# Polymeric sand or stone dust?



## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Power washed all the joints on my paver patio completely clean. Plan on also doing the front walkway. Pool patio I'll redo in the fall. Think they were originally done with stone dust in the joints 12 years ago. Thinking of using polymeric sand this time. Going to borrow a plate compactor if needed. Thoughts from the guys who do this all the time. 


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Polymeric.

Make sure the surface is as dry as can be, sweep it into the joints, cleanup any excess. Then use a leaf blower to get any dust off. Then gentle spray of water to activate, leaving any of the polymeric on the surface prior to water, can make a mess.

Don't over water, when it starts to pool move on.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

tgeb said:


> Polymeric.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Do I need to compact it or is sweeping the joints sufficient? 


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

Sweeping in to the joints is usually sufficient. I always avoided compacting polymeric because I was concerned about displacing the sand and the polymeric. 
There may be no merit to that, but I always avoided it to play it safe. 

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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Running a compactor over it will help the sand get down into the joints. But not necessary if you don't want to do it.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I use a hand tamper. 

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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I use a hand tamper.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk




To fill in the joints ? 


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

tgeb said:


> Polymeric.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I agree with this, before I use a garden hose I use a pump sprayer with a fine mist to dampen the sand before I use the rain pattern with a hose nozzle. You want just enough water from the hose to get it damp to activate the glue or whatever is in it. Polymeric sand can stain the face of the bricks if you are not careful so you don’t want water to run on it the first time 


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Just to add..be careful with the leaf blower. All you're trying to do is blow off the dust on top, so use it gently and from afar. (Think of it as stuff that will turn to glue when it gets wet.)

Also, mist the polymeric sand....nothing stronger or you'll move it around and it will turn into glue in the wrong places.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks fellas. Gonna tackle this Saturday. 


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

What a messy job. Good thing I have vinyl siding lol I'll let it dry and blow it off. Pavers are like 13 years old.










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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Also already melted my new power wash hose. . Smh










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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

NYgutterguy said:


> To fill in the joints ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah. I pour out the sand. Brush it around for what seems like hours. Then hand tamp it. It gets it down in the cracks. Nothing hard. Just a light tapping.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)




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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)




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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

You aren't kidding about the " seems like hours part". Going to be a long night Need to get this done so I can open the pool. 


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

NYgutterguy said:


> You aren't kidding about the " seems like hours part". Going to be a long night Need to get this done so I can open the pool.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I wish. You have to keep working it in the cracks and it seems like it takes forever to fill.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Swept the joints, blew off leftover and watered in. Happy with results . Whole thing is Definitely a PITA job.










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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Looks good!

A vibrating plate tamper will shake the sand right down in the cracks. When we do it we broom the sand into the joints, hit it with the tamper. Then broom more sand into the joints, clean and spray with water. 
These are typical new installs, retrofit may be a little more difficult to get the sand into.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

tgeb said:


> Looks good!
> 
> A vibrating plate tamper will shake the sand right down in the cracks. When we do it we broom the sand into the joints, hit it with the tamper. Then broom more sand into the joints, clean and spray with water.
> These are typical new installs, retrofit may be a little more difficult to get the sand into.




Yea nothing looks better than brand new paver job. After 14 years it is what it is. There is some heaving etc. We'll see if it all washes out by July lol. Plate tamper is definitely right way to do it. Didn't feel like bringing it back tomorrow. Won't have to worry about the weeds for a while either. 


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