Sandbags

Description

Sandbags have traditionally been made out of hessian or jute material. This material meant that sandbags could be filled with sharp sand and used effectively as a flexible tool to make any size or shape of of a wall of sandbags. Hessian sandbags were ideal for a lot of uses as the material is completely biodegradable and so, when the sandbags had served their purpose, they would naturally rot away and decompose.

Over the years, sand bags have been developed and are now made in other materials for different purposes. Woven polypropylene has seen much development over the years and now millions of sandbags are now made using this material. Polypropylene sandbags are non-biodegradable and so can serve a different purpose. Sometimes sandbags are required to dam a stream or part of a river, in which case, polypropylene sandbags are an ideal solution as they will last longer submerged in water. The only problem woven polypropylene sandbags face is the sunlight, which contributes to their degrading process.

For this reason, heavy duty polypropylene sandbags have been developed, which are made with a UV stabiliser which helps to reflect a certain intensity of sunlight. However, this does not make heavy duty sandbags indestructible. If the intensity of the sun is very strong, and the heavy duty sandbags are exposed for long periods of time, then there is no stopping the degrading process of the sandbags. It is always recommended, no matter what you are using your sandbags for, to cover them up with a black or coloured sheet and tuck it in as best you can. This will protect the sandbags by absorbing most of the sunlight and always preventing debris and water from attacking the sandbags.

Overall, sandbags are an excellent tool for flood defence, but have to be looked after and used correctly for you to make the most out of your sandbags.

Typical Uses

Normal Duty Woven Polypropylene: Ideal for used for temporary flood defences, stabilising temporary road signs and weighing down agricultural netting.

Heavy duty UV stabilised woven polypropylene and normal grade hessian cloth constructions are more robust and are ideal for extended temporary uses. They are sometimes used in conjunction with a weak cement mix to stabilise water ways, banks etc. An extended life, rotproofed version of the hessian bag is also available.

Heavy duty rot proofed hessian sandbags manufactured to BS1214:1977 standard are more suited for use in extreme conditions. These sandbags are most often used by army.

Further information links

SG Baker - sandbag manufacturer and supplier, UK leader when it comes about sandbags
Sandbag Suppliers - special division for sand bags distribution
Specialist Bags Online - online shop providing ecommerce sale of hessian and woven polypropylene sandbags

Tags

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