Learning More About The General Uses Of Sandbags

While you may not run into them too often, sandbags have a lot of uses and they’re not only vital for keeping water from flooding entire neighborhoods, but they are also used by the military and the sports industry. Sandbags are basically sacks made from cotton duck or burlap which are filled with either heavy earth or sand. If they’re going to be used for long term applications, then they’re generally going to be made from polypropylene and similar materials. And since sandbags are sturdy, very simple to handle and cheap, they can be used in many kinds of emergencies and by people of all ages.

Sandbags For Flood Control

The most common usage for sandbags has to be flood control and that is because their stackable nature makes them the perfect choice for flood prevention. In fact, people who live in areas that are at risk for being flooded always have them by the dozens stocked up in their garage or basement. When there are stacked, the sand or earth in the bags is slowly going to settle allowing you to create a very strong and solid wall that can withstand a lot of force. Sandbags that are specifically made for flood prevention are generally made from plastic bags. In order to improve on their durability, manufacturers may choose to paint them with a waterproof solution.

While creating walls in order to divert water, it’s very important that the sandbags are properly placed and filled, since this way they can act as a barrier and successfully keep the water away. While it’s very well known that sandbags are not going to guarantee a watertight seal, most of the times they’re the most effective and easiest solution people can consider.

In fact, there are many situations where they are used for training current flows to various areas and for preventing the over-topping of streams. As you may very well know, there are two types of sandbags, including the tied and untied kind. In order to prevent floods, it’s recommended that people use untied sandbags, since the tied type is generally used for purposes such as forming barriers that are backed by supportive planks, holding objects in position and also filling holes.

The most prevalent variety of sandbags are the untreated burlap sacks and they can be easily found at hardware or feed stores. If properly stored, they can be serviceable for many years to come, but before storing them, the sacks should be emptied.

Sandbags For Sports & Recreation

From shooting to holding down your awning or even the use of sandbags for sports training, sandbags have a variety of uses. They have actually been used for many decades by athletes who want to improve their physical performances, especially their grip and endurance. In the majority of cases, athletes will start using sandbags when their current workout becomes stale and they need something new that can help them continue improving their physical conditioning.

One very important thing to keep in mind when you want to consider using sandbags is that training with them is going to greatly improve your resistance. If you want, you can consider them an alternative to training with dumbbells and barbells, but they do have several benefits of their own as we’ll see below.

Tough to work with: It’s obvious that working with a sandbag is much harder and this is because they are an awkward load which makes you work for each and every lift. As a result, you may not be able to lift as much sand as you would iron at the gym, but it will give you a good idea of how you can handle real life loads.

Improved grip strength: What’s great about working with a sandbag is that you don’t need to consider separate grip exercises and that’s because the very nature of the sandbag allows you to greatly improve your grip.

Ability to mold to your body shape: If you’re a runner or a sprinter, then you’ll be able to get an extremely effective exercise by working out with sandbags. On top of that, you can also use them for simulating grappling with an opponent.

Sandbags For Earthbag Building

If you’re looking for an eco friendly and fast way of building a structure, then how about considering earthbags for it? You can easily use them for building the foundation for walls and then use cement stucco to seal them up nicely. By using this alternative to brick walls, you’ll not only save time, but also a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on the bricks themselves. Once you’ll give the first coat of paint to your walls, you’re going to forget about the fact that just a few days ago you stacked some large earthbags inside them.

Sandbags For Military Fortifications

In WW I and WW II sandbags played a vital role in helping soldiers protect themselves from enemy fire. They were generally used for defending trenches and offered slight protection from back-blast of shells that would fall around the trench line. During WW II, an article published in one of the newspapers of the time showed how the military used sandbags for protecting the Venus de Milo statue by carefully stacking them around it.

Sandbags For Erosion Control

Drainage systems, beaches and mostly roadways are greatly affected by erosion which takes place every year as soil moves due to water or wind. In order to prevent the damages erosion could have on roadways, sandbags can be packed near roads that have been greatly affected by the phenomenon and are therefore in danger of collapsing.

When they are used on the beach, sandbags can easily act as powerful a structure that offers a temporary fix until a more permanent solution can be found. They can also be used for preventing shoreline erosion as the storm waves are pounding the beach.

As you can see, sandbags have more uses than you may have initially pictured. From flood control to helping athletes train and improve their strength and conditioning to serving as protection from enemy fire in war-zones, sandbags definitely have an important role to play in everyday life.