Bloody red sand !

[gooner59]

Well one of my walls the top coat has cracked and gone hollow , but only on one wall ? why, i think its the impurities in the sand ,clay and loam,****,..........

 

[essexandy]

Well one of my walls the top coat has cracked and gone hollow , but only on one wall ? why, i think its the impurities in the sand ,clay and loam,****,..........

Did you not check it before using it?

 

[User________removed]

Andy how do you check your sand for silt etc ?

 

[User________removed]

Or rather what should the ratios quantities be once its stood ?

 

[essexandy]

Andy how do you check your sand for silt etc ?

Dead easy mate just take a clenched handful of sand, put your hand in either a water butt or bucket of water and and gently move your fingers together. If the sand is really silty you'll soon see the silt/loam coming out into the water in clouds.

 

[User___removed]

red sand is normally to fine for plastering.it will srink and crack.

 

[gooner59]

as i thought guys thanks for replies ! i did a proper sand test in an old gerkin-jar you clean it out then add water and dry cooking salt then put the lid on and shake-well to devolve the salt in the water , then you add a good handful of the sand , shake again and then put down on a level surface to settle , the good sand will settle at the bottom and the ,clay /silt/loam all settle at the top and if the top ;layer is 10% or more then the sand is unsuitable for rendering use..... and i did this and its crap sand , so i will chop-off the wall and re-do it, !!! while the owner is not around......as i covered the wall with polythene so they did not see it never again !!!!!.

 

[Bones10]

as i thought guys thanks for replies ! i did a proper sand test in an old gerkin-jar you clean it out then add water and dry cooking salt then put the lid on and shake-well to devolve the salt in the water , then you add a good handful of the sand , shake again and then put down on a level surface to settle , the good sand will settle at the bottom and the ,clay /silt/loam all settle at the top and if the top ;layer is 10% or more then the sand is unsuitable for rendering use..... and i did this and its crap sand , so i will chop-off the wall and re-do it, !!! while the owner is not around......as i covered the wall with polythene so they did not see it never again !!!!!.

Thats more complicated then making crack