Sandbox sand options?

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  • IndyGunworks

    Grandmaster
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    25   0   0
    Feb 22, 2009
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    Carthage IN
    So, I am digging out about 18 inch's of soil from under the playset that I built, to turn it into a sandbox. Going to use 2x10, or 2x8's against the posts set to the top edge of the board is about 2 inches above grade to seperate the sand and the soil. My question is what are the types of sand I can order from these gravel companies to put in there. I dont want that really fine playsand crap. But i dont want stuff like pea gravel either. What are the types of sand, and consistancies that i need to look into?

    The space is 12x12, and will be an average of 18 inch's deep. One guy is telling me 250 dollars for 15 tons of sand, or 300 for a full load (around 22 tons). I forget what type of sand he told me I needed. Does this sound reasonable? Chances are I will end up with a full load regardless just to make sure I don't run shy.

     

    Leadeye

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    Jan 19, 2009
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    Solid advice about the litter box, people have been using rubber mulch for playgrounds recently.
     

    HoughMade

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    Oct 24, 2012
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    Valparaiso
    Rubber mulch makes horrible sand.

    18" deep is really way, way deeper than needed for a sand box. Half of that is plenty...which means 1/2 the sand.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    Aug 18, 2011
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    Southside Indy
    I'm not sure what it's called, but the type of sand that is used to mix with concrete should work. It's coarser than play sand, but much finer than pea gravel.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
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    Speedway area
    There is a calculator on the home depot site to figure how much you will need.
    My response to the liter box is from experience. Kids digging up Poop when they were in the sand box. Just saying.

    Did you get a new tractor...???
     

    dung

    Expert
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    Feb 9, 2017
    757
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    Charlestwon
    Get white sand used for bunkers on golf courses. They have calculators online that will let you figure out the tonnage you need. My kids and I prefer deep sandboxes....so you can't have too much. Be sure to line the bottom of your pit with good weed barrier to cut down on mud/dirt/plant infiltration.
     

    IndyGunworks

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    Feb 22, 2009
    12,832
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    Carthage IN
    Rubber mulch makes horrible sand.

    18" deep is really way, way deeper than needed for a sand box. Half of that is plenty...which means 1/2 the sand.

    You have never met my son. I had a sanbox that was about 2 feet deep as a kid and loved it. He digs in the dirt next to the house and already has a few 14 inch plus holes, so I think the depth is warranted. Besides, I am digging it with a backhoe, and placing the sand with a tractor, so not really much labor involved.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    Aug 18, 2011
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    I hate cats, so we used pea gravel, and it works just fine.

    Ever tried to build a pea gravel castle? Or dig tunnels in pea gravel? ;)


    On an only tenuously related topic, did you know that if you pour gasoline in sand, light it and let it burn down a little, you can take a shovel full of the burning sand and throw it into the air (away from you) and make Hollywood-style fireballs? (Can you tell I was a latch-key kid? :):)
     

    1775usmarine

    Sleeper
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    81   0   0
    Feb 15, 2013
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    Drive up here to northwest Indiana. I will take you to the dunes and you can load up your own truck with all the sand you want for free minus cost of fuel there and back you will spend.
     
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