At Flesherton Concrete Products, we understand that a lot of the terminology used for concrete, gravel, and sand can be confusing to those who are unfamiliar with construction. Most people don’t have much reason to spend time thinking about these materials or the distinctions between their many varieties, and it makes sense that they would find it difficult to tell one type of gravel or sand from another. Depending on your project, one term that you might hear come up is mason sand or masonry sand. In this article, we will explain what mason sand is, what makes it different from other types of sand, and what it’s used for.
To explain masonry sand, we’ll first compare it to another variety, concrete sand. Concrete sand is typically made in a quarry from a mixture of granite, gneiss, and trap stone or limestone. As its name suggests, it is used in concrete. Mason sand shares a similar rock composition with concrete sand, but is ground much finer. The smaller size of its grains, plus the fact that it is usually washed, makes it more visually pleasing than coarser varieties.
Because of mason sand’s finer grain and smoother appearance, it is used in projects where beauty is an important factor, such as fancy masonry in the facade of a building. Other examples include the mortar between patio stones, or even swimming pools–even a layman will be able to feel a difference between a pool deck made of concrete and one made of mason sand.
If you have questions about mason sand or want to know if it’s right for your project, give us a call at Flesherton Concrete Products.