The Natural Philosopher wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
ARWadsworth wrote:

My girlfriend wants me to pick up some playpit sand this week for her
son's sandpit. Why?
What is wrong with builders sand for a sandpit? A quick look on
google suggests that playpit sand is washed, dust free and will not
stain clothes but as he is 4 years old and guaranteed to come in with
dirty stained clothes even if he has not been in the sandpit what's
the point?

In these parts, sharp sand is a better replacement for playpit sand
than builders. It behaves more like beach sand and does not have as
much yellow clay in it.

Instead it has lots of lovely sharp edges that will cut the little
*******'s hands to ribbons.

Which is why I added the qualification of "in these parts". Sharp sand
here is no more "sharp" than that found on Southend beach[1], and it is
also pretty much colour free.

[1] Granted that is not renowned for its softness since most of it was
imported sharp sand a hundred years ago or so.

Yup. A suitable replacement.

It also will stain the bugger yellow all over.

or not, depending on your local supply.

Sea sand has two things about it: it's worns smooth and the soluble
salts are washed out of it.

Builders and sharp sand are both gritty and dug up from where they are
found..the builders is merely a finer grading IIRC.

They are very different here - builders is a dark yellow, verging on
orange - but soft and not at all gritty, and sharp is straw coloured and
contains larger grains (stone fragments) very much like our beach sand.


--
Cheers,

John.

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