email: sandy@dirtybeach.tv

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Is it just sand?

Yes.

How long does it take?

Each carving varies depending on size and detail, though typically anywhere from a few hours up to a week.
What happens when it rains?

Nothing. It gets wet. It may cause some loss of fine detail if it rains hard. A torrential downpour can create damage, but eroding a 20 ton sand sculpture takes time, the worst damage we suffer at festivals is generally from drunk people and not the weather.

Is the sand mixed with an adhesive?

On the river or beach our sculptures only lasts until high tide, so it’s just sand and water. We might spray water on them to keep them damp. If we are working at a festival or event and the sculpture has to last more then a day, we will spray a a ‘sunscreen’ on it. The most damage to any sand sculpture is caused by the sun and wind. We protect the sculptures by spraying a weak mix of water based glue on the surface of the sculpture. This adds skin to make it last, in some instances up to a year.

How do you decide what to make?

We like building the sand sofa so we have a place to sit down. Anything else is usually a random request from people who like what we do.

Do you need a special sand?

Any sand will work, but sand that is rough in shape works better. For instance, some beach sand has been exposed to the elements for a long time and each grain of sand looks round under a microscope. Building with this type of sand can result in vertical sculptures collapsing, which is comparable to stacking small balls on top each other. River estuary sand is less exposed and the grains have rougher edges which lock together. Weston-Super-Mare has the best sand for sculpting with in the UK.