# What type of sand to buy to topdress/level/improve drainage?



## sheepfescue (Jul 29, 2019)

So it seems at Lowe's/Home Depot there are basically two or three options for "sand":

1. "Play Sand." This is a nice light-brown color and looks like pristine beach sand or golf course bunker sand.

2. All-purpose sand.

3. Paver-brick sand (or its called something to that effect).

Which is best for your lawn?


----------



## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

Definitely don't use the play sand. It is too fine and won't help with drainage. I used some All Purpose Sand recently but couldn't really tell too much difference between it and Paver's sand.


----------



## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

How big of a job are you trying to do?


----------



## Frankzzz (Aug 23, 2021)

I'm using a few bags of the Quikrete All Purpose Sand from Home Depot to drill and fill some problem drainage areas, but I don't think you want to use it to topdress for level/drainage. It's very, very coarse, it's gray, and it's more like a very fine gravel than it is a very coarse sand.
It works great for my purpose, tho, because it's so coarse. I'm drilling several dozen 1" holes, 12" deep, and filling them with this sand (drill and fill), so there's not any on the surface to worry about a mower throwing around.


----------



## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

Okay, I remember your post now. Not the type of media I would go with (I've seen a guy on YT using pea gravel lol), but it serves it purpose under the turf. Did your drill struggle any through clay and/or rocks?


----------



## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Go for a course mason sand.

I used mason sand for topdressing but it had too high of a % of fine particles. Making my lawn feel "soft" and I don't like it.


----------



## Buffalolawny (Nov 24, 2018)

Bombers said:


> Okay, I remember your post now. Not the type of media I would go with (I've seen a guy on YT using pea gravel lol), but it serves it purpose under the turf. Did your drill struggle any through clay and/or rocks?


----------



## Frankzzz (Aug 23, 2021)

Bombers said:


> Okay, I remember your post now. Not the type of media I would go with (I've seen a guy on YT using pea gravel lol), but it serves it purpose under the turf. Did your drill struggle any through clay and/or rocks?


Me? Yeah, I definite would not use what I have for topdressing, but it works great for my drill and fill. The OP mentioned it being one of the choices they had for topdressing, so I wanted to show them what it really looked like and don't think it would work for topdressing.
My 20v cordless struggles with the heavy, heavy clay I have, but I can eventually get it done, it's just more work. But I'm getting there, a dozen or so holes at a time.


----------

