No, you cannot use regular sand between pavers.
The jointing fill of interlocking concrete pavers is a crucial aspect of the system and the gradation of sand is an important aspect of this joint fill. Using the wrong sand between your pavers could lead to the failure of the interlocking concrete pavement over the long term and cause you to spend more money than you hoped to save by using any sand that was available.
Play sand, beach sand, masonry sand, all of these sands cannot be used for your paver joint fill.
Why Can I NOT Use Regular Sand Between Pavers
Interlocking concrete pavement benefits from interlock through vertical, horizontal, and rotational interlock. The joint fill is responsible for the vertical interlock transferring shear loads to surrounding units. If there was no joint fill, there would be movement between units of that pavement. A load traveling over that pavement would cause one unit of pavement to move vertically. Increase the amount or weight of that traffic over time and those units would move from the area they were placed. With the correct joint fill and installation method, those units will share the force of that load providing vertical interlock to the system.
The gradation of that sand is just as important to the integrity of that system. All sand is not the same. Some are finer than others while others have varying sizes and shapes of granules within them. That is why ASTM C-144 or CSA A179 sand is the specified sand that should be used when installing joint fill between pavers. The ICPI (CMHA now) specifies that you can use bedding sand (ASTM C33) can be used for joint fill, but we would recommend the products stated below rather than a loose material that does not solidify.
The gradation is important because of the structural integrity of the joint. A finer gradation of sand would not provide the integrity required as the larger granules in an appropriate sand would. Think of it like concrete. Concrete is composed of cement, aggregate, and water. If it was just cement and water, it would be fine and not have the structural integrity that the larger aggregates provide. If it was just aggregate and water, there would be no binder to keep those larger aggregates together. The same can be said about your joint fill. If you fill it with fine sand, it will not have the integrity without the larger granules. If you fill it with only larger granules, you wont have something to fill the air voids within that joint. This is why choosing the right joint fill is crucial.
What Should I Use Between Pavers
Opting for any sand that is available may save you money now, but in the long term it will definitely not. A failed interlocking concrete pavement system would require the pavers to be lifted, the bedding layer to be re-screeded, and the pavers to be re-placed. Not to mention you would then need to buy and install the appropriate jointing fill that should have been installed in the first place. Do it once, do it right.
There are several options for joint fill currently on the market that range from inexpensive to more expensive. Each have their pros and cons. Choose the right jointing compound for your project.
- Jointing Sand for Pavers
- Polymeric Sand for Pavers
- Semi-Permeable Joint Fill for Pavers
Loose jointing sand can be used as an inexpensive option for your paver joints. The downside to this is that it is loose, prone to weed growth and insects, and will wash away and require topping up over time. You can apply a joint stabilizing sealer to the joints after installing the jointing sand and this well help prevent all of the above problems that may occur.
Polymeric sand replaced jointing sand as the most commonly installed joint fill for pavers. It is activated with water after installation to create a solid but flexible joint. It prevents weed growth and insects and will not wash away. The downside is that it is about three times more expensive than jointing sand, requires you to follow the instructions very carefully, and polymeric can fail for numerous reasons.
Semi-permeable joint fill is becoming more and more used for pavers built on open graded bases and synthetic bases using paver base panels. It is installed wet and solidifies. It also prevents weeds, insects, and washout like polymeric sand. It also allows water to flow through the joint and into the base. The downside is that it is about four times more expensive than polymeric sand and ten times more expensive than jointing sand while also taking the most time to install.