How To Make Sand Glue For Pavers

Most pavers connect with basic sand poured and compacted between the joints. The difference between regular sand and sand glue is the composition of the sand. Sand glue is sand with added polymers that bind with water to create sand glue that will harden to a mortar-like consistency. The best way to make the glue is to purchase joint mortar sand at a hardware store or building supply store that contains the additional polymers. From there, adding the right amount of water will transition the sand from granular to glue form.

Step 1

Clean the joints between the pavers. Use a chisel, if necessary, to remove any dirt or debris between the pavers. Power wash the joints to blow out any hard-to-reach dirt. Blow out remaining debris with a leaf blower. Wait until a sunny, clear day before using the sand glue. If you just installed the pavers, then you can skip this step.

Step 2

Pour the paver sand evenly over the surface of the pavers. Spread the sand out evenly with a push broom until most of the sand falls between the cracks of the pavers. Add enough sand to fill in the cracks with some sand left over on the top of the pavers.

Step 3

Run a plate compactor over the pavers to compress the sand. Add more sand as necessary to fill the cracks between the pavers again. Repeat the compacting process. Continue to add sand and compact it until the sand reaches the top level of the pavers. Sweep off excess sand with the push broom.

Step 4

Saturate the sand with water for 10 minutes. Do not allow the water to puddle over the pavers, or else the sand will drift out of the cracks. Stop the water flow just when it starts to puddle. Wait 10 minutes, then repeat the soaking process. Fill with water until it starts to puddle, then wait another 10 minutes. Repeat the soaking process one final time. Wait 24 hours before walking on the pavers. This gives the sand glue time to set.