Gel filled sandbags

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Has anybody used gel filled sandbags?
If so, did they do as good a job as sand filled bags and what was it like once filled? They are supposed to be reusable, are they?
Any advise or comments appreciated.

 

[Sideways]

For those of us looking on, what is the application for gel filed sand bags please ?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

They are bags filled with a powder, very light and store flat, when they come into contact with water they swell to many times their size and are supposed to be better than traditional sand filled bags, they also come in lengths up to 4m and are non toxic and biodegradable when you are done with them.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

https://www.ukflooddefencealliance.com/advantages-sandbag-alternatives/

 

[fleyh]

They are bags filled with a powder, very light and store flat, when they come into contact with water they swell to many times their size and are supposed to be better than traditional sand filled bags, they also come in lengths up to 4m and are non toxic and biodegradable when you are done with them.

Have you found any that are multi-use?
The last time I looked into this, all the commercially available options I found were single-use.

 

[Spectric]

I would think a tonne of sand is going to be a lot cheaper and is recyclable.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I would think a tonne of sand is going to be a lot cheaper and is recyclable.

but these gel bags store without taking up a lot of space and can be put into use in a matter of seconds

I've seen similar used in the floor in my local lidl, from the look of them I doubt they are reusable

also if they are biodegradable I cant really see how they can be reusable. if they are non toxic I wonder if they can be chopped up with a sharp spade and composted

 

[Stigmorgan]

Same gel as you find in babies nappies and sanitary towels, able to absorb large amounts of water very quickly. We also use it in school if a child has an accident or vomits on the carpets, a few years ago a child was sick so a TA used the granules to clean it up and thought it would be a good idea to flush it all down the toilet, when I got back to work a few hours later the toilet in question had a volcanic eruption of gel coming out of it, each dust sized grain will swell to the size of a marble given enough water, took me 3 hours to clear the toilet and pipework out. Small amounts can be mixed in to your houseplant soil as a water retainer, it will hold the water and gradually release it as the soil dries.

 

[Sideways]

Thanks. I haven't used these products but the first thought to mind was "I wonder if Pig make these ?"
Yes : Google for newpig co uk.

Pig are a trusted supplier of spill control products used in industry.

 

[TRITON]

For those of us looking on, what is the application for gel filed sand bags please ?

Veneering ?

 

[Cabinetman]

Would be nice to know please.

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

My first thought if used for flood control how quickly do they swell up? Is it quickly enough to stop large amounts of water flooding past before they have swollen up to stop massive amounts of water?

 

[Fitzroy]

The thing I don’t understand about them is if they have a density greater than water, if they don’t they surely they will float away. If you have a stack of them above the water line then the ones above will weigh down the ones below, but as the water rises that effect gets less and less.

 

[Blackswanwood]

To use them for flood defence they are “dunked” in water and then laid like a traditional sand bag. The advantages are said to be easier to store/transport and when laid they “settle” into any gaps better than sand bags are able to do.

I’ve seen them in passing in York when it floods and they seem to work as well as sand bags. That’s far from a controlled test though!