Dansand No Grow Instructions: Complete Setup & Maintenance Guide

Dansand No Grow is not a grow kit at all, it is a jointing sand for paved surfaces that actively prevents weeds from growing in the gaps between your pavers. You sweep it into the joints, compact it, and the mineral additive creates a high-pH, nutrient-poor environment that stops weed seeds from germinating. If you have landed here looking for step-by-step instructions on how to apply it correctly, you are in the right place.

What Dansand No Grow Actually Is

DANSAND® NO GROW™ is made by Dansand A/S, a Danish manufacturer. The product is a washed, oven-dried silica sand with a mineral additive blended in. That additive is the key ingredient: it raises the pH of the joint environment to a level that is naturally hostile to weed seeds, causing them to dry out rather than germinate. Importantly, the manufacturer states the minerals dissolve slowly and can only be washed out after around 10 years of rain, so one good application gives you long-lasting protection. It is sold in 20 kg frost-resistant foil bags and comes in colour variants including Anthracite (600015), Grey (600016), and Nature (600413), so you can match it to your paving. Dansand's product documentation lists the variant codes (examples: Anthracite – 600015; Grey – 600016; Nature – 600413) (Dansand® joint filling sand, product & application (PDF), Dansand) Dansand® joint filling sand — product & application (PDF) — Dansand.

One thing worth being upfront about: No Grow is a weed inhibitor, not a weed killer. It will not kill existing weeds that already have roots sitting in or under your joints. You have to remove all of that first. Think of it as a preventative barrier, not a cure. This trips a lot of people up, so I want to flag it early before you get to the application steps.

What's in the Box, Parts Checklist and Photo ID

When your Dansand No Grow arrives, you will typically receive the following. Check everything off before you start, because running out mid-project is genuinely frustrating.

• One or more 20 kg bags of No Grow jointing sand (grain size 3–20 mm, quartz content above 92.5%)
• Frost-resistant PP foil bag with resealable closure (the bag itself is the packaging and storage vessel)
• Product information label on the bag showing the colour variant, article number, and basic application notes
• A printed application instruction sheet (included with most retail bags or available as a downloadable PDF from Dansand)

You will not find any tools in the bag. No Grow is a bulk material product, not a kit with hardware. Before you start, make sure you have a stiff broom or brush for sweeping, a plate compactor or hand tamper, a rubber protection mat (for new paving), and personal protective equipment including goggles, gloves, and a P2 or P3 dust respirator. These are your working tools, and you will need all of them.

Image suggestion: A flat-lay photo of a sealed 20 kg No Grow bag alongside the required tools (stiff brush, rubber mat, safety goggles, gloves, and respirator) helps readers visually confirm they have everything before starting.

Quick-Reference Table: Parts vs. Function

Safety Guidelines and Before-You-Start Checklist

Silica sand dust is a genuine health hazard, not just a disclaimer box to scroll past. The Safety Data Sheet for No Grow lists the composition as quartz above 92.5% and sodium silicate below 5%. Dust from the product can irritate your eyes and airways, and prolonged inhalation of silica dust carries well-documented respiratory risks. Always wear a P2 or P3 dust respirator when pouring, mixing, and sweeping. Gloves and safety goggles are also required. If you are working on a windy day, consider rescheduling or using a windbreak.

On the disposal side: do not pour leftover sand or bag residue into drains or sewers. Route waste to your local authority waste facility or appropriate recycling channel. Store unused bags in a covered, dry space in summer and a dry indoor space in winter, and always close open bags securely after use.

• P2 or P3 dust respirator fitted and sealed before opening bags
• Safety goggles on (not just sunglasses)
• Protective gloves worn throughout application
• All existing weeds and plant material removed from joints completely, including roots
• Existing jointing material cleared out to the required depth (minimum 40 mm)
• Paving and joints confirmed fully dry before you start
• Bag contents mixed by shaking or turning before opening
• Rubber protection mat available if applying to new paving
• Coverage estimate checked against your surface area (approximately 20 kg covers 5–10 m2 depending on paver size and joint width)
• Bags not to be applied adjacent to plinths, bricks, tiles, or porous natural stone (use a neutral joint sand in those areas instead)

Step-by-Step Assembly and Surface Preparation

There is no physical assembly in the traditional sense, but the surface preparation steps are just as important as any hardware assembly. Skipping or rushing them is the most common reason No Grow underperforms. Follow these in order.

1. Remove all existing weeds from the joints, pulling out roots completely. No Grow will not kill established plants, so anything left behind will continue to grow through the new sand.
2. Clear out all old jointing material down to a minimum depth of 40 mm. Use a joint rake, screwdriver, or pressure washer (allow full drying time if you use water).
3. Brush or blow the joints clean of loose debris and dust. Every joint should be empty, clean, and dry before you proceed.
4. Check that your joints are between 1 and 5 mm wide. Joints narrower than 1 mm will not accept the sand effectively. Joints must be at least 3 mm wide for the weed-inhibiting mineral to work as intended.
5. Allow the entire paved surface and all joints to dry completely. This is non-negotiable. Damp joints will cause the sand to clump and not compact properly.
6. Put on your PPE (respirator, goggles, gloves) before opening the bag.
7. Shake or turn the bag several times to mix the sand and mineral additive together before opening.

Image suggestion: A close-up photo showing a clean, dry paving joint at 40 mm depth with a ruler or reference object helps readers confirm their preparation meets the minimum depth requirement.

Filling the Joints, Application Instructions

This section covers what the manufacturer calls the filling and compaction phase. Think of it as the equivalent of a planting or filling step in a grow kit. Coverage guidance from Dansand puts consumption at roughly 2.0 kg per square metre for standard 14x21x5 cm pavers with 2–3 mm joints. A 20 kg bag therefore covers approximately 5–10 m2 depending on your specific paver dimensions and joint width. Use the coverage calculator on the Dansand website to get a precise figure for your project before you start so you have enough bags on hand.

1. Pour a manageable amount of No Grow onto the dry paved surface. Do not dump the entire bag at once — work in sections.
2. Sweep the sand into the joints using a stiff brush or broom, working it diagonally across the paving so the sand enters the joints from multiple angles.
3. Compact the filled joints by pressing down firmly. For larger areas, use a plate compactor with a rubber protection mat laid on top of the paving to prevent surface damage. For small areas or individual joints, a hand tamper works.
4. Check the joint depth after compaction. The sand should sit level with the top edge or bevel of the paving stone. If joints are not full, add more sand and repeat the sweep-and-compact process.
5. Continue sweeping and compacting in passes until all joints are completely filled to the edge or bevel of the stone. The joint must be fully filled for the product to perform correctly.
6. Once all joints are filled and compacted, sweep the entire surface thoroughly to remove all excess sand and stone dust. Do not leave residue sitting on the surface of your pavers, especially if you have porous or natural stone.

One gotcha here: if you are laying new paving alongside this application, always use the rubber mat under your plate compactor. Skipping it risks cracking or scratching new stone surfaces. It feels like an extra step, but it takes seconds to lay down and saves a lot of regret.

Compatibility and Where Not to Use No Grow

No Grow is not suitable for every joint on your project. Dansand is explicit that the product should not be used in joints directly against plinths, bricks, tiles, or porous natural stones. The risk is efflorescence (white mineral staining) and potential plaster or surface damage. In those areas, use a dedicated neutral joint sand instead. Plan your application zone before you start so you can switch products where needed rather than discovering the problem after the sand is already in.

Powering On, First Run, and What to Expect After Application

No Grow does not have a power-on step, but there is a settling and activation phase worth understanding. After your first application, light rain or watering helps the mineral additive begin to bind within the joint. The product does not need to be watered in aggressively, but a light wetting helps consolidate the sand slightly and begins the slow mineral-dissolution process that creates the weed-inhibiting environment.

• First 24–48 hours: keep foot traffic off newly filled joints where possible to allow initial settling
• First rainfall or light watering: helps the mineral additive begin activating in the joint
• First few weeks: a small amount of surface sand may wash slightly in heavy rain — top up joints to the bevel line if any gaps appear
• Ongoing: the mineral protection remains active for up to 10 years under normal rain exposure, with no annual reapplication needed unless joints are physically disturbed
• Weed seeds landing on the surface after application will not germinate in the joints as long as they remain fully filled to the correct depth

Image suggestion: A before-and-after photo pair showing joints filled with old material and weeds versus clean, freshly filled joints with No Grow sand swept flush to the paving edge is a strong visual reference for readers assessing their finished work.

Daily Maintenance and Keeping Joints in Good Shape

Day-to-day, No Grow needs very little from you. Regular sweeping of the paved surface keeps debris from accumulating in the joints and forming a layer of organic matter that could eventually give weed seeds somewhere to anchor. Avoid using a stiff metal rake or wire brush directly on the joints, as this can disturb the compacted sand. A soft or stiff nylon broom for routine cleaning is ideal.

After heavy storms or freeze-thaw cycles in winter, it is worth checking joint depth. If any joints have been partially washed out or disturbed, top them up with fresh No Grow, compact again, and brush off the excess. Partial joints are where weeds tend to establish first, so catching them early is much easier than doing a full re-application later.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Weeds Still Appearing After Application

This is the most common complaint, and it almost always comes down to one of two things. First: existing weeds were not fully removed before application. No Grow does not kill plants with established roots, so anything left in the joint will simply grow through the new sand. Second: the joints were not filled completely to the edge or bevel of the stone. Any gap or hollow at the top gives weed seeds a landing spot with access to moisture and light. The fix in both cases is the same: remove the affected sand, clear the joint fully, allow it to dry, and re-apply correctly.

Sand Washing Out After Rain

Some surface sand movement in the first few heavy rains is normal. If you are seeing significant loss from joints, the most likely cause is either that the sand was not compacted firmly enough during application, or that the joints were not deep enough (minimum 40 mm is required). For minor top-up losses, simply re-fill and compact the affected joints. For systemic loss across a large area, check that your paving has adequate edge restraints and that water is draining away from rather than through the joints.

White Staining on Paving Stones

White staining (efflorescence) near the joints is a sign that No Grow has been applied against an incompatible surface, typically porous natural stone, bricks, or masonry plinths. Remove the No Grow from those joints and replace with a neutral joint sand. For the staining already present, specialist efflorescence cleaners are available from paving suppliers, check the manufacturer's recommendation for your specific stone type before applying anything.

Sand Clumping and Not Sweeping In Properly

If the sand is clumping rather than flowing freely into joints, the joints or the sand itself have moisture in them. Dansand is explicit that both the paving and the bag contents must be dry before application. Store opened bags sealed and dry. If weather has dampened the surface mid-project, stop and wait for everything to dry fully before continuing.

Replacement Sand, Top-Ups, and Reordering

When you need to top up joints or re-apply to disturbed areas, use the same colour variant you originally installed. Mixing colour variants in the same area will look patchy. The article numbers to match to are Anthracite (600015), Grey (600016), and Nature (600413). In the UK, No Grow is stocked at Wickes (product references 131899 and 119555 on their site) and through other building and landscaping suppliers. It is sold exclusively in 20 kg bags.

If your local retailer is out of stock, Dansand's distribution in the UK is handled under brand license by Goose Agency Limited, so contacting them directly is an option for sourcing or bulk orders.

How No Grow Compares to Other Jointing and Growing Products

No Grow occupies a specific niche, it is a preventative landscape product rather than a grow kit in the conventional sense. If you arrived here from a search about plant-growing kits, the Dansand No Grow is a very different category of product. If you meant a consumer grow product, see our guide on how to use LA Colors Mega Grow for step‑by‑step instructions and tips. For comparison, grow systems like Click and Grow work on the opposite principle: they provide the ideal nutrition, moisture, and light conditions to encourage germination and plant growth, rather than suppress it. The refill pods and nutrient mechanics in those systems are explored in detail in the Click and Grow refill instructions guide on this site.

For readers exploring liquid nutrient grow systems, Maxsea grow instructions cover a seaweed-based nutrient approach used in hydroponic and soil setups that takes a completely different philosophy to plant feeding. And if you are interested in spray-on growth products specifically for plants rather than paving, the how to use Spray-N-Grow guide covers that territory. The point is that No Grow is genuinely its own category, a landscape maintenance material, and understanding that distinction saves a lot of confusion when comparing products.

Storage, Warranty, and Getting More Help

Store unused No Grow bags in a covered area during summer and indoors in a dry space over winter. The PP foil bags are frost-resistant, but keeping the product dry and sealed is the most important factor for maintaining performance. Always close open bags tightly after use with the resealable closure or a clip. Residual sand and bag waste should not go to household drains, take them to your local authority waste facility or appropriate recycling point.

Dansand A/S publishes full technical documentation including their Information and Application Guide PDF and Safety Data Sheet on their website and through distributor sites like Wickes. For warranty or product performance questions specific to your installation, contacting Dansand directly or the UK distributor (Goose Agency Limited) is the right route. Retailer-specific queries on orders and availability are best handled through the point of purchase.