Where has all the sand gone?

[powertools]

I want to lay 1 large paving slab as a step into an outbuilding so I went to Wickes for a small bag of cement and a small bag of sharp sand and they didn't have either so I went to B&Q they had cement but no sharp sand.

 

[stuckinthemud]

Both been largely unobtainable, along with plaster due to C19 impact on staffing at production and availability of vehicles as trucks switched over to transporting food and meds and with drivers off sick

 

[gog64]

As we literally dig it out of the ground in this country (large parts of the SE are sand under a thin layer of top soil) it’s down to B&Q not being able to put stock on the shelf fast enough. I have never seen so many houses being built, planning permission being waved through and such a craze for DIY. My normal sparky is booking work FOUR months out. Other trades are also flat out. Even the company I buy excavator buckets etc from is on stupid long lead times.

Crazy times, best advice is just to ask when they will be restocked & turn up then.

 

[okeydokey]

Try any trade builders merchants they have it in the yard and load customers trucks vans and such with a digger machine. Take a bucket or two they will sell to you - based on recent trip

 

[D_W]

Probably like here - less of it being distributed. More people using it. We're replacing the doors in the house - door order was to be ready within two weeks. It's been three months so far. Who knows when they'll actually be done.

I sent the mrs. out to find door knobs (not even going to attempt to do that myself, she'll never like the way they look). Inexpensive interior door knob sets cost 70% more than they did 2 years ago. I'm sure they didn't move production back to the states. Same for hinges, and the quality definitely looks worse.

Construction lumber is WAY up here and I doubt there's a shortage of it being cut and trucked - there's just been an explosion on house work in the last year with everyone home.

 

[dickm]

Our local quarry (Lovies) has all anyone could need and is happy to supply direct into your trailer. Only problem is the guy driving the big Volvo loader isn't that good at judging weight. I once asked for 1/2 tonne; he tipped, and I had to pay for, the best part of a tonne. Useful, except it's a 1/2 tonne trailer. Drove up the hill to home VERY slowly.
At least the local builder's merchants have a load cell on the materials handler, so you only get what you ask for.

 

[Spectric]

I want to lay 1 large paving slab as a step into an outbuilding so I went to Wickes for a small bag of cement and a small bag of sharp sand

Normally you lay slabs with either soft sand or a mixture of soft & sharp.

 

[topchippyles]

Stacks of it at our b&q last week

 

[Robbo60]

Bought a bag of sharp sand at B & Q yesterday. Tons of it.

 

[topchippyles]

Loads in my branch again today

 

[julianf]

Got 15 bags of lime arriving on tuesday, so no issues with that here. Got a dumpy bag of sharp sand to mix it delivered last week. No issues or significant price increase.

I think gypsum is back to normal here now too, so i think it may just be a localised issue.

 

[marcros]

Normally you lay slabs with either soft sand or a mixture of soft & sharp.

I have always done it with just sharp. I was told that on soft they float too much (whatever that means), so knowing no better I followed the advice since.

 

[Spectric]

Yes slabs, bricks and blocks will all "float" if the muck is too wet, I cannot lay bricks or blocks but my brother can and really complained if I made the muck too wet! Do you have a sub base?

 

[Amateur]

I'm sure it was,
" Where have all the flowers gone "
By Pete Seeger and not Wicksie?