in layers and tamped down. This makes it useful under slabs and pavers as a lower sub-base, below a cleaner bedding course. It is not the sand you screed and set pavers directly onto.

Do not use fill sand where a clean, washed grade is required. It is too dirty for mortar, for concrete, and for a play area. Choose it when the job is structural or hidden, and save the washed sands for surfaces and mixes. For the tonnage, measure the void's depth and area, then run the calculator.

Concrete sand, also called sharp sand, has coarse, angular grains. Those sharp edges lock together, which gives strength and grip. It is a washed, graded sand, so it is cleaner than fill sand and free of most silt.

Its main job is as the fine aggregate in a concrete mix. Combined with cement and stone, the angular grains help the mix bind and cure hard. If you are batching concrete on site, concrete sand is the fine component the mix design calls for.

Sharp sand also works as a bedding layer under slabs and as a base for paving where a coarse, free-draining sand is wanted. The angular grains resist movement and let water pass, which keeps the base firm. It is a common choice beneath patio slabs.

The coarse texture that gives concrete sand its strength also makes it too rough for fine work. It is not the sand for smooth mortar joints or for a play area. Pick concrete sand when strength, grip, and drainage matter more than a fine finish. Measure your area and depth, then size the order with the calculator.

Mason sand is a fine, washed sand with soft, even grains. It is graded smaller and more uniform than concrete sand. The fine texture is what makes it workable and smooth in a mix. It is one of the cleaner sand grades you can buy.

Its primary job is mortar. Mixed with cement or lime, mason sand makes a smooth, spreadable mortar for laying brick and block. The fine, even grain lets the mortar fill joints cleanly and tool to a neat finish. Masons choose it for exactly this reason.

Because it is clean and fine, mason sand also serves other tidy jobs. It works as a smooth bedding sand, as a joint-filling sand between pavers, and in some plaster and stucco mixes. Anywhere you want a fine, uniform sand, it is a safe pick.

Mason sand is measured by the batch when it goes into mortar, not by a surface depth. So ask your supplier for the tonnage your mix needs. For a spread bedding or jointing use, though, measure the area and depth and let the sand calculator size the load.

Play sand is a fine sand that is washed and screened for safety. The washing removes silt and dust. The screening takes out sharp stones and debris. The result is a soft, clean sand meant for children to handle and dig in.

Its job is the sandbox and the play area. The soft, rounded grains are gentle on hands, and the cleaning reduces dust and grit. It is chosen for safety and comfort rather than for strength or drainage. Do not substitute a rough fill sand here.

Play sand is often sold in bags as well as in bulk, because a sandbox needs a modest amount. Bags are easy to carry and pour into a frame. For a larger play area, a bulk load by the ton can still be the cheaper route.

Fill a sandbox six to ten inches deep so children can dig without hitting the base. Measure the inside of the frame and the fill depth, then use the calculator for the amount. Keep the sand contained and drained so it stays clean and dry between uses.

Paver and bedding sand is the thin course you set pavers onto. It is a clean, often coarse sand that screeds to a flat, even surface. The bedding layer lets you level each paver and hold it in place. It is a finishing sand, not a structural fill.

The bedding course is laid thin, usually about one inch, over a compacted base. You screed it flat, set the pavers, then compact them into the sand. A thin, even layer is the goal, because a deep bed lets pavers rock and rut under traffic.

A related product is jointing sand, the fine sand swept into the gaps between laid pavers. Some jointing sands set firm when wetted, which locks the pavers together and resists weeds and washout. Bedding sand goes under the pavers; jointing sand goes between them.

Choose a clean, washed bedding sand rather than a dirty fill sand for this course, so the pavers sit true and drain well. Measure your paved area and use a one-inch depth for the bedding layer. Enter both into the calculator to get the tonnage for the job.