Building Sand — The Complete Guide
Building sand is the smooth, fine sand used in bricklaying, plastering, and pointing. Often confused with sharp sand, it's a very different material with very different uses.
What is Building Sand?
Building sand (also called soft sand or bricklaying sand) is a fine-grained, smooth sand with rounded particles typically 0–2mm in size. The smooth, rounded grains make it workable and easy to spread, giving mortars good plasticity. It's usually a brownish-yellow colour. Unlike sharp sand, building sand retains some fine particles which help workability but mean it shouldn't be used for structural concrete.
Common uses
- Bricklaying and blockwork mortar
- Pointing and repointing brickwork
- Internal plastering and rendering
- Garden wall construction
- Filling joints in paving
- Mixing general-purpose mortar
Sizes & grades
Fine grade, typically 0–2mm. Quality can vary — good building sand should be free of clay lumps and have consistent colour.
How much do you need?
For bricklaying mortar (1:4 mix), roughly 1 tonne of sand per 1,000 bricks laid. For pointing a 10m² wall, expect to use around 25–30kg of sand.
Pro tip
The golden rule: building sand for brickwork and pointing above ground, sharp sand for structural work, below-ground mortar, and bedding.
Suppliers of Building Sand near you
3 suppliers in our directory stock this material.
Ashley Plant Hire & Building Supplies
Cheshire
Fastcrete
Cheshire
Ground Materials Limited
Cheshire