Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand: Porcelain and 1/8 in Joint Guide

Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand is the extra fine grade of Alliance's air-cure jointing sand, built for the joints that are hardest to fill: 1/8 in gaps on pavers and the even tighter joints on outdoor porcelain tile. It shares the Nitro chemistry, so it comes ready to use in a pail, goes in rain or shine, and hardens from the top of the joint to the bottom. What changes is the gradation. Alliance calls the way it works down into a tight joint Rapid Flow Technology, and the result is a denser, stronger joint with much lower permeability than standard Nitro.

This guide covers what Nitro X is rated for, how it differs from standard Nitro, the drainage base rules Alliance attaches to it, the installation steps, coverage per pail and the warranty conditions, using figures from the Alliance Gator Nitro X product page and technical data sheet.

What Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand is

Alliance Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand and standard Gator Nitro Joint Sand use the same air-cure chemistry with a different gradation. Per Alliance, the choice comes down to how tight your joints are and whether you want water moving through them:

Feature	Gator Nitro (standard)	Gator Nitro X (extra fine)
Gradation	Standard	Extra fine, flows into 1/8 in joints where coarser material bridges and leaves voids
Minimum joint on pavers	3/16 in	1/8 in
Permeability	High, 0.7 to 2.3 gal/min/sq ft	Low, 0.17 to 0.24 gal/min/sq ft
7 day compressive strength	Standard	926 to 1,470 psi depending on color, well above standard Nitro
Pail	40 lb, four colors	27.5 lb (12.5 kg), five colors

Alliance's rule of thumb: tight joints or porcelain, or a denser joint, means Nitro X. Wider joints or a permeable system where you want maximum flow means standard Nitro, which we cover in our Gator Nitro Joint Sand guide. Nitro X is also the jointing component of Alliance's seven-piece Gator Tile System for outdoor porcelain.

Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand specifications

Specification	Per the data sheet
Joint width, outdoor porcelain	1/8 in to 1/4 in (3 mm to 6 mm)
Joint width, pavers and stone	1/8 in to 2 in (3 mm to 50 mm)
Joint depth	3/4 in to 3-1/8 in (20 mm to 80 mm)
Installation temperature	Above 37°F (3°C)
Rain safe	Immediate; rain delays setting rather than damaging it
Working time	About 45 minutes
Open to traffic	About 18 hours in dry conditions above 75°F
Full strength	28 days
Power washing	Not for at least 28 days
7 day compressive strength	926 to 1,470 psi depending on color
Permeability	0.17 to 0.24 gal/min/sq ft
Pail weight	27.5 lb (12.5 kg)
Colors	Black, Gunmetal, Platinum, Taupe, Vanilla
Warranty	5 year residential, 1 year commercial, conditional on a test area

Alliance does not publish a shelf life for Nitro X on the product page, so check the manufacturer data sheet in our TDS and SDS library. The Nitro X color samples let you compare all five colors on your own tile or pavers before ordering pails.

Where to use it (and where not to)

Alliance rates Nitro X for drainage-base installations on:

• Outdoor porcelain tiles, pavers and slabs
• Concrete pavers and concrete slabs
• Natural stone and wet cast stone
• Patios, pool areas and walkways
• Residential driveways with light vehicular use
• Traditional drainage, permeable and hybrid bases

The conditions Alliance attaches are the same ones that govern standard Nitro, and they are not optional:

• Drainage base only. Alliance states Nitro can only be used on a drainage base application. Do not apply it on aggregates with large voids or the product migrates down into them. Gator Aqua Rock is Alliance's ASTM No. 9 bedding aggregate for permeable systems.
• Keep the surface wet. The surface must be pre-wet and stay wet throughout the install or staining can occur.
• Pool coping needs mortar. Pool coping blocks require mortar, not Nitro X.
• No movement. Any movement of the paving, before or after installation, voids the warranty. On Gator Base the rating is pedestrian only.
• Test area first. Alliance requires a test area of roughly 4 sq ft. Skip it and the warranty applies only to that 4 sq ft.
• Edge timing. On permeable and hybrid bases, Nitro X may only be installed 90 minutes after Gator XTreme Edge is applied.

Not sure your base qualifies? Call (856) 418-4895 before you order. Our comparison of Gator Base vs gravel explains the base options.

How to install Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand

The full procedure is in the Alliance technical data sheet. This is the shape of the job as Alliance lays it out on the product page. Install above 37°F, rain or shine, and work within the roughly 45 minute working time.

1. Wet the area to be jointed. Use more water if the surface is dry or hot. A dry surface is what causes staining with this product.
2. Spread and work it in. Spread one third of the pail over the surface, soak it thoroughly and work it with a squeegee or hard-bristle broom, pushing diagonally into the joints.
3. Fill and rinse. Bring the joints to 1/8 in below the top surface or chamfer, shower the excess off, and repeat until the whole area is done.

Rain during the job delays setting rather than ruining it. Keep traffic off for about 18 hours in dry conditions above 75°F, allow 28 days for full strength, and do not power wash for at least 28 days.

How much Gator Nitro X Fine Joint Sand you need

Coverage is per 27.5 lb pail and varies by color. Alliance's figures:

Joint and unit	Coverage per 27.5 lb pail
1/8 in joint, porcelain tile	323 to 374 sq ft by color
1/8 in joint, concrete paver	54 to 64 sq ft
1 in joint, concrete paver	6.8 to 8 sq ft

Taupe and Vanilla go furthest, Black covers the least. The full coverage tables by color are in the Alliance technical data sheet. For your own tile or paver dimensions, run the numbers through our jointing sand calculator and compare against the figures above, or call (856) 418-4895 and we will size it for you. Order before our daily cutoff and Nitro X ships same day from our New Jersey warehouse. Local pick-up is also available: call first, pick up at 1287 Glassboro Road, Williamstown, NJ 08094.

Warranty and testing

Alliance backs Nitro X with a 5 year residential warranty and a 1 year commercial warranty, both conditional on installing a test area of roughly 4 sq ft first. If you skip the test area, the warranty applies only to that 4 sq ft. Any movement of the paving before or after installation voids the warranty, and on Gator Base the rating is pedestrian only. Alliance's published testing includes 7 day compressive strength of 926 to 1,470 psi depending on color and permeability of 0.17 to 0.24 gal/min/sq ft. The technical data sheet with coverage tables by color, strength data and warranty conditions is in our TDS and SDS library.

Watch the manufacturer's video

Frequently asked questions

How small a joint can Nitro X fill?

Down to 1/8 in on pavers, stone and porcelain, which is tighter than the standard Nitro manages on pavers.

Can I install Nitro X in the rain?

Yes. It is an air-cure product, so rain delays setting rather than ruining the joint.

Do I need to wet the surface first?

Yes, and keep it wet throughout. A dry surface is what causes staining with this product.

Is Nitro X permeable?

Slightly, at 0.17 to 0.24 gal/min/sq ft, but far less than standard Nitro. If you need real flow through the joint, use the standard grade.

Can I power wash Nitro X joints?

Not for at least 28 days after installation.