The Importance of Sand to the Building Industry

Sand’s Importance to Building

On the surface, sand might not seem like a critical substance when it comes to building. Yet, it is an important material to many aspects of construction. Buildings require many tasks be performed in order to complete the job. In turn, those tasks rely on equipment and other materials for their construction. And as we will see, sand is an important part of these aspects; in more ways than one.

Sand In Building Materials

Building materials of many types could not be made without the use of sand. In fact, sand is used in both solid and liquid form to create multiple building materials. Let’s look at a few of these briefly.

In liquid form, sand is one of the ingredients of glass. Additionally, and glass is used extensively in construction as a building material. Windows and other surfaces in buildings of all sorts are made from this transparent material. So in a very “clear” sense, sand is important to the proper view of constructing buildings.

As a solid though, sand is not only a versatile material, but is important in several respects to the building industry. In fact, there are materials that are made almost entirely of sand. Sandstone and Quartzite are two natural stone materials that are entirely made from sand. The building industry makes use of Sandstone and Quartzite in many ways. And even though other stone types could be used if no sand was available, there are other ways in which sand is used as an ingredient.

Sand is also an ingredient in other materials. For example, sand is an ingredient in the granular soil type. This type of soil is desirable because it offers good drainage that is important to a number of types of vegetation and grasses.

Sand also improves material as an ingredient by adding bulk and strength to substances that are used for materials in the building industry

Sand adds strength and bulk to other materials. When sand is included in certain mixtures, it bulks up the finished product and strengthens. Some mixtures used in the building industry that incorporate sand include:

Asphalt
Mortar
Concrete
Plaster

Using Sand With Building Tools

The building industry strives because of important tools that allow for very specific tasks to be performed. There are some building tools that make use of sand during their operation.

One example of a power tool that relies on sand is an abrasive blaster. Used for various tasks in the building industry, sand blasters play an important role the preparation of various surfaces. And while other abrasives are used too, sand still is one of the staples for abrasive blasting.

Sandpaper too is a product used in building projects. Whether sanding by hand or using a power sanding tool, the paper used will have sand.

Base Material Includes Sand

Many structures included with commercial, residential and civil architectural projects require a base material to be put down before the structure itself.

Features like driveways, patios, walkways, and sidewalks are constructed on a base material that overlays a sub-base material. Whether the feature is made of concrete or pavers, it must have a suitable base on which to stand. Often times, sand is the material selected.

In light of the examples we have discussed here, it is easy to see just how integral a part of buildings sand is.

As we have seen, sand is a very important part of the building industry. It is a common ingredient in building materials. It is a material that is used in conjunction with tools; both hand and power. Finally, it is used as base material for building features that are not only common, but also necessary. For these reasons, we should not overlook the importance of sand in the building industry.

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