Building Supplies

Sharp Sand has been a staple construction aggregate for years. Mainly owing to its incredibly versatile range of uses, including as a base for driveways and patios or when laying paving and floor screeds. Because it boasts a gritty texture and is able to break down soil, this sand is also commonly mixed with cement for construction and potting composite when planting, as it can significantly improve drainage. 

Naturally, depending on which of these numerous applications you use your sand for, the number of bags you need can differ quite drastically. Let’s start with full-area applications, namely using it as a base – either for block paving or patios. To determine how much you need, there are three key measurements you need to know. These are your area's length, width and depth (typically a depth of at least 50mm is recommended, though this can vary per application). 

Let’s take a simple 8-meter squared area. At a depth of 50mm, you will need around 800kg of sharp sand for your base. Typically, 1 bulk bag is full.  

Whether you're laying a patio or building a brick wall, mortar is essential. And though there is no exact formula for quickly calculating the correct amount, there are a few tips that can help get you as close as possible.   

For a start, we need to determine how much mortar we need. To do this, we need to consider the total cubic area we are working with, which involves a quick bit of math. Start with your basic area (length x width) and then multiply that number by the depth to get your final figure. Round this number up by 5 – 10% for redundancies sake and you’ll have a rough idea of how much your mortar needs to cover. 

For example, let’s say we are laying a patio across a 20m² area. We’ve dug out our garden, lain our sub-base and now need to move onto the mortar bed. Typically, this would need to be around 30-40mm. In this case, let’s say 40mm or 0.04mm. 20 x 0.04 equals 0.8 cubic meters. Round this up to 1 cubic meter and you have the total volume of mortar you'll need. 

In addition to just the basic ingredients, there are also additional additives you can introduce to your mixture to increase its strength such as plasticiser. Other additives can also improve water resistance, workability and setting times. 

It might surprise you to know, but there are thousands of styles of bricks to choose from – available in a dizzying array of colours and finishes, each made to suit a different design of a building. When choosing your own bricks (either to repair an exterior wall or build something new) it is always worth taking note of these local styles so that you can pick bricks that match. 

In much the same vein, you’ll also want to consider the overall aesthetic of your local area as well as the aesthetic you are trying to achieve in your own build. Rustic renovations, period-style extensions and anything else looking to capture that classic charm would best benefit from hand-made bricks, as each differs slightly from one another. 

On the other hand, if want to achieve that polished look - perhaps for a new build or commercial property – precision machined bricks are the way to go. These will offer crisp, clean linear lines that are far more consistent and symmetrical. 

Everything you need to know regarding insulation can be found in Approved Document L though, as you might expect from official documents, it is not easily decipherable. To make a long story short, the recommendation for new builds is that your loft insulation should be roughly 270mm thick. Though it is worth bearing in mind that this doesn’t need to be only one type. Meaning older builds can easily be pushed up to meet this recommended thickness by layering new insulation atop old.  

When it comes to wall insulation, the minimum (as recommended by the energy savings trust) is around 60mm, though this can easily be pushed to 100mm depending on the material used. Mineral wool, for example, can be less effective than boards meaning you may need as much as 120mm to see equal heat savings. As for your flooring, it is a good idea for it to be insulated to around 70mm (with high-performing insulation) or up to 150mm (if using wool.) 

All of these will help you to meet the recommended U-value for your home. In other words, the total thermal resistance that your roof, walls and floors need in order to ensure you stay at a comfortable temperature all year round.