2023 : Sandbags for Flooding / Best Flood Barriers – Where to Buy?

When the threat of a flood is close to your home, having the best sandbags for flooding becomes as valuable as gold, and they’re dirt cheap. In this guide we look at much more than just sandbags or floodbags. Our aim to present to you the best flood barrier products to help you stop and divert water all the way up to about five feet.

The range of flood barrier products, including sandbags, available to homeowners will astound you. In fact, they make sandbags obsolete if money were not a barrier itself to being able to afford some of the higher cost, but far more effective solutions.

Stock is moving fast, whether you need a portable generator or floodbags, if you can find something in stock, even if it’s not perfect, you should buy it. This is not the time to be picky.

Quick Picks: Best Cheap Traditional Sandbags

If you want the best flooding sandbags, then the Sandbaggy brand is what you’re looking for. These are used by the US Army and Red Cross. They are built to high standards, tested for strength and quality, and made from woven polypropylene. They are available in different colors and available in various quantities.

This article covers a lot of different types of flood barriers but for those of you who know what you want, these are the cheapest type of flood barriers — simple bags. Although they require a lot of work to fill them with sand. If you can afford it, consider some of the other more effective flood barriers that we have in this article.

Serious Wide-Scale Flooding Control —

Best Flood Barrier to Protect your Home: Water Gate by QuickDam

This rises with water levels. The higher the water goes, the Water Gate rises as well, up to 5-feet high. If you want to protect your home, this is your best option. You can buy the Water Gate in a wide range of sizes and they can be connected together to extend the length of the portable dam. As you see in the photos, you can wrap this around your entire home.

We have our recommendations for the best portable generators for emergency events, I recommend a dual fuel model so you can use propane or gasoline.

💬 Hurricane Watch / Sept 26, 2023 – Updated Regularly

VIDEO — See the Magic of Water-Activated Sand Bags / Quick Dam Design

If that doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will. The design is a work of genius when you think of it. Basically, the sand traditionally used in sandbags has been replaced by capturing water, and preventing it from escaping. This mimics the exact same functionality found in sandbags, without any of the labor and sand needed. This is an incredible solution and I’m sure you agree that these are the best sandbags for flooding.

Quick Dam, and most companies, make sandbags in a variety of sizes. I particularly like their Jumbo Size (QD1248-25) because it creates a stronger barrier with one solid barrier instead of two, minimizing gaps where water could get through. These are the perfect size at 1 x 4-feet in length.

More of my recommendations for effective and reliable flood barriers in 2023. This next product is from a company called PIG, and it’s another option for sand-free sandbags. Don’t worry, we also have traditional sandbags in this guide, and many more alternatives to surprise you.

💡 If you’re not sure how many flood bags or flood barriers you need, use their handy calculator on the Quick Dam website so you get what you need.

Best Traditional Sandbags for the Money

Sandbaggy Sandbags / Military Grade

Features:

• Used by the US Army / Genuine military grade
• Double stitched bottom. Maximum weight = 50 lbs weight
• Fill with sand or gravel / 14-inch-wide opening
• UV PROTECTION: Made with a UV Inhibitor / Will last 6 months under direct sunlight states like: California, Florida, and Arizona
• For Cool Regions sandbags can last 6 to 24 months, depending on sun exposure

OVERVIEW / Sandbaggy Sandbags

Traditional sandbags are simple but not all sandbags are created equal. These bags from Sandbaggy are the gold standard and are actually military grade. These exact bags from Sandbaggy are used by the US Army and Red Cross, just a couple organizations that use them which prove their effectiveness.

You can buy these in a pack of ten or you can buy a palette of 20,000 of them. Sandbaggy is the top brand if you want this style of flood bags. They keep 2 million bags in stock at all times. As you know, when there’s a flood or a threat of flooding, everyone rushes online to buy sandbags. If you wait until the last minute, you will often be left frustrated as you discover that everyone is sold out.

People forget that their local government is also buying palettes of sandbags in preparation for any potential flood. It doesn’t take long for stock to run dry in emergency situations. I recommend having a healthy number of sandbags in your storage so you never have to stress out the next time you hear about the potential for a flood.

VIDEO — A Closer Look at Sandbaggy Flood Protection Sandbags

If you are trying to decide whether you should buy the water-activated sandbags or these traditional sandbags, keep in mind that regular sandbags are far more durable, are heavier in weight (up to 50 lbs.), and most importantly — they are weight bearing. In other words, you can step on them, stand on them or drive over them them, and they won’t break. You can’t do this with sandless sandbags — they will break. And this does matter, depending on where you’ll be placing them.

This can be a difficult decision to make because filling sandbags with sand is a tedious and laborious task. It requires a lot of prep work to fill up enough bags to protect your home. This isn’t something you can do in a few hours. On the other side, water activated flooding bags can be setup at a moments notice and you can have them all in place in 15 minutes if necessary.

You can also pre-activate them with your hose and you’d be ready for flood waters. Even though these Sandbaggy sandbags are the best sandbags for flooding, if you are unable to deploy them and be ready for the floods before they arrive, then they serve little purpose. The choice is yours to make and one type will make more sense than the other, but for homeowners, I feel that sandless sandbags are better for homeowners.

Industrial Size and Strength Sandbags / 35″ x 35″ x 30″

Can Hold Up to 3000 lbs. / 25 cu.ft.

The last point I want to make is the difference in price. The more you buy, they cheaper they are, so for this example I’ll assume you want to buy 100 of each type. Here are the differences in price:

The difference in price is steep — 7:1 ratio. For every single sandless sandbag you can buy seven traditional sandbags. Most people can’t afford to buy Quick Dam sandbags in high volume. I think it’s a good idea to have a mix of both types of flood bags. Buy enough Quick Dam bags so you’re able to protect your home if you don’t have time to prepare to fill and place traditional sandbags. And also have more than enough traditional sandbags to protect what you value.

This is the ideal solution and will allow you to have a plan in place for any type of flooding that my occur.

VIDEO – A Detailed Look at Quick Dam / Water Gate

➤Learn about the different STAGES of a hurricane to help you understand how they form.

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A Warming Planet & Increased Extreme Flooding Events

A study by nature in 2021 concluded that extreme flooding events are increasing but moderate flooding events are slightly decreasing. One of the main predictions from scientists is that extreme weather events will increase over time. In other words, when it gets hot in the summer, it will more likely be scorching hot. When it rains, it’s more likely to be a downpour, and when there are floods, they are more likely to be catastrophic. On average, this is precisely how things are playing out and will continue.

The weather is changing, whether you like it or not — whether you accept the science, or you don’t. Truth is, it doesn’t matter what you think about climate but no matter what side of the fence you are on, you still have to deal with the reality of the weather. If flooding is a part of your life, you have to learn to deal with it, and having the best flood barrier at the the ready enable you to control the outcome, and be far less stressful. The newest flood barrier technology can help you protect your home from severe flooding, which is something that simple sandbags cannot do.

Did you know that in the US the summer of 2023 was the third hottest summer ever recorded? Overall, it was 2.5°F above average.

According to NASA, the Summer (June-August) of 2023 was tied with 2020 as being the warmest global summer on record since temperatures began recording dating all the way back to 1880. And NOAA says it was the 5th warmest Summer on record. They differ because NASA has the ability to use more data points, including data from the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In other words, NASA has more accurate data, but the point is that both organizations conclude that the planet is getting hotter.

▶ Now is always the best time to prepare for flooding, meaning, stock up on supplies (food, gas, small generator, gather your personal essentials). if you live in an area prone to flooding. Most people wait until its too late or don’t prepare at all — and sometimes (often), leaving your home behind is the best thing to do to save your life.

What you depends on how close you are to the eye of the storm.. Sand bags and a portable hurricane generator are two things you’ll definitely need. If you are in the path of the hurricane, sand bag your home, then leave to a safe location. To keep water from entering wide areas, consider the invaluable ▶ Quick Dam Flood Gate.

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Sandbags for Flooding are essential tools if you live in an area prone to flooding. Here are the some of the best selling sandbags and floor barriers for doors :

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Where do you get Free Sand in Florida?

►Residents of any city in Florida can get sand if they bring their own bags. The plant has 1 million pounds of sand set aside.

• Opa-locka: Public Works Department (12950 Le Jeune Rd.), starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Up to 10 sandbags per residence.
• City of Miami: Grapeland Park (1550 NW 37th Ave.) and Legion Park (6447 NE Seventh Ave.) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Up to six bags per person.
• Miami Springs: Optimist Club parking lot (1101 Wren Ave), starting at 1 p.m. Friday. Up to 8 sandbags per residence, and you’ll need to bring your own bag.
• Miami Lakes: Royal Oaks Park (16500 NW 87th Ave.) from noon to 10 p.m. Friday. Up to 10 sandbags per residence.
• Miami Beach: Public Works Yard (451 Dade Blvd.) starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
• North Miami Beach: North Miami Beach Operations Center (2101 NE 159th St.) starting at noon Friday. Up to six sandbags per residence.
• Sunny Isles Beach: Under the William Lehman Causeway (19160 Collins Ave.) from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday. Up to four sandbags per residence.
• West Kendall: Miami Baptist Church (14955 SW 88th St.) starting at 3 p.m. Friday. Take only what you need and bring your own bags.
• Homestead: Roby George Park (211 SW 11th Ave.) and Homestead Sports Complex (1601 SE 28th Ave.) from noon to 7 p.m. Friday. Up to 10 sandbags per residence.
• Florida City: Public Works Department (428 NW Second Ave.) starting at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
• Fort Lauderdale: Mills Pond Park (2201 NW Ninth Ave.), from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Up to five sandbags per vehicle.
• Dania Beach: The Danie Beach Casino, North East Parking Lot (301 E. Dania Beach Blvd.) starting at 6 p.m. Friday
• Hallandale Beach: The Big Easy Casino (821 N. Federal Hwy.), until 7 p.m. Up to 10 sandbags per vehicle.
• Miramar: Multi-Service Center (6700 Miramar Parkway),
• Adult Daycare Center (8915 Miramar Parkway) 
• Sunset Set Lakes Community Center (2801 SW 186th Ave.). Up to 10 sandbags per residence.
• Margate: Margate Sports Complex (1695 Banks Rd.), starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Up to 10 sandbags per residence.
• West Park: McTyre Park (3501 SW 56th Ave.)
• Mary Saunders Park : (SW 21st Ave.), starting at noon Friday. Up to six bags per person.
• Sweetwater: Adonel’s Concrete Sweetwater Plant (2101 NW 110th Ave.), from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

From : Miami Herald

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Sandbags for Flooding

Quick Dam — Sandless Flood Barrier : expands in minutes

A house is more than just an investment. It’s your home and it holds all of the things that are important to you – your family, your valuables and your livelihood, so naturally you do what you can to protect it.

When you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes, sand bags are something you become all too familiar with. These are commonly used in preparation for flooding to help protect homes and buildings from water damage. When used correctly they can be very effective and help homeowners as well as business owners save a ton of money on losses incurred from a flood.

2019 has been a quiet year for hurricanes, so far, but things can change quickly and a massive storm has the potential to do a lot of damage wherever it hits. The time to make necessary preparations is now and it is imperative that you know how to use sandbags properly in order to protect your home and personal assets from the inevitable flooding.

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Can I Use Other Bags to Fill as Sandbags?

It is not advised to use other bags that are not intended for use as sandbags as they may not be as effective. Sandbags are constructed for the use of containing sand or soil to prevent or reduce the impact of water damage in the event of a flood. They are typically made with woven polypropylene or burlap sacks. Plastic garbage bags are slick and will not create a sturdy structure when stacked. Feed sacks, although made of similar materials to sandbags, are usually large and not practical for handling.

These bags are primarily used in the event of an emergency where flooding or high water levels may be expected and may be distributed by your local emergency preparedness organizations. For people who may live near a river or in a low-lying area that is more susceptible to flooding, sandbags can also be purchased from bag suppliers.

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Proper Sandbag Usage

The use of sandbags is mainly to divert moving water as well as debris in an effort to minimize water damage. There are different ways that you can use them for a multitude of reasons, but if not stacked appropriately they won’t be as effective. Likewise, they should be filled sufficiently in order to serve its purpose.

Filling Your Sandbags

It is recommended that you use sand to fill your bags with, however if it is not readily available soil will work too. When filling your bags, you want to fill them just slightly more than half-full, but not all the way. Bag filling is usually a two-person job as it will be easier for one person to hold the bag while the other fills it. Bags are much easier to handle if they are no more than 40 pounds when filled, although this may vary depending on the size of the bag (typical bags for sand-filling are 24-26 inches long by 14 inches wide). Bags will also be much easier to shape and form to create an effective wall against flood waters if they aren’t filled completely.

✓Tip: Sandbags will deteriorate over time from frequent wetting and drying. To create a more durable sandbag that will last longer use burlap sacks to fill with one part cement to 10 parts sand (or soil), stack in place then sprinkle with water.

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Stacking Sandbags

One factor to keep in mind when protecting your home and property in the event of a flood is that sandbags are simply meant to divert water and debris away from the home, but do not create a water-tight seal. Proper placement will, however, significantly reduce the amount of water that seeps in and there are ways to keep as much water out as possible.

First, you will need to prepare the site where the bags will be placed. Whether you will be placing them against the building or creating a barrier or a wall, you should clear the area where they’ll be placed by removing debris such as large sticks, etc. These may cause gaps in your structure. Also clear the site of any ice or snow. Your barrier won’t serve you any good if the ground is too slippery and your sandbags all slide away when the water flows so you need to be sure there is enough friction to keep them in place.

Some bags will come with ties to close them once they have been filled. If your bags need to be tied for transportation tie them towards the top end of the bag and flare out or flatten the tied end. This will give the sand or the soil flexibility to move within the bag which will create a better barrier when laying them down atop of one another. For un-tied sacks, fold over the area of the sack that is not filled and tuck it underneath the sack so that the weight of the bag keeps it closed off. The bags should be placed so that the opened end will be facing against the expected water flow. Likewise, they should be stacked parallel to the direction of the water flow.

When you are creating a sandbag barrier, it’s best to keep it to just two layers. The exception to this would be if you were planning to create a pyramid barrier. The barrier should be slightly wider at the base than height to give it more stability. Complete one layer at a time and tamp down each bag into place You can do this by stepping on top of each bag to compact it. The tighter the bags are packed together, the less chance of water seeping through. As you place the bags for the next layer, stagger the seams as you would if you were laying down bricks.

To protect buildings from water getting in where the water levels are expected to rise you would stack the sandbags against the building. For sliding glass doors, windows, vents or other entries you can create a seal to prevent water intrusion by placing a plastic sheet (such as visqueen) on the ground and up against the wall then stack the sandbags on top. If you will be creating a barrier around buildings be sure to allow a path for the water and debris to flow between the buildings.

Can Sandbags be Reused?

Sandbags are only meant to serve as a temporary barrier against flooding. Unused, unfilled propylene bags can be stockpiled for later use if they are stored properly. Bags that have been filled with sand, soil, or other earth materials even if unused, will eventually deteriorate over time. If you store them once they’ve already been filled in hopes to reuse them for the next time you may expect a flood, they won’t be as effective.

You should dispose of used sandbags appropriately as recommended by your local environment protection department. Since floodwaters could be potentially contaminated with other chemicals and wastes, proper handling of used sandbags that may have come in contact is important for environmental safety reasons.

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Protect your Home from Flooding

Sandbags for Flooding

Sandbags are of no use if your property is already flooded – concentrate your time and energy on protecting yourself, your personal belongings. If possible, move your precious items to a safe place; off the ground, somewhere up high where water can’t reach.

Consider all entry points that water could get through, not just doorways, such as – air bricks, utility service points, cable entry points. Use other solutions for entry points where sandbags won’t work (such as silicone sealant).

It will take at least 6 sandbags to keep out 20cm (17.8″) depth of water for a typical door opening. Each sandbag will need approximately 15kg (33 lbs.) of sand. You should use sharp, not soft, sand.

Keep in Mind…

During a crisis, when flooding is imminent, there will likely be a limited supply and demand will far outweigh the supply.  If your local authority doesn’t supply sandbags, you can buy unfilled sandbags and a supply of sand from most local hardware stores.

In an emergency you can use alternatives such as pillow cases or garbage bags and fill them with garden soil. But, the smartest thing you can do is stock up on sandbags when there is no crisis and supply is high. Unfortunately most people wait until a disaster strikes before they act but here at Chainsaw Journal we always recommend preparing for the worst. When disaster strikes, it’s too late to prepare.

Start planning now. Stock up before a crisis. You’ll be thankful you did.

It would be a mistake to assume that the local authorities will provide you with sandbags in case of a flooding emergency. It’s your responsibility to take appropriate action and protect your property from flooding.

It’s possible that your local council may have some sandbags available during times of a flooding crisis, but their priority is to protect the general public, so I wouldn’t count on anybody else to be concerned about your personal property. Sorry, but that’s just reality. You can call your local authority in advance and find out what their policy is and if they will provide you access to sandbags prior to a flooding crisis. Honestly, I suggest to take responsibility for protecting your home and family.

Advantages of Sandbags :

• Cheap and easy to use.
• Well-suited for protecting small, uneven or difficult to reach places.
• Can filter out muddy sediment found in flood waters.

Disadvantages of Sandbags :

• It takes two people to fill them (unless you have a sandbag filling machine).
• They take time to fill.
• Laying down sandbags is slow and time-consuming.
• Sacking material is biodegradable and will perish if left in place for a long time.
• Difficult to place sandbags in water, specifically running water.
• Sandbags are prone to leaking, even when well-stacked and firmly in place.
• When sandbags come into contact with floodwater they retain contaminants, such as sewage.

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Quick Dam / QD610-1 Water-Activated Flood Barrier

Sandless Sandbags for Flooding

Quick Dam sandbags are available in a wide variety of sizes to suit your needs.

Buy from Amazon. Learn more on the Quick Dam site.

View or download the BROCHURE for Quick Dam sandless sandbags.

Features:

• Self-Activating Sandless Sandbags.
• No need for Sand or labor filling sandbags.
• Simply expose them to fresh water.
• Absorbs 4 gallons of water & grows to full size at 3.5″ high in 5 minutes.
• Swelled bags contain & divert flood water.
• Contains a super absorbent powder that gels water.
• Not for use with Salt Water- Sorry- there is a chemical reaction.
• Stack multiple bags to increase wall height.
• Stack in brick or pyramid formation for increased heights.
• Leave in place for ongoing protection.
• Lasts for up to 8 months of continuous use.
• Use through winter for thaw flood protection, frozen & still a barrier.
• Safe, Non hazardous & Non Toxic.
• Environmentally friendly & decomposes over time.
• Storm/Flood Preparation.
• Home- Doorways, garages, bulk head and other leaking areas.
• Building & Property Protection.
• Construction & Roofing projects- Holds back water.
• General water or leak control.

Do Quick Dams work with salt water applications?

No, Quick Dams do not work with salt water, calcium, lime or chlorine. There is a chemical reaction that causes the water to be released back out, making them not effective as a barrier & must be thrown away.

Can Quick Dams be used in the winter/snow? Will they freeze?

Yes, they can be used in the winter/snow. Make sure they are fully activated before freezing temperatures occur to assure maximum protection when the snow is melting. We do not recommend moving them while frozen to prevent any tearing of the outer material. Also, Salt on the roads should not come in contact with Quick Dams. To help, pre-activate Quick Dams with water & then wrap plastic under & over the top to prevent the salt from making contact.

Learn more by viewing or downloading: Quick Dam, Frequently asked Questions

Quick Dam Sandbags | Educational Video

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Learn More | Sandbags for Flooding

• How sandbags work
• Sandbags : Wikipedia

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Tips > Preparing your Home for Flooding

• Locate your electrical, gas and water shutoff valves and make sure you know how to shut them off.
• Secure or relocate to higher ground any unstable or dangerous materials that may be swept away or moved by flood waters (for example: pallets, lumber, fuel tanks, equipment).
• Identify any materials that could cause environmental damage if they came in contact with flood waters (for example: paints, fuel, gasoline, fertilizers, etc.).
• Ensure your property grade always slopes away from buildings.