stage and sand

Acquire a stage cloth of calico or canvas, you could use a plastic tarp, if you wish to protect the stage, however the plastic tends to sweat & retain any moisture from condensation or humidity. The cloth will also, but it will dry out faster than plastic. [Cloth will also mildew, depending upon how long itÂ’s down} Before you load the sand on, paint the cloth with a solution of wallpaper size & spread on a covering of the sand, allow it to dry. Use yellow builders sand from the suppliers, it will only need the sand to be about 10mm in depth at the centre & graded out to none around the edges. Thus giving glued sand boarder around the stage cloth, of as wide as you can get away with, yet still retaining the effect. Also traffic scuffing thru the sand, wonÂ’t leave the stage exposed - this also reduces sand winding up everywhere. Before the performance broom the sand mainly to the centre & it will spread out during the show. Builders yellow sand has more body & wonÂ’t be such a pain as fine beach sand is!
I have done this a number of times, with no problems!
Chookas Paul