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Aggregates Buying Guide
Aggregates Buying Guide

Aggregates are used in many different aspects of building and DIY, from garden projects to house building. Our extensive range of aggregates provides a variety of raw materials to help you with your next project. There are dozens of materials to choose from, each with its own specific benefits and features, With all the size, style, and colour options available, it can be difficult to know what it is you're looking for.

Our aggregate range is diverse in terms of applications, with products intended for countless uses, but many are not interchangeable. Some of our aggregates are designed for specific tasks, so it is important to ensure you make the right decision.

Because of this, we’ve put together this buying guide to help choose the best aggregate and get the ideal product to help finish the job. We’ll cover the most important aspects of aggregate, as well as the sort of situations our aggregates are best suited for. We’ll weigh up the pros and cons of each aggregate and help you to make a choice on the best option for you.

What are Aggregates?

Aggregates is a general name referring to any product made of smaller fragments. Therefore, plenty of products at DIY Megastore classify as aggregates, including gravel, woodchip, sand, and cement. Aggregates are used as a tool in construction and DIY, but they are also utilised for visual appeal, often appearing in ornate layouts within gardens, parks, and other spaces.

Aggregates are also used for play and leisure – specialised sand is used in everything from sports stadiums to children’s sand pits. Meanwhile, child-friendly woodchip is often found covering the ground in playgrounds and playparks, serving as a soft surface that more effectively protects against impacts and active play.

Aggregates are utilised for safety too. Rock salt is used to keep roads, pavements, and other surfaces traversable during periods of icy weather, helping anyone using them to avoid slipping and injuring themselves. Drainage gravel also helps to ensure areas of your garden don’t get flooded so easily by providing efficient drainage for water.

What Are the Benefits of Aggregates? 

We’ve looked at the purposes of many aggregates, but what is there to gain from providing these products in the form of tiny fragments? Well, in many cases, aggregates would not function properly were they not made up of such fragments; gravel wouldn’t drain properly, and grit would prove more dangerous than useful if placed on the roads in larger chunks.

Aggregates are incredibly convenient and extremely versatile, with the small fragments allowing aggregates can be incorporated into just about any space, be it large, small, simple, or complex. You can purchase them in just about any size, from small sacks to huge palette bags capable of holding thousands of litres of your preferred product.

Aggregates are also incredibly cost-effective, with many made using materials that are locally sourced. Many of them are also more sustainable, coming from all-natural raw resources as opposed to other materials such as plastic, which need to be artificially manufactured. However, not all aggregates are fully sustainable, so it’s important to do your research if you are looking to purchase eco-friendly options.

Different Aggregates and Their Uses

We supply multiple aggregates here at DIY Megastore from a number of brands, as well as plenty of size options. Make sure you choose the correct size when purchasing any aggregate – you don’t want to be caught out with too little of a product, but you probably don’t want to be left with multiple bags either!

Take a look at our different aggregates below, alongside some of their key uses, and why they make such great choices for the projects they are designed for:

Cement

Construction worker using cement on propertyConstruction worker using cement on property

Cement is a classic building material and very little what has been built for the last millennia would be buildable without cement. From its origins thousands of years ago to its present-day use, cement has seen quite the transformation as a product. Multiple types are now available, uniquely formulated for different projects. Examples include plaster cement and waterproofing cement, as well as standard-use cement and sand-mixed cement.

Cement is always good to have on-hand – you never know when it might be needed. Choose between a wide variety of bag sizes to suit the size of your project. Cement-to-water ratios vary between individual mixtures, so keep an eye on product descriptions and packaging instructions to get an idea of how much cement you’ll need. It’s not an exact science but is fairly easy to estimate.

Gravel

Stone gravelStone gravel

Gravel is a highly versatile material primarily used to improve aesthetical appeal, but it is also very practical. It is one of the best aggregates for drainage control, for example. Lots of rock types can be turned into gravel, though the type of rock is important in determining what the gravel is used for. There are porous and non-porous gravels, and it is important to know the difference, as they perform in different ways.

The fragments of rock found in gravel also come in a range of sizes, from those just a millimetre or so in diameter to inch-long pieces. Larger pieces are easier to maintain, as they don’t tend to ‘spill’ as much. However, smaller fragments can be manoeuvred much like sand, making them easier to shovel, pour and rake. We recommend these smaller fragments for landscaping, while larger pieces are great for drainage.

Rock Salt and Grit

Salt and grit being used on pavementSalt and grit being used on pavement

Rock salts and grits are less versatile than aggregates. In fact, their primary purpose is to make surfaces safer to traverse in periods of cold weather. Grit not only melts ice and snow, but it also sticks to a surface, creating more traction and thus ensuring that anyone walking or driving across it is at less risk of slipping. Rock salts and grits are absolutely vital during the winter where, even if there is little-to-no snow, ice can be a weekly occurrence.

Both grits and rock salts are available in bags that vary in size. Smaller bags are great for garden paths and patios, while larger ones cover pavements, driveways, and roadsides with ease. So long as it is used properly, rock salts and grits have very little effect on the look of an area once the snow has melted away, as fragments tend to dissolve fairly quickly. We stock rock salts and grits suitable for both home and public use.

Woodchip

Wood chippingsWood chippings

Another highly versatile product, woodchip refers to bark and wood chippings created when cutting up the remains of a tree into hundreds or even thousands of pieces. Chipping fragments vary in size, though on some applications they are held to certain building standards, and these will have to be followed accordingly. The species of tree also has an effect on what it can and can’t be used for. For example, certain trees, like walnut trees, produce chemicals that actively discourage plant growth – fine for stomping out weeds, but not so useful when trying to create that perfect landscape garden.

All woodchips are great for drainage and serve as an all-natural solution for creating a comfortable and consistent outdoor surface (although we would never recommend walking on wood chippings with bare feet or socks, as splinters will always be a problem no matter the quality of the wood). With a variety of looks depending on the wood and finish, woodchip is also very diverse, offering you a wide array of beautiful options.

There are plenty of different uses for the aggregates we provide here at DIY Megastore. We offer products designed for both practical use and visual appeal. However, keep in mind that aggregates are not interchangeable – you don’t want to use cement in place of ornamental sand for your garden layout!

Below we’ve again listed the most popular aggregates, as well as the key industries and applications in which they are utilised. For more information on the specific capabilities of individual products, check out product descriptions found on each page here on our site.

Sand

Sand being used for constructionSand being used for construction

One of the most versatile aggregates, sand is made from tiny rock particles that create a much more malleable, workable surface that can be used for hundreds of different projects. Different sand mixtures are designed for different roles, with our sands primarily used for construction. Sand can be mixed with cement, mortar, and other products to increase strength and stability. It can also be used to fill holes and gaps as well as serve as a makeshift surface for construction vehicle traversal, so long as it is packed tight enough to create a solid landmass.

Meanwhile, sand can also be used to create visually appealing layouts in gardens. It can also be used to bury weeds and unsightly spots within your outdoor space. When soiled, it is easily replaced, allowing you to return your garden to looking as good as new. Sand is also a great way to encourage play. Sandpits are extremely popular with children, and the sand can be easily replaced when it is required. Make sure you purchase specialised play sand for your sand pit.

  • Cement and concrete mixing – Sand is a vital substance when it comes to mixing many concrete and cement types, although several modern brands come with the sand mixed in.
  • Plaster mixing and application – Several plasters perform better for longer when mixed in with sand before being applied to a surface.
  • Grouting and tile work – Specialised grouting sand is ideal for reinforcing the cement and grouts used to secure tiles and similar surface slabs.
  • Paint application – Certain paints are best applied with sand, as it creates a more durable formula that also displays better adhesion.
  • Glass production – Sand has been used in the creation of glass for centuries and continues to be used to this day.
  • Children’s play areas and sand pits – A series of specialised sand formulas free of potentially harmful particles are available for use in areas where children are likely to play.
  • Sports fields, jumping pits, and volleyball courts – Similar to children’s play sand, specialised sand can be purchased for use on courts, pits, and lanes.
  • Artificial beaches and beach care – Sand can be used to create artificial beaches far from the coastline. Certain sands can also be imported from other areas to help with beach care, though this needs to be done carefully and after thorough research and preparation to ensure environmental care.

Cement

  • Mixing with concrete – Cement can be mixed with concrete to increase durability, strength, and longevity. Also improves adhesion.
  • Ornate patterning – Cement can be used on its own or alongside other aggregates to create spectacular patterns and surfaces that remain incredibly strong and resilient.
  • Creating mortar – Mix cement with fine sand to create an incredibly resilient mortar that can be used in all sorts of building projects.
  • Fence building – Pour a cement mixture into a hole and insert an upright post to attach your fencing. Cement is not always required but can make for a much more resilient fence.
  • Soil stabilisation – Cement can be used to stabilise soil when constructing roads, highways, and paths.

Rock Salt and Grit

  • Road and pathway gritting – The main use of our rock salt and grit range is to protect surfaces that may be dangerous to travel other in periods of cold, icy weather.
  • Drainage – Horticultural grit is ideal for drainage. It is important to ensure that your grit is designed for gardens, as using rock salt or road grit may damage or even kill your plants.

Woodchip

  • Wood pulp production – Woodchip is used en masse to create wood pulp. It is an incredibly efficient raw material used in countless situations, from the creation of baby wipes to LCD screens.
  •  Landscaping – Wood chip is ideal for creating beautiful, 100% natural garden layouts. Be sure to use the right woodchip that has been tested to ensure that it is plant friendly.
  • Play areas – Specialised woodchip is soft and lacking in splinters, making it suited for use in children’s play areas.
  • Livestock pens and runs – Woodchips are ideal for a number of animals, especially chickens and other birds, who love to scratch about over a woodchip floor.

Conclusion

We hope you now have a clearer idea of the different aggregates available to you, and what the benefits and drawbacks of each one are. As always, you can never do enough research, and for more information on each of the products covered in this guide, take a look through the product descriptions and specifications for some additional facts, figures, and references.

Don’t forget - if you have any further questions relating to aggregates or DIY in general, don’t hesitate to contact our fantastic team. With plenty of experience and knowledge of the many products we stock, they’ll be more than happy to help with any issue you may have, whether you’re tackling a great big construction project or looking to hone your DIY skills.

What's Next?

Looking for more inspiration? Take a look at our wide range of product and project guides - covering an array of subjects from garden renovations to painting and decorating, installing stunning lighting set-ups to building out a kitchen or bathroom from scratch and much, much more. Take the leap today and start your DIY journey right here. For direct help and advice, you can also contact our award-winning customer service team.