Description
Granite Sand is fine crushed granite. Unlike a washed building sand with rounded grains, its particles are angular and include fines, so a layer of it locks together under a plate compactor or hand tamper into a firm surface. It is used as a path or driveway topping, a bedding layer for pavers and stepping stones, and a levelling layer under synthetic turf.
As a path surface it gives a natural, fine-textured finish that is easy to rake back into shape. As a bedding layer it screeds level and holds its shape while pavers are placed. It is sold loose by the cubic metre for pickup from Keilor East, so a small path, a paved patio or a turf base can each be matched to the right quantity.
Technical Specifications
| Material | Crushed granite fines |
|---|---|
| Particle shape | Angular, with fines; compacts firm |
| Typical depth | 50mm compacted as a path topping; 20 to 30mm as paver bedding |
| Approximate weight | 1.5 to 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre |
| Sold as | Loose, by the cubic metre in quarter-m3 steps |
| Collection | Pickup from Keilor East, Melbourne |
Where to Use
- Garden paths and informal driveways as a compacted topping
- Bedding layer under pavers, stepping stones and paving slabs
- Levelling and base layer under synthetic turf
- Levelling under sheds and cubby houses; for water tanks, follow the tank maker’s base requirements
- Filling and firming low spots before a finished surface goes down
How to Apply
- Excavate and edge – dig out to the finished level plus the topping depth, and fit edging so the fines cannot migrate into lawn or beds.
- Compact the base – firm the subgrade, or for driveways lay and compact a crushed rock base first.
- Spread in a layer – for a path, spread about 60mm loose to finish near 50mm compacted; for paver bedding, screed 20 to 30mm level.
- Dampen and compact – lightly wet the layer and compact with a plate compactor or hand tamper; damp fines lock together far better than dry ones.
- Grade for drainage – give paths a slight fall so water runs off rather than pooling.
- Finish – lay pavers or turf on a bedding layer, or rake a path surface smooth and compact a final time.
Important Notes
- Crushed stone contains crystalline silica. Keep the material damp when spreading and sweeping, avoid breathing dust, and wear a P2 mask if it is dry and dusty.
- It is heavy: a full cubic metre is around 1.5 to 1.6 tonnes. Check your trailer’s payload (on its compliance plate) before choosing a quantity.
- Allow roughly 10 to 15 percent extra volume for compaction when calculating path quantities.
- Sold loose by the cubic metre in quarter-m3 steps; quarter, half and three-quarter cubic metre part loads are available.
- Pickup from Keilor East (Melbourne). Bring a trailer or ute with a load rating suited to the quantity ordered.
- Further reading: Granite (Wikipedia).
- Further reading: Safe Work Australia (crystalline silica dust guidance).
