How to Fill and Position Sandbags
Do not fill bags more than half full. Remove any debris from the area where the bags are to be placed. Place the half filled bags lengthways and parallel to the direction of the water flow.Place bags in layers like a brick wall, make sure that in the next layer each bag overlaps the one below by half. Stamp each bag firmly into place to eliminate gaps and create a tight seal.
For additional Waterproofing – Lay plastic sheeting across the side of the ‘sandbag wall’ that will face the floodwater. Weigh down the plastic sheeting with additional sandbags outside!
To make a Sandbag Wall – Pyramid Placement Method
If you need to create sandbag protection that is more than three layers high you will need to build in a pyramid style.
For the structure to be stable, you should build the ‘sandbag wall’ three times as wide as you need it to be high.
It will also be more effective if you alternate the layers lengthways and crosswise.
Stamp each bag in place
How to Make and Use Flood Boards
The most basic method is to construct a strong wooden or metal barrier that is secured flat against the wall or frame surrounding a door or window.
The pressure of floodwater itself will help seal the barrier.This can be enhanced by adding suitable material like silicone to make a seal between the wall and the board. Place a stack of sandbags outside the barrier to divert the pressure of water.
How much sand does a sandbag need?
If the sandbags are filled with 25kg of sand, they become more rigid and less flexible therefore making building a wall more of a problem. It may be more difficult to securely position the filled sandbags so it is recommended to fill the sandbag with approximately 15kg of sand.
Secondly, if a sandbag is filled with too much sand, gaps may appear in the wall and therefore let more water through when water builds up pressure. Using filled sandbags containing around 15kgs of sand allows the sandbags to be pressed down to make a more effective water barrier.
All of our filled sandbags are filled with 15kg of sharp sand, to enable effective flood defence walls to be built. If you are thinking of buying empty sandbags and filling them yourself, we would strongly recommend that you do not fill the sandbags completely. Usually about 1/2 full!
How many sandbags do i need??
Sandbags are a necessity in preventing floods, and we are recommending to everyone who lives in an area which is at a risk of possible flooding to kees. Empty sp some empty sandbags at home. Sandbags are chhep and take up no space and can sit on a shelf for years until they are needed! When they are needed they can be quickly filled with sand or even soil!!
An average household has three doors, of which each will need at least 12 filled sandbags to create an effective flood defence wall. Garages are also a potential opening for flood water. How big is your garage? Please bear in mind that even though an empty sandbag measures 75cm in length, once the sandbag is filled, it will measure approximately 50cm. So if your garage is 3 metres across, you will need 6 x 4 layers of filled sandbags, meaning another 24 filled sandbags will be essential to keep flood water from entering your garage.