Polymeric Sand for Wide Joints: Products Rated Past 1 Inch

Choosing polymeric sand for wide joints starts with one number: the maximum joint width on the data sheet. Many everyday sands top out at 1/2 in, 3/4 in or 1 in. Flagstone, wet cast stone and tumbled pavers often need more, and a handful of products are rated for joints of 2, 4, 5 or even 6 inches.

This guide lists the products we carry that are rated past 1 in, with the joint width range and minimum depth each manufacturer publishes. It also covers traditional versus overlay installs, flagstone considerations and how quickly coverage drops as joints get wider.

What counts as a wide joint?

Manufacturers do not share one definition. Alliance's coverage tables treat 3/4 to 1-1/4 in as "wide." Techniseal's SmartSand data sheet calls joints between 1 and 4 in non-standard and points those jobs to HP NextGel, and Techniseal notes that joints wider than 1/2 in take longer to dry. For practical purposes, if your joints are wider than about 1 in, most standard polymeric sands are ruled out and you need a product rated for the width.

For reference, these popular sands stop at 1 in or less: Alliance Gator Super Sand Bond (1 in), Techniseal SmartSand (1 in), SEK PolySweep (3/4 in), SRW SimplyTough (3/4 in, or 1 in at intersecting points) and Techniseal EZ Sand (1/2 in).

Polymeric sand for wide joints: ratings by product

Widths and depths below come from each product's data sheet and from the manufacturer figures in our calculator. "See data sheet" means the figure is not published in the sources we hold, so check the data sheet for your product.

Primary sources: the SRW X-Treme data sheet, the Gator Maxx G2 data sheet, the Techniseal NOCO data sheet and the other sheets in our library.

Traditional base vs overlay installs

A traditional install sets pavers or stone on bedding sand over compacted crushed stone, so water drains down through the base. An overlay sets them over a concrete slab, which does not drain, and several manufacturers limit or rule out wide joints there.

• Alliance Gator Maxx G2: up to 4 in on a traditional base but 2 in on an overlay. Rain-safe time also rises from 15 minutes to 24 hours on overlays, and Alliance cites ICPI's recommendation of 2 in drainage holes about 10 ft apart at the low points of the slab.
• SEK PolySweep X-Treme: overlays need at least a 1% slope and a 1 in layer of bedding sand. If stone sits directly on the concrete, SEK calls for 1 in drainage holes at one hole per sq ft.
• Not for overlays: Gator Super Sand G2, Gator Dust Bond and SRW X-Treme. Gator Nitro and Nitro-X are for drainage bases only.

Polymeric sand for wide joints in flagstone and irregular stone

Irregular stone means irregular joints, which makes compaction and filling harder.

• Compaction: Techniseal requires mechanical compaction for HP NextGel and says to use a paver roller on natural stone, or a plate compactor with a protective membrane. If joints are wider than 1/4 in and compaction is not possible, Techniseal directs you to Techniseal NOCO, which was developed for flagstone.
• Hand settling: for Gator Dust Bond, Alliance says to tap the stones with a rubber mallet and repeat the fill and tap at least two more times. SRW says to use a rubber mallet along the edges for SRW X-Treme and a small blunt object in more open areas.
• Wet cast stone: Alliance and SRW both say to pour the product directly into the joints rather than sweep it across the surface.
• Test first: Techniseal says to wait two days after installing on natural stone to confirm no moisture halo forms around the stones, and to test on a hidden area of about 4 sq ft first.

Coverage drops fast as joints widen

A wider joint holds far more sand per square foot. The published figures show how steep the drop is:

• SEK PolySweep (50 lb bag): 50 to 75 sq ft at joints up to 1/4 in, falling to 15 to 25 sq ft at 1/2 to 3/4 in.
• Alliance Gator Nitro (40 lb pail, 12 x 12 in pavers 2-3/8 in thick): 31 to 35 sq ft at 3/16 in joints (varies by color), 13 to 15 sq ft at 3/4 in, and 9 to 11 sq ft at 1 in.
• Alliance Gator Dust Bond (50 lb bag): 20 to 30 sq ft with joints 1 to 2 in wide and stones 2 to 2-1/2 in thick.
• SRW X-Treme (50 lb bag): 20 to 45 sq ft, with coverage varying by joint width.

Some manufacturers stop publishing coverage well below their maximum rating. Alliance Gator Maxx G2 is rated to 4 in, but its data sheet gives no coverage figure above 1-1/4 in. For joints that wide, enter your actual joint width, depth and stone size in the polymeric sand calculator rather than relying on a published range.

Frequently asked questions

What polymeric sand works for 6 inch joints?

In our range, SRW X-Treme (1/4 to 6 in) and Alliance Gator Dust Bond (1/2 to 6 in) are rated to 6 in. Both are for pedestrian use only.

Can you use standard polymeric sand in 2 inch joints?

Only if the data sheet rates it that wide. Gator Maxx Sand, Super Sand G2 and Maxx G2 are rated to 2 in or more, while SmartSand and Super Sand Bond stop at 1 in, and PolySweep and SimplyTough at 3/4 in.

How deep do wide joints need to be?

Most products listed here require 1-1/2 in. SEK PolySweep X-Treme requires 1-1/4 in, and Gator Nitro and Nitro-X require 3/4 in.

Which wide-joint products work without a plate compactor?

Techniseal NOCO is designed for installs without mechanical compaction. Gator Dust Bond and SRW X-Treme are settled by hand with a rubber mallet.

Can wide-joint polymeric sand go on a concrete overlay?

Some can. Gator Maxx G2 (up to 2 in on an overlay), Techniseal HP NextGel, NOCO and SEK PolySweep X-Treme list overlay installs. SRW X-Treme, Gator Dust Bond and Gator Super Sand G2 do not.