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help! patio issue

Hi everyone i have been a complete idiot and bought 2 tonne of building sand to make concrete to lay my patio instead of Sharpe sand. I have moved it 200 ft up the garden so cant take it back! questions 1. Can i use it to make concrete? 2. If not what can i do? thanks
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I may be wrong here cd, but I'm sure I used standard building sand for all my concreting. I don't think it matters - the sand part of concrete is just a finer grade of the gravel you'll also use in the mix, and sharp sand is just grittier than building sand.

    Perhaps you could phone  a builders merchant to ask them, if you're worried about using it image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    You can use it, it will be a bit softer than a sharp sand mix, so don't add quite so much water when mixed, leave it a bit stiff, or your slabs will sink.

  • Ok fantastic thanks guys
  • Oh and my mix was going to be 5 sand and 1 cement...i dont have gravel yo put in it. Is that mix ok?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Is it concrete you're making or just mortar? If it's to lay paving it's only mortar you need. From memory, I think 1 part cement to about 3 or 4 is the usual for a mortar mix. Dave will know better than me though  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    As Fairygirl and Dave said, it'll be fine.  What sort of patio are you laying (eg slabs/paviours or a plain sheet of concrete)?  If the latter, you will need to add some gravel or similar to give it more structural strength, but if bedding slabs onto a hardcore bed, you can just mix a mortar.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Great in laying natural stone paving slabs and i will do a 4 to 1 mix with no gravel. Its going on mot type 1 sub base
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hope it goes well cd image

    Must be a big patio - that's a lot of sand! image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Yep its 20 sq meters and i have another 10sq meters to do after this
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Your mix is 3 to 1, if you put too much of either in it won't be workable and you'll get cracking and an unstable base. Just add a little less water to the mix, you don't want it sloppy.

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