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Flood Prevention: The Sandbag Technique

Controlling floodwater using bags filled with sand is a method that dates back centuries; so effective is the technique that it remains practically unchanged since it was invented all those years ago. With numerous named storms already having caused havoc across the UK this year and many more set to hit in the near future, it's an ideal time to make sure that you have sand and sandbags ready to deploy.

In this edition of the Greengates Builders Merchants blog, we will share with you a guide on the sandbag method of flood control.

Though sandbags can be made from various types of material, hessian has been repeatedly proven to be the best. Made using entirely natural fibres sourced from jute plants, hessian is totally biodegradable; this quality, combined with the fact that the bags can be reused countless times, makes hessian sandbags a sustainable and envi­ron­men­tally-friendly option.

The first step is to fill the sandbags with... you guessed it, sand! Don't be misled by the term 'fill': the bags should only be two-thirds filled to ensure that there is enough remaining hessian material to fold down as a flap to secure the sand inside. In addition, overfilled bags will not have the required flexibility that allows multiple bags to be packed tightly together. 

The filled sandbags should be laid in a similar manner to bricks, with staggered overlaps between each row. When creating a sandbag 'wall', lay the sand bags parallel to the water with the open ends of the bags facing the direction from which the water is coming. If the wall needs to be particularly tall to deal with high levels of water, you will need to form a strong foundation that is two or even three sandbags wide. 

Here at Greengates Builders Merchant, we supply top-quality hessian sand bags at the ultra-competitive price of just £1.30 per bag. We also offer absorbent grit sand in a range of pack sizes from medium to bulk. For the ultimate in convenience, you can choose to buy our ready-filled hessian sand bags that will allow you to get straight to wall-building as soon as they are delivered to your door. 

Please visit the dedicated product pages on our website to purchase these essential items. If you have any questions or need reliable advice, please get in touch with a member of our expert technical team. 

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