Watch your footing on fresh sand in the rain

I was setting a brick patio in Seattle last fall, and we had a light drizzle start. The sand bed was still fresh and soft. I stepped back to check a line, my boot went right through the sand, and I twisted my ankle hard. Had to stop work for the day and ice it. Has anyone found a good way to mark soft spots on a wet site?

4 comments

4 Comments

torres.thea2mo ago

Remember my buddy who tried using scrap wood as markers? He laid down some old two-by-fours around a muddy trench in his yard. Thought it was genius until his dog decided it was a new obstacle course. The dog dragged a piece right through the wet concrete he'd just poured. Had to smooth the whole section out again with a trowel while the mutt watched, all proud of himself.

milarodriguez2mo ago

That dog story from @torres.thea is classic DIY chaos.

anderson.piper2mo ago

My cousin tried using those little orange flags from the hardware store once. Looked like a mini golf course for a week. The wind just picked them all up and threw them in the neighbor's yard. I've seen guys use a spray paint can to circle a soft patch, the kind for marking grass. It washes off eventually but gives you a heads up.

the_thea2mo ago

Oh that's too funny about the flags. The spray paint trick is a solid idea, much less likely to end up in someone else's yard.