What makes Cloburn so special?

Cloburn Quarry is special in itself; rock has been commercially extracted here since 1896 - originally to provide track ballast for new railway lines.

Cloburn Quarry Limited was established in 1982, and we’ve been working hard ever since to provide the products that people really want, rather than the products we think we can sell.

We came to the business with absolutely no preconceptions about how a quarry should be run, and researched the industry thoroughly to find out what was needed, what the best equipment for the task was, and how to sell our specially-created product ranges. As a result, we’re now proud owners of a truly individual quarrying company, producing unique products that people really want, and using specialist plant equipment, some of which isn’t found anywhere else in the UK.

Where we’ve really turned the business on its head is by designing and creating specific products to meet consumer and business needs, rather than just figuring out ways to market by-products of the granite products we already quarry. For example, our Granitsand isn’t simply left over sand from the quarrying process, like traditional bedding sand, but in fact it’s a completely new product that’s manufactured specifically for a need we’ve pinpointed in the construction market.

Most bedding sands are soft, pliable and of course very easy to source. It’s been a standard product sold for many years, but we didn’t want to simply carry on producing a product that had well known disadvantages; yes it was easy to use due to its pliability, but that pliability also meant a loss of durability. We knew there was a demand for a strong, hard bedding sand type product made specifically from hard rock which would provide long-lasting results.

We’re constantly researching new products, and the market, so that we keep on top of construction news and trends, and listen to our customers’ needs. It’s one of the reasons for our success and keeps everything fresh and interesting for us – and for the members of staff who’ve been with us since we started.

We’ve had team members at Cloburn since day one, and we think this incredibly low turnover is another reason for our success.  Our whole team lives and breathes the Cloburn ethos, and works hard to carry the business forward.

What is GranitSand?

Along with our wide range of other aggregates, we also sell bedding sand or Granitsand here at Cloburn, which has a huge variety of domestic and industrial uses. If you’re thinking of doing a little DIY over the spring, you might consider using some of this versatile material in your next project?

Granitsand is a hardy type of aggregate that’s made by crushing hard rock from our quarries into sand sized particles via mechanical compression. Some quarries sell bedding sand which is a by-product of the mining process; we don’t.  We manufacture Granitsand here at Cloburn and sell it as a durable, hardy dry landscaping material. It produces a wear-resistant matrix for commercial grade concrete flooring, slabs and patios.

Some patios and driveways can be prone to depression and unevenness, because the bedding sand they are laid on is soft and pliable. It makes laying the slabs easy, but in the long term it can lead to loss of durability. The unique features of Granitsand mean that it doesn’t degrade, it’s extremely low maintenance, and it also has the advantage of being very attractive with its distinctive red colour.

Bedding sand

Traditionally, bedding sand is often used in landscaping to create an even, level surface ready for DIY projects to be carried out. The existing soil is removed with a shovel, anything from a few inches to over a foot, depending on the size of the project. Bedding sand is then put on top of the remaining soil, or a gravel base.

Bedding sand is often used by people who are landscaping paving stones or patios in their gardens, where an inch or so will usually suffice for the job. Don’t confuse bedding sand with joint sand however; joint sand is completely different and should be placed in between the stones rather than underneath the patio.

Why is Granitsand so different?

What makes Granitsand different is that nobody else makes it like we do! We manufacture it from some of the strongest rocks in Europe, and we make it using a specific process, so that it won’t deform under compression, whether it’s from people or even cars – that’s why it’s preferred bedding sand in UK and Europe.

For more information about uses for Granitsand, give our friendly team a call.