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Stesso

Clean and Activate Polymeric Sand

4:10
5:57
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How to Rebuild a patio for beginners- Step by Step DIY Guide to make an Old patio look like new

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What happens here

After compaction and ensuring all joints are filled, use an electric leaf blower again to thoroughly clean any remaining excess polymeric sand off the paver surface. It is critical to remove all loose sand from the top of the pavers before activating, as any leftover sand will cure into a haze on the paver surface. Once the surface is clean, use a handheld hose nozzle set to a shower setting to lightly mist the polymeric sand. The goal is to gently moisten the sand to activate the polymers without washing the sand out of the joints or disturbing the surface. Watch for the patio to change color as the water is applied, indicating the sand is being activated.

Goal: Activate the polymeric sand for curing and setting the pavers

Tools and materials

  • Electric Leaf Blower EGO — Final cleaning of excess sand from the surface
  • Garden Hose — Delivering water to activate the polymeric sand
  • Handheld Nozzle — Controlling water flow for misting
  • Water — Activating the polymeric sand

What they say

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[music] It usually goes about 3/4 to 1/2 in when we use this thing. It sells in the sand. Dwayne is become the paper king. Yeah. So, now that you've got the plate packer and you vibrated the sand in and then re-swept the sand joints, it's time to clean it. This is where an electric blower comes in handy. You don't have to go crazy doing this process. You just want to dust off the top that when you activate the sand, it stays in the joint. Once all the excess sand has been blown off, you're ready to activate it. The important thing is to just use your handheld nozzle on the shower setting to lightly mist it in. You don't want to overwater it. You don't want to power it through because this is going to wash the sand up and out of the joint space. You really want the sand to stay inside the joint spaces as you water it. See, now I can see that the water's coming to the surface. Doesn't take a whole lot. As you apply water, you'll notice the patio changes color. This is a great example of what a wet look sealer will look like. Now, I do recommend you apply a sealer, but if you don't like the wet look, you can just go with a natural and it won't alter the color this dramatically. It doesn't take a whole lot to activate this material.

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