How long does polymeric sand last?


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Old 05-22-17, 06:39 AM
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How long does polymeric sand last?

I had a contractor install a paver patio about 5 years ago and he used polymeric sand to seal between the blocks. He did an excellent job and not a single brick has heaved or moved...but almost immediately little ant hills made an appearance. That didn't bother me, but I thought polymeric was supposed to be a barrier. Then the occasional weed would pop through. That bugged me a little. Now I have ant hills, weeds and moss on the lines.

If this polymeric stuff is that weak I'm afraid to use a pressure washer on it.

Was the install too thin or is there owner maintenance I'm not aware of?
 
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Old 05-22-17, 09:26 AM
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Even with polymeric you still need to do regular maintenance and cleaning of the patio. It's less work than plain sand but you still have to do something. You can use a pressure washer on it but with higher pressure and a narrower tip you can blow the polymeric out in some of the weaker areas.
 
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Old 05-22-17, 03:34 PM
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I'll probably need the high pressure and narrow jet to blow the moss out.
I'd rather risk losing some sand than to use chemicals. I think.
 
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Old 05-22-17, 05:14 PM
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Yea, it's amazing how well moss can be anchored. Luckily it's easy to repair any sections of the polymeric you blow out.
 
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Old 05-22-17, 05:28 PM
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Polymeric sand is nothing more than colored sand with some latex added to make it stick.

Mine lasted about 5 years before I scraped and vacuumed it up and replaced.

It's not an impervious barrier to weeds or ants.

I like the look of moss growing, gives it an old world look!!
 
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Old 05-23-17, 04:51 AM
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When you buy a bag of polymeric to make repairs make plans to store what's left over. Keep it in a tightly closed, air tight container and it will store indefinitely. I use a plastic bucket with a gasketed lid.
 
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Old 05-23-17, 07:36 AM
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I will. Thanks.
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