Primary Functions, Requirements, and Specifications of Bedding Sand

April 28, 2022

In a construction project, contractors must carry out a lot of processes to ensure that everything will be done effectively. One of these processes is to provide a level surface for their subsequent works.

The levelling of a surface, fortunately, can be done in various ways. One prominent way of doing this is to maximise bedding sand. For decades, interlocking concrete block pavements and other similar things have been installed in various properties as part of their main landscaping feature. Contractors, however, do not truly consider the quality of the bedding sand. Overlooking the bedding sand quality then led to issues and problems that can be costly to resolve.

Studying and understanding the functions, requirements, and specifications of the bedding sand, therefore, must be done to ensure the success of construction projects.

Key Functions

Bedding sand plays a wide array of functions in construction projects. 

First, the bedding sand can yield an even surface to ensure that blocks, pavers, and other landscaping and construction materials can be installed properly. Another key function of the bedding sand is to accommodate established tolerances in the finished surface base level. The bedding sand also intends to adopt the manufacturing tolerances in block or paver thickness, provide uniform support for the blocks, pavers, and others, avoid damaging stress concentrations among the materials, and fill the lower part of the spaces between adjacent blocks and pavers.

The bedding sand must, ultimately, facilitate water drainage.

Requirements

All the functions of the bedding sand can only be achieved if they have the right set of conditions or requirements.

One of the requirements of the bedding sand is that it must be compacted easily. The bedding sand, which is often installed right after scooping out the soil at the project site, must be compacted effectively to remain intact. The bedding sand must likewise be free-draining to properly facilitate the needed water drainage of the project site. The bedding sand must be also resistant to mechanical degradation and effects of frost. The bedding sand should even have the capability to enter the joints between blocks and pavers and must be readily available locally without the hefty price tag.

Specifications

When choosing the right set of bedding sand for your construction site, various factors must be considered heavily. These factors include the thickness of the laying course, the sand grading, the angularity of the sand particles, the moisture content of the sand, and the sand’s geological origin. 

The thickness of the bedding sand may be affected by the tolerance of the underlying base. It may also be influenced by the pavers’ manufacturing tolerance. Upon compaction, the laying course of the bedding sand is recommended to not be less than 25mm thick. One more thing to take note of is that bedding sand that maximises spherical sand grains and hard constituent minerals will not break down easily under repeated loading. This quality cannot be achieved by bedding sand that utilises irregularly shaped grains.

To know more about bedding sand, you can call us at Metro Pits.

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