BW How-To

Beginning about 10 years ago, interlocking cement pavers for patios, walkways, and driveways gained popularity. Thus, an innovative new product was created to fill the gaps between these pavers – Polymeric Sand.

While more expensive that regular builder’s sand, ground granite, and other fillers, these water-activated products create a stable surface by preventing weed growth, ant or other insect intrusion, and erosion due to wind or wash out.

Originally, products used Portland cement as the primary binding ingredient for this application. It which worked fairly well but also caused a couple of problems:

·         Hazing (white patina on the pavers’ surface) due to the Portland cement not being completely cleaned off before the application of water.

·         Cracking and crumbling of the sands due to the rigid filler not allowing joint movement during freeze and thaw conditions.

In 2003, Alliance Designer Products, a Montreal offshoot of a 3^rd generation family-owned landscape and hardscape supplier, created a line of polymeric products that are Portland cement free.  They use special formulas of polymeric adhesives that greatly reduce hazing while allowing joint movement without cracking.  These products have all been thoroughly tested successfully through Canadian winters prior to introduction into the U.S. market and have proven reliable and durable enough to be backed by a unique 10-year limited warranty.

Alliance Designer Products also provide:

·         Structural stability by bonding the pavers or stones together into a monolithic structure.

·         Joint integrity through all seasons due to flexible, Portland-free polymeric chemistry.

·         Ease of installation.

·         Packaging in heavyweight plastic bags with heat-welded seams for tough, waterproof product protection.

·         Consistent color stability & product quality due to single source of manufacturing.

Choices:

The Gator Family of Polymeric Sands is now the most comprehensive line on the market. All the sand products use the same calibrated sand granules with different blends of polymeric adhesives for different results (differing gap width, overlays on top of concrete, etc.). Besides basic Beige we have Grey (ground granite) and the new, unique Ivory colors.

For Natural Stone:

Gator Dust is the unique polymeric stone dust designed specifically for use with natural stone applications. Colors are Beige and Grey.