Sometimes—but there is no single answer for every polymeric sand. Thorad says its product is not permeable and provides no drainage, while Sika’s Evolution Pro instructions require an appropriate drainage base. Check the exact product and the paving assembly: water entering a joint during installation does not prove that the cured joint will drain water over time.
What determines whether water drains?
Drainage depends on more than the sand in the joints. The product’s formulation, the surface and base beneath the pavers, the slope, and the route water can take away from the paved area all matter. A joint that admits some water is not a substitute for a properly designed drainage base.
Manufacturer statements illustrate why a category-wide yes or no would be misleading. Thorad’s technical sheet says, “Thorad is not permeable (no drainage).” That is a claim about Thorad, not every polymeric sand. Sika’s Evolution Pro data sheet, meanwhile, calls for a properly prepared surface and appropriate drainage base; it does not establish a general permeability rate for polymeric sand.
Check the paving base and installation
Sika Canada’s December 2025 Evolution Pro data sheet refers installers to ICPI Tech Spec #2 for the base and says not to use that product where pavers or stones are installed directly over a concrete slab. It also excludes submerged or permanently wet areas. These are product-specific instructions; check the current data sheet for the product you plan to use and confirm that its permitted base matches your paving assembly.
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- COVERAGE RATE: Using Google, search "DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand Calculator" to help you calculate the amount of sand needed for your project, or download our Product Documentation in the Product Guides section of this listing for a Calculator Worksheet.
- NOTE: Use the Installation Manual in the Product Guides section of this listing, and reference our How To Video.
Think through the complete drainage route: water may enter through joints yet remain trapped if the base or surrounding site does not let it escape. Conversely, water running across the paved surface does not by itself prove that the joints or base are blocked. Identify where water is meant to go before treating joint sand as the cause or solution.
Why slope and joint width can matter
Sika notes that a steep slope combined with wide joints can reduce water penetration into the joints because surface water may run over them. If your installation has both conditions, Sika recommends testing a small area before proceeding. This is a product-specific practical caution, not a quantified drainage test.
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- FLEXIBILITY, STRENGTH and BEAUTY: Ease your mind with revolutionary CERAMIC FLEX technology in the most advanced polymeric sand available, allowing flexibility and durability in joints 1/8” up to 4”, with beautiful colors to make your paver or stone surfaces pop!
- EASY TO USE PACKAGING: Our bag’s NEW Easy Pour Handle makes carrying a breeze and offers more control and precision installation a breeze.
- EASY INSTALLATION: Made with fine sand and a cement-free formula, DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand easily sweeps into joints and rinses easily, dramatically cutting your installation time and labor efforts. (Note: This product is not a replacement for grout, mortar, and paver edging.)
- COVERAGE RATE: Using Google, search "DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand Calculator" to help you calculate the amount of sand needed for your project, or download our Product Documentation in the Product Guides section of this listing for a Calculator Worksheet.
- NOTE: Use the Installation Manual in the Product Guides section of this listing, and reference our How To Video.
Activation water is not long-term drainage
Fresh polymeric sand is wetted to activate its binder, but water used during installation does not establish how the cured joint behaves in service. Instructions vary by product. For example, Techniseal’s 2024 SmartSand technical sheet says to shower sections in stages, check that water has penetrated at least 75% of the joint depth, and avoid overwatering because it can lengthen curing and compromise performance. Those directions apply to SmartSand; follow the instructions for the exact product you have.
Thorad likewise instructs installers to wet its sand to activate the binder even though its technical sheet says the cured product is not permeable and provides no drainage. Activation and ongoing permeability are different questions.
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What if joints stay wet?
Persistent wetness deserves attention, especially if the product is being used outside its stated applications. Sika says Evolution Pro is not intended for submerged or permanently wet areas. Its sheet also says saturated joints may soften and harden again after drying. That behavior and restriction are specific to Evolution Pro, so consult the chosen product’s current data sheet rather than assuming another formulation responds the same way.
When investigating a wet paved area, check the product name, whether pavers are sand-set or laid over concrete, the slope and joint geometry, and the route available for water to leave the base and site. A wet joint alone does not identify which part of the assembly is responsible.
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- EASY TO USE PACKAGING: Our bag’s NEW Easy Pour Handle makes carrying a breeze and offers more control and precision installation a breeze.
- EASY INSTALLATION: Made with fine sand and a cement-free formula, DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand easily sweeps into joints and rinses easily, dramatically cutting your installation time and labor efforts. (Note: This product is not a replacement for grout, mortar, and paver edging.)
- COVERAGE RATE: Using Google, search "DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand Calculator" to help you calculate the amount of sand needed for your project, or download our Product Documentation in the Product Guides section of this listing for a Calculator Worksheet.
- NOTE: Use the Installation Manual in the Product Guides section of this listing, and reference our How To Video.
Follow the product’s cure and rain-protection times
Cure times are not interchangeable between brands. Sika Canada’s December 2025 Evolution Pro data sheet specifies the following conditions:
- Wait at least 24 hours before foot traffic.
- Wait at least 72 hours before vehicle traffic.
- Protect joints from rain for at least 24 hours, or 48 hours when joints are wider than 13 mm (1/2 inch).
- Allow for longer drying in cooler conditions.
These figures apply to Evolution Pro as described in that dated Canadian data sheet, not to polymeric sand generally. Use the current instructions for your product and local conditions.
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- FLEXIBILITY, STRENGTH and BEAUTY: Ease your mind with revolutionary CERAMIC FLEX technology in the most advanced polymeric sand available, allowing flexibility and durability in joints 1/8” up to 4”, with beautiful colors to make your paver or stone surfaces pop!
- EASY TO USE PACKAGING: Our bag’s NEW Easy Pour Handle makes carrying a breeze and offers more control and precision installation a breeze.
- EASY INSTALLATION: Made with fine sand and a cement-free formula, DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand easily sweeps into joints and rinses easily, dramatically cutting your installation time and labor efforts. (Note: This product is not a replacement for grout, mortar, and paver edging.)
- COVERAGE RATE: Using Google, search "DOMINATOR Polymeric Sand Calculator" to help you calculate the amount of sand needed for your project, or download our Product Documentation in the Product Guides section of this listing for a Calculator Worksheet.
- NOTE: Use the Installation Manual in the Product Guides section of this listing, and reference our How To Video.
How to choose or diagnose a product
- Find the exact product documentation. Look for an explicit statement about permeability or drainage rather than inferring performance from the term “polymeric sand.”
- Verify the base and substrate are allowed. Check whether the product is intended for your installation, including sand-set pavers versus paving over concrete, and whether the area is exposed to persistent water.
- Check joint and slope conditions. Compare joint width and depth with the product’s limits; consider whether steep slopes could cause water to pass over the joints.
- Follow the activation and cure directions exactly. Staged wetting, rain protection, and traffic timing are product-specific. Do not use another brand’s activation method as a permeability test.
- Trace the drainage route beyond the joint. Confirm how water can leave the base and paved area; joint sand alone cannot provide that route.
Manufacturer guidance is useful for applying a particular product, but it is not the same as an independent, controlled comparison of brands. The available product-specific statements do not support a universal drainage percentage or rate for polymeric sand.
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