Sandbags & Their Various Uses

Sand can play an important role in protecting your property, such as fortifying structures and holding down furniture and other items that might get blown away. 

Aside from practical uses, sand can be playful as well. While coarse sand is best used for drainage and other construction needs, other types are soft and safe for children to play with under adult supervision.

The versatility of sandbags makes them a remarkably useful commodity. Keep reading to learn more about their various uses and applications around the home or job site.

Flood Control

During severe weather and storms where flooding is possible, sandbags can make all the difference. With strategic placing, sandbags can be used to block water from entering a building. 

The combination of the bag itself and the sand will absorb the water and keep it from slipping past the barricade.

Sandbags can be placed around high flood risk areas as well, such as rivers that are about to overflow, to mitigate or reduce the swell of water. They are also useful defenses against damaged levees, ensuring that the water does not reach a city or town in full force.

Reduce Water Damage

Sometimes waters are too strong, and it’s difficult to keep it all out during an emergency situation. Rather than fully block out water, sandbags can be used to protect important equipment or spaces by reducing the amount of water that reaches them.

Stacking sandbags in a formation around areas that need to stay dry reduces the risk of water damage taking root in the structure. Whether you want to avoid your floors getting destroyed or your walls from rotting, carefully placed sandbags can keep water damage to a minimum. 

They are best placed outside to keep water out, but can be used indoors as a last resort.

Military Fortification

The military uses sandbags as a temporary measure to protect any civilian areas, whether it’s from warfare or weather. The use of sandbags is meant to slow (if not ultimately stop) bullets from getting through and injuring soldiers and civilians.

Sandbags may feel soft, especially when filled, but stacking them compacts the grains together, creating a thick wall of material that bullets struggle to penetrate. 

Using sandbags as a protective measure against firearms is an extremely effective practice and can help keep homes and businesses safe during times of crisis.

Erosion Control

Flood-prone areas know the risks of erosion are devastating. When soil is washed away, trees can be uprooted and fall, and landscaping and farmlands suffer lasting damage. 

Without your natural soil, flooding can worsen and create bigger issues. Your lawn can suffer from standing water, nurturing various bacteria as they multiply in the stagnant puddles. 

With sandbags, these risks can be minimized, if not completely eradicated, to keep you and your family safe and protected from the elements.

Sandbags prevent flooding from tearing up your property and leaving it a crumbling mess. Maintaining the integrity of your property will maintain its value and reduce the risks of damage from falling trees.

Anchorage

During storms, outdoor furniture and decor can get swept away. While it’s best to bring these pieces inside to a safe area, like the garage, not all furniture or structures that are outdoors can be moved. Instead, they need additional layers of protection that will keep them from disappearing overnight.

Setting a few sandbags on top of tables and chairs that must remain outside can prevent them from getting dragged away by the elements. Stacking the sandbags to anchor outdoor decor to the ground will reduce the risk of your belongings being swept away in floods or by heavy winds.

Play Sand

Aside from practical uses to save your home or business from flooding dangers, sandbags can also be used to fill sandboxes and play areas for children. 

Setting up a sandbox is a great way to nurture creativity in children who have curious minds, and a few sandbags can create the perfect play area for children of all ages to enjoy.

Be sure to use fine, play-grade sand rather than coarse construction sand.

Drainage

Scattering concrete sand from sandbags across your lawn can help with drainage, preventing puddles of standing water from forming. The sand will absorb water, preventing your yard from becoming a swamp. Better drainage equals a healthier lawn and landscaping. 

Proper drainage also prevents mosquitoes from breeding in your yard during the summer. North Carolina mosquitoes are known to carry many potentially dangerous diseases, including West Nile virus, dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever. 

Protect your family’s health and well-being by using sand to sop up standing water in your yard and improve soil drainage.

Building

Buying sandbags in bulk can help prepare for construction projects, both big and small. Mortar sand can be used to make mortar for blocks, bricks, and patios. Holding your building materials together is essential; otherwise, the whole project collapses.

Using high-quality sand in your home construction projects ensures that the bricks and mortar stay together and withstand the test of time.

Strength Training

Weightlifting is an extremely popular form of physical exercise as well as a cornerstone of trendy workout regimens like crossfit and high-intensity interval training. Using sandbags in your weight training allows you to fully customize the heft of your weights rather than sticking to the standard five- or ten-pound intervals.

When it comes to strength training, everyone has different needs and goals. You may find you’ve outgrown your current weights but aren’t ready to mo