sand for soil improvement

Hi guys this is sort of a boring technical question: sand extracted from river beds or quarries (pits) used for amending the soil are commonly referred to as 'river sand' and 'pit sand' ? or something else? thanks for the attention

 

Hi Wisteria - I am not quite sure what the question was. There is a dirty brown sand which is usually called sharp sand (or sometimes river sand). There is also a soft yellow sand, also known as builder's sand or mortar sand.

You should never use the soft sand in a garden. But you can add sharp sand to compost to help drainage. I use 2 parts compost to 1 part sharp sand. If you have clay soil, which doesn't drain, adding sharp sand will usually help - plus lots and lots of organic matter. But of course if you have sandy soil adding extra sand will hinder rather than help.

 

so the one which comes from mines is referred to as 'mortar or builder's sand' usually? the question was about the definition not the properties.... thank you for the advice anyway

 

The name refers to the properties - sharp or soft, rather than where they come from. It is possible that sharp sand comes from one mine, whilst soft sand comes from another mine alongside the first. The sharpness of the sand determines how it is used. Concrete needs sharp sand - helps rigidity. Mortar needs soft sand, which will flow easier, to help in laying bricks.

 

Over here these products are bought in a builder's yard as 'builders sand' and 'plasterers sand'
The sand we get here from the bed of Lough Neagh is much co****r than sharp sand, and goes under the name of 'horticultural grit'
Co**** sand we would buy from the garden centres is slightly co****r than builders sand from the building yard
What it is called seems to depend on where you live
I, personally, have never heard of any of them being referred to as ' pit sand' even though the sand builders use would come from a sand pit
'River sand' would probably be something similar to the sand we get from Lough Neagh
If you are not confused by now, I can probably add a few more
By the way ... I see that the letters 'ar*e aren't even allowed as part of a larger word

 

We have stone dust, dreadged building sand and yellow or red pit sand then theres plasterings sand which always seems to be dredged sand with larger particles.

For soil improvment and compost mixes i use stone dust and also as a moartar for laying flagstones. For bricklaying and pointing I usually buy pit sand, personally i cant stand laying bricks with the dredged sand.

 

:D:D:D Whis4ey, the mods have taken the 'bottom' out of your post. 02

 

:D :D :D
My post is bottomless indeed
Stone dust over here is called 'Quarry dust' and is great as a base for paths or for laying slabs on
We also have 'blinding' which is a mixture of quarry dust and rough gravel which is used as a base in road making and is also great as the base for a gravel path (and cheaper than the proper gravel as such a base) and helps keep down weeds