How Sand Can Help Fill The Bare Patches In Your Lawn (& The Best Type To Use)

Ever notice your lawn becoming more a mine field of sneaky little pot holes than the level grassy meadow it once was? Or maybe you threw an epic birthday party for your child and now there's a bounce-house-sized bare patch in your front yard where there used to be plush green grass. It's also completely normal for soil to settle more in some places than others, especially those spaces in your yard that are more commonly used than others, resulting in uneven ground and sparse grass. Sanding your lawn can help return it to its original, vibrant green glory, and it's one of the simple habits of people who keep their lawns lush and well-manicured.

Sanding your yard simply means to spread sand across the top layer of grass (or in this case, lack thereof). Less is more here. You don't want to choke out your entire yard with mounds of sand. A thin layer will do. The sand will eventually sink down into the yard, breaking up any of the top soil that has become dry and hard, improving the drainage and absorption of water. This will ultimately mean fewer weeds and stronger roots, leading to a healthier and more beautiful, grassy lawn.

You don't want to use just any old sand on your lawn. While it might sound easy enough to grab whatever sand is most readily available to you, choosing the wrong sand can end up costing you more money in professional lawn repairs down the line. You need to use fine sand that is completely free of pebbles, rocks, and debris. The best types to use are masonry or play sand, like the kind you use in a DIY backyard sandbox for the kids. You can easily pick up a 50-pound bag of play sand from a local garden shop or home improvement store for about $5. Masonry sand is usually ordered in bulk for bigger projects, like sanding an entire yard.

Along with using fine sand, you also want to make sure the sand is as dry as possible. Wet sand is harder to spread evenly across the yard and might not settle as well as dry sand. It's best to sand your yard in the spring or early summer, when the weather is nice and there will be plenty of time for the sand to begin settling before extensive rainfall. Most lawns only need to be sanded once a year. If you find that you need to do it more often or the grass does not respond well to sanding, it could be due to one of these nine common lawn diseases, and it might be time to contact a professional.