Kiln dried sand vs Silver sand

[macadonald]

Hi All,

Been searchign the web for the best sand to place in a new sandpiut I just built for our little un. Advise is to always use Play sand, as builders sand stains and has carcenogenics etc. Sounds like mothers getting their nickers in a twist to be honest. They even advise against beach sand, which kids play in every day on the beach.

Anyway, play sand is stupidly expensive and I get the feelign is just bagged and rebranded for a particular purpose.

Other people advise that silver sand or kiln dried sand are perfectly fine, with less dust and generally less iron oxide in it.

I can source both silver sand and kiln dried sand from the local builders merchants, but just wondering if anyone knew the difference between the two and would advise one over the other?

Many thanks

 

[jeds]

Silver sand is just sand without the oxide colouring. I don't think kiln dried is anything special. Just sand dried in a kiln as far as I know? What I would say is that both are usually very fine - given that they are primarily designed to fill very small gaps between masonry blocks they would be. Fine sands don't make the best sandcastles. (lack of internal friction) You need some grain to it. So unless you want your kids psychologically damaged by their inability to make good sand castles I'd go and buy some sandpit sand if I were you.

 

[^woody^]

Play sand is loamy, ie a bit sticky and is good for playing in as it holds shapes. It's also been cleaned so does not stain like building sand.

Silver sand and kiln dried is just grains and is course. It does not hold together well, and will be blown away easier