3 Oct

How to choose the right sports sand for your playing surface

If you’ve ever tried to hit a golf ball out of a bunker or hopped, skipped, and jumped into a long-jump pit, you might have noticed the sand under your feet feels different from regular sand. That’s because it is - it’s sand that’s been specifically designed for use in sports and athletics.

While it may make the inside of your trainers a bit gritty, sports sand serves two important purposes: it improves player performance, and it keeps surfaces in good playing condition.

The specialists at M B Wilkes are experts in all types of sand, soil, and gravel. Let us walk you through everything there is to know about sports sand, so you can rest easy knowing that your club’s playing surface is in tip-top shape.

 

What makes sports sand different?

Because it needs to provide an even, safe surface for sports to be played on, sports sand has key differences from the sand you find on the beach or on a construction site.

Most sports sand goes through a special ‘cleaning’ process that removes clay, silt, dust, and other impurities. This creates a fine, smooth finish that’s perfect for recreational use.

To provide you with a safe surface on which to play your sport, sports sand usually has:

  • Smaller, finer grains for a softer surface
  • Impurities removed by washing
  • Air-filled porosity to provide excellent aeration and drainage
  • Consistent grading

These qualities make the sand super soft to walk on and quick to dry. It also won’t get stuck on your legs or feet as you run over it.

 

What makes high-quality sports sand?

Not all sand is the same. Different types of sand have different sized grains, mixes, and consistencies, which make certain sands more suited for certain uses than others.

Selecting the correct grade of sand for your playing surface is vitally important. The ‘grade’ of a sand refers to the size of each individual particle, ranging from the smallest and ‘finest’ to largest and ‘sharpest’. Each type has distinctly different qualities that are useful in different applications. You’ll find finer sand has less structure and more malleability, while sharp sand is strong but prone to cracks and lesions.

Sport sand shouldn’t be either too sharp or too fine – you’ll find that a quality, washed sports sand will be between grades 30 and 45, placing it somewhere in the middle.

Sand aids in the process of drainage, with each grade of sand having a different effect on the playing surface. For example, fine sand effectively seals up the playing surface if spread over the top layer, meaning you’ll struggle to get your pitch to drain. Sharp sands will destabilise the surface over time, negatively impacting the general makeup of the soil. This makes it even more important to remember the 30 to 45 grading.

In order to get the best results out of your sand spreading, there are steps you should take to make sure you don’t cause unneeded damage to the grass. Post-match, it is recommended that you divot the pitch with a fork, as this aerates the surface after being compacted by players. It also allows you to spread the sand into the top layer of surface soil.

If you’re looking for high-quality sand to use for sporting and recreation, make sure the sand is:

  • Low maintenance, so it’s easy to lay and look after
  • Naturally sourced, as sand from natural sources has fewer contaminants and is therefore of higher quality
  • Washed clean of any unwanted particles for a smooth finish.
  • Made of durable aggregate, so it can withstand even the toughest of sports.

 

Which sports sand do I need?

The exact type of sand you should choose depends on what you’ll be using it for:

 

Sports sand for recreation

Our imported washed sand is 0-2mm and ideal for surface dressing sports fields, rugby and cricket turfs, golf bunkers, bowling greens, goal mouths, and much more.

 

Specialist sports sand from M B Wilkes

At M B Wilkes, Dorset’s leading supplier of sand and other landscaping supplies, we have a range of top-quality sports sands for you to choose from.

Our naturally-sourced sports sand will create a soft, all-weather playing surface your sports club can rely on. Browse our range of sands to find the right type of you.

Our team has the knowledge and experience to answer any questions you may have. Simply get in touch for help choosing the right sports sand for your playing field.

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20 Aug
A guide to our grab hire and muck away services
Our reliable and affordable grab hire and muck away services make getting rid of your waste in Dorset quick and easy, whether that’s waste from your DIY project or large construction site! How our grab hire & muck away works To get started on disposing of your waste in one of the most efficient ways possible, simply give us a call today on 01258 857465 and tell our friendly team about your project and waste needs. We’ll advise you on which muck away service will be best for your requirements and then arrange a time and date to deliver your bulk bag to suit you. Once it’s full, we’ll come and collect it for you and take it away for recycling and disposal. Easy. Our grab away bulk bags are suitable for soil, hard core, brick rubble, sand, concrete and other mixed aggregates. For larger waste that isn’t easily moved, you’ll need our grab hire vehicles which are available in 4, 6 and 8 wheelers as well as our 10 and 20 tonne tipper lorries. Our grab hire & muck away services Our specialist grab lorries are able to collect large quantities of building, construction and garden waste in Poole, Bournemouth and the surrounding areas. You can use our muck away service for all sorts of waste, including: Sand, concrete and aggregates Building and landscaping materials Please note, we are not able to accept asbestos and other hazardous waste. Better than a skip! Did you know our grab hire service provides a much quicker, simpler and more cost-effective solution for waste disposal than skips? That’s because our trucks can hold much more waste than a skip so you can fill it with even more material while reducing the number of bags or collections needed. When you choose MB Wilkes for your muck away service, you can be sure we’ll arrive on-site at a time to suit you, collect your waste and drive away with minimum disruption and fuss. We can also deliver your order at the same time! To talk to a member of our friendly team about your waste disposal needs, get in touch today by calling 01258 857465 or send us a completed online enquiry form.
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15 Oct
4 brilliant uses for garden sleepers
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Announcing the arrival of our new delivery trucks
We are very proud to announce brand new trucks have joined our fleet of delivery vehicles, increasing our capacity to deliver our wide selection of aggregates and other building materials across the Dorset area. Proudly displaying the blue and yellow colours and logo of MB Wilkes, as well as a personalised number plate, the brilliant new trucks are capable of carrying large loads and have full tipping capabilities for quick and efficient delivery. Dorset’s leading supplier of aggregates and building materials A family owned sand and gravel quarry, MB Wilkes was established over 50 years ago in 1964 and have since become one of Dorset’s leading suppliers of aggregate and building materials thanks to our quality products and outstanding customer service. From driveway gravel and decorative garden stones to specialist sand and topsoil, our huge array of quality products at competitive prices have enabled us to build strong relationships with a diverse range of clients in the construction industry, including local councils, national developers, utility companies and even private homeowners.   An extensive product range The great news for our customers is that our new delivery trucks will allow us to deliver even more of our top-quality products to our clients around Dorset, ensuring fast delivery, often within 48 hours of your order, by one of our friendly and knowledgeable drivers. If you require a product urgently, please contact our team here at MB Wilkes on 01258 857465 and we’ll try our very best to help you. Our extensive product list includes: Building materials Driveway gravel Landscape supplies Specialist sands Decorative stones Paving slabs Soils and topsoil Sleepers and oak planks So, if you’re looking for the highest standard aggregates or building materials at competitive prices in Dorset, please don’t hesitate to contact the experts at MB Wilkes today on 01258 857465.    
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MB Wilkes sponsor local Lytchett Matravers Summer Festival
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MB Wilkes sponsors this year's Corfe Mullen Carnival
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Family-Owned BusinessFamily-run business supplying quality aggregates for over 60 years.
Family-Owned Business
Family-run business supplying quality aggregates for over 60 years.
Trusted Team of Experts Our expert team of trusted experts is ready to help with all your needs.
Trusted Team of Experts
Our expert team of trusted experts is ready to help with all your needs.
Fully Equipped Fleet We provide fast local delivery with tipper trucks and grab lorries.
Fully Equipped Fleet
We provide fast local delivery with tipper trucks and grab lorries.
Superb Range of Aggregates Small load aggregate collections available directly from our quarry.
Superb Range of Aggregates
Small load aggregate collections available directly from our quarry.

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