Sand question.

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Just a quick one....hopefully!

I ordered a bag of building sand from my builder merchant and I got a bag of red plastering sand. Can I user it as normal building sand i.e. for bricks and pointing. I used to think sand is sand but I know that's not the case now.

The building side of things isn't my strongest subject but I'm enjoying do it!

Would it be 3-1 ratio as normal?

Thanks. :cool:
 
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I would have thought proper plastering sand would be considerably more expensive than building sand. What makes you think it's plastering sand?

I would guess that whatever it is, it'll be ok for general building work.

3:1 is generally too strong for most applications.

5:1 or even 6:1 can be used for general building work, blocklaying etc. Make sure you use plasticiser in the correct proportions.
 
Anyone recommend a building forum that has a builder that would know then? :LOL:
Can anyone recommend a builders merchant, that delivers what you have order :?:
If they have sent the wrong stuff, tell them to replace it with the right stuff, it seems the logical process :rolleyes:
 
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Mister, Without going into a lot of technical detail, lets put it this way, I could lay bricks with sharp plastering sand, but I would want twice the price to lay them as against soft builders sand. With regards to pointing, I would not waste my time even trying with sharp sand. I would go straight up the pub.
If you ordered soft sand and you had sharp delivered,. then send it back.
If for some reason this is not possible, and you want to lay a few bricks do a 1 dust, 1 lime, 4 sand, plenty of admix and you might just get a bit of life in the mix.
old un. :D
 
If its very gourse it is maybe paving sand which is usually redish. But that is probably only in my neck of the woods!
 
As The Old Bu**er (:cool: ) has pointed out, plastering sand is a rinsed or washed sand that has not got much fat - ideal for plastering, lousy for bricklaying. You'd do well to get it from the spot to the brick course without it running off the trowel.

Mind you, it will set real hard! :p

How you ended up with plastering sand is a mystery as it is more expensive than building sand and the two are quite distinctive. :confused:
 
@ regsmyth
What makes you think it's plastering sand?
It has Red Plastering sand on the bag! Thanks for the advice I will use it at 5:1.

@ PrenticeBoyofDerry
If they have sent the wrong stuff, tell them to replace it with the right stuff, it seems the logical process icon_rolleyes.gif
Sounds so simple, the question I was trying to find out if the 2 things are the same as or can be used as the same thing as a substitution. :rolleyes:

It's only a small bag, I will use it this time but next time I'll know and send it back, the main thing I wanted to know was is it usable, which it seems to be just about and also what the difference is, which I now know. Thanks for the replies.
 
does sound simple, amazing what a bit of patience does as well :rolleyes:
 

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