Is it best to purchase empty or ready-filled sandbags?

There are good reasons for buying either empty or ready-filled sandbags so it depends entirely on your purposes.

Most ready-filled sandbags are only partially filled due to their main applications requiring some versatility in their shape. Other purposes may require a bag of building sand to be completely full, in which case you would be better off buying empty bags and filling them yourself.

Ready-Filled Sandbag Applications

One of the main reasons for buying ready-filled sandbags such as a ton bag of sharp sand is for flood prevention. You use the partially-filled bags to build a sandbag barrier by laying them atop each other in a brickwork-style pattern. This method greatly reduces the amount of water that can enter an area.

Other purposes include using a bag of building sand that has only been partially filled to stabilise signage. They are used as weights to prevent signs for the likes of road works or special events from toppling over in the wind.

They are also the sandbag of choice for the likes of military bunkers and barricades, either in real life or for re-enactments.

Empty Sandbag Applications

There are many purposes where an empty sandbag that you fill yourself will be more useful as you can choose the amount of sand you need in each bag. These applications will likely be more permanent as the bags will often be filled to the brim and thus much heavier and harder to move, although partially filling them yourself to whatever level you require is also an option.

You will see completely full sandbags being used to shore-up riverbanks and certain areas by the sea as they can help reduce shore erosion. For such purposes it is advisable to buy empty sandbags and have the loose sand delivered to the place where it is will be used. As the full sandbags are very heavy, it is much easier to fill them at the place where they will be put to use rather than fill them and transport them afterwards.

Filling Empty Sandbags

Buying a ton bag of sharp sand to be used for filling empty sandbags is the first step, with the bulk sand delivered on a pallet to the destination of your choosing. One person can then fill somewhere between 10 and 15 bags in about an hour, depending on the effort put in. However, it is a tiring job so the number of bags able to be filled within an hour will decrease significantly over time.

The job of filling a bag of building sand can be made much easier if two people work together, as one can hold the bag while the other fills it. The roles of filling and holding can also be swapped regularly to minimise fatigue.

Other Bulk Bag Options

Ready-filled sandbags and loose sand for empty sandbags are not the only bulk product available through Springbridge. Among many others such as shingle, ballast and bark mulch, you can also buy tonne bags of compost for landscaping and gardening projects.

There are different types of tonne bags of compost you can choose from too, depending on the type of plants and vegetation you want to grow.

If you require products such as a bag of building sand, a ton bag of sharp sand or tonne bags of compost, then contact Springbridge via our website or call today on 0845 370 1921 for more information.