Can You Use Play Sand In A Fire Pit?

Installing a fire pit in your home is an excellent idea. Whether fixed or portable, it is worth the investment. It can keep you warm during winters, enhance the aesthetic of your home, keep mosquitos at bay, and helps make memories with your family and friends.

If you get a fire pit, you are going to need a filler material to fill the bottom layer of the pit. There are many choices, but sand is your best bet. The size and style of your fire pit will determine the type of sand to use.

But what about play sand? is it safe to use?

Can You Use Play Sand In A Fire Pit?

Yes, you can use play sand inside a fire pit. Play sand is a safe filler material that has been processed to make it soft and clean.

Although many options are available, most backyard enthusiasts recommend adding play sand to your fire pit.

Why? Because it can help absorb heat while aiding in equal heat distribution at the base of the pit. On the contrary, its absence would allow heat to stay concentrated to certain areas.

It is finer than coarse sand, meaning the sand crystals are relatively smaller with rounded edges.

Made from crystalline silica, play sand might have a dusty appearance due to the absence of large thickets. This allows even heat dissipation while preventing it from escaping through empty spaces that are present among rocks, stone, and wood.

Luckily, play sand is cheap and easily accessible. You can add it to your fire pit to handle the extreme temperature and discard it when no longer needed.

Why Use Play Sand In A Fire Pit?

Most people use sand in the fire pit, but they don’t know why. Here are some of the benefits of using play sand in your fire pit.

• Play sand is much cheaper than other filler materials designed for fire pits, such as bricks and stones.
• Apart from being cheap, play sand is excellent at absorbing the heat. Not to mention its ability to prevent heat from escaping, which is often the drawback of using rock or wood.
• The heat distributes evenly across the bottom of the fire pit rather than concentrating in one area.
• You can easily get your hands on play sand from any hardware or home improvement shop.

Despite its benefits, play sand has a high saline composition that can negatively impact your plants. Also, it can adversely affect soil drainage; therefore, you should avoid getting it in your lawn or garden by accident.

Should You Use Play Sand Or Silica Sand In Your Fire Pit?

Play sand and silica sand are two different types of sands that are suitable to use inside a fire pit. They do share similarities, which we will look at:

Silica Sand

Silica sand is very fine and used in manufacturing facilities to produce various products such as glass and pottery. Also known as industrial sand, it is composed of two major components: silica and oxygen.

Due to its anti-erosion properties, construction contractors use silica sand to fill road cracks. It is also used to filter water and even polish metals.

But, silica sand is considered toxic and may adversely affect your health if inhaled. Exposure to large quantities of it can result in a health condition called silicosis. This is one reason why most people prefer play sand over silica sand.

Play Sand

Play sand is widely used in the landscaping industry due to its non-toxic composition. You can add it to aquariums, gardens, and pots.

Unlike silica sand, it contains traces of quartz, thus making it less harmful. As a result, it is an excellent choice to add to gardens and flowerbeds.

One thing to note is that play sand has larger pores than silica sand. This means that it can retain moisture for a long time. If left unattended for long, it can result in mold growth.

Play sand has a wide range of applications. Typically, play sand is used to create soft planes for outdoor sports such as beach ball. It is also used in sandboxes for children. Due to its finer composition, play sand is an excellent choice for creating smooth gameplay areas.

What Are Some Alternatives To Using Play Sand In A Fire Pit?

Most people recommend using play sand in a fire pit due to its high accessibility and cost-effectiveness. However, it has several alternatives, such as glass beads,  gravel, and lava rocks.

Glass Beads

Glass beads are a suitable alternative to play sand because they are lightweight. They will not disturb the composition of your fire pit.

You can find colorful glass beads that are fantastic at shining light around a bonfire.

Silica Sand

Silica sand is a potential alternative to play sand in your fire pit. However, we do not recommend silica sand due to its more refined and toxic components that can easily be inhaled and cause health problems.

Wood

Natural wood is also a cheap alternative to using play sand. However, be mindful of adding treated wood to your fire pit because it can discharge harmful chemicals into the surroundings. 

Fine Rocks

If you are on a limited budget, fine river rocks or pebbles can be an excellent choice. They are highly durable yet cheap. Experts suggest that river rocks are great compared to using stones as they are easy to clean

Some other alternatives also include beach sand and pavers sand. 

Be mindful that play sand is less coarse compared to beach sand. It is crushed into finer grains to make it suitable for safe use.

On the other hand, beach sand has larger thickets compared to play sand. It also contains many impurities and minerals that ocean water might leave behind.

The Bottom Line

Play sand is an excellent filler material that you can use to fill the bottom of your fire pit. Apart from being less expensive, it promotes even heat disbursement and is relatively easy to dispose of. So, if you have a fire pit free from drainage holes, adding play sand is a great option.

Last update on 2024-05-03 at 09:59 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API