Sandcastle Building Technique

Not for the timid or impatient

Introduction

I have learned to build sandcastles through a combination of book reading and experience. I don't remember what book it was, but it showed how to make towers that wouldn't fall. Since then, I have taught myself (or the sand has taught me) what I can and cannot do. I will explain the basic technique, but be aware that its no substitute for first hand experience. Even my friends have difficulty with the technique when I'm there to show them how to do it. :) This technique uses only sand and water...there are no frames, glue, etc.

Anyway, the most important thing is to have fine grain sand. I built the pictured sand castles in La Jolla, California, which has fine sand without rocks or other junk in it.

You'll need a shovel, your hands, a spoon, and a long, sharp knife. The knife is essential to make the sculpture look good, just keep it hidden until you're ready to use it.

First, find out if the tide is going out or coming in (check with a lifeguard). If it's going out, pick a spot as close to the water as possible. If it's coming in, pick a higher spot, but make sure the sand is still wet. Wet sand is key. Location is key. If you really plan to build a decent looking castle, it'll take a few hours. You don't want the water smashing it prematurely, or be left high and dry. What's cool is to have a rising tide, and place the castle so that it is washed away -after- you are done with it...fun to watch.

Once you've found the spot, mark it ('x'), and start digging a hole in front of it (the water side). Place the sand on your spot. This not only makes a hole to access wet sand from, but also provides a measure of protection from large waves, and builds the base of the castle. Pat down the pile of sand every so often, making sure it is packed tight. If it is loose, it won't be able to support the weight of the towers, and they -will- collapse, I guarantee.

At this point, you have a pile of packed sand with a hole in front of it. If you've picked a good location, and the hole is deep enough, it should begin to fill with water at the bottom. If you don't have water at the bottom, dig deeper. You need the water to get the sand to the right consistency.

Get in the hole. I usually sit at the edge, with both feet in the hole. You will get sandy with this technique. But if you're into building sand castles, you probably don't care. Grab a large pile of wet sand from the center of the hole -- it will flow really easy. What you have to do is take this wet sand and get enough water out of it to make a firm patty. To get the water out, shuffle the pile of sand from one hand to the other, back and forth. The water will drip through your fingers, and the sand will firm up. At some point, you will have a firm patty (this is the hardest part of all -- knowing the right consistency of the sand -- it takes practice). Plop the patty on your pile of sand where you want a tower to start. Then, grab another handfull of wet sand, and repeat. Keep placing your patties on top of each other. Soon, you will have what looks like a pile of sand pancakes -- don't eat them. ;)

For the first few times, I suggest keeping the towers small -- like about 6 inches tall. If you are too ambitious, the tower is certain to fall because of inexperience in the consistency of the sand in the patties. The consistency of the sand in the patties is -crucial-. If you have too much water in the patty, it will be loose, and unable to support much weight. A tower made from these can't get very tall before it breaks. If you have sand that is too dry, the patty will be firm, but brittle. A tower made from these will have cracks develop, and will be unable to withstand the sculpting process. SO, start small, or you will be disappointed. You have to develop a 'feel' for the right consistency, which only comes from watching many towers collapse.

I've been doing it for years, and it still happens to me. When a tower collapses, don't worry about it -- after all, you're building materials -are- sand and water (I don't use starch or artifical means to hold the castle together). Just start over and enjoy the process.

So, at this point, you should have a pancake stack of sand. Doesn't look too pretty, right? The next step is to smooth the tower. With your hands, gently rub down the tower, carefully and smoothly, to get all the wrinkles out. Always rub from the top down, never up, otherwise you'll probably crack it. Always apply even pressure from both sides, so as not to put cracks in it.

Now, you have a smooth, cylindrical tower. Make sure the bottom is slightly wider than the top, which will help stabilize it. Now comes the fun part...sculpting. Get out your knife, preferebly 6-8 inches long, and with a smooth edge (not serrated). It doesn't even have to be very sharp, I mean we're cutting sand, not tomatoes. As long as I'm sculpting, the life guards don't seem to care that I have a large knife. Just be careful with it and don't threaten anyone with it.

Starting at the top, cut into the tower along the edge, all the way down. It is better to make one long smooth cut than a bunch of small, jumpy cuts. The surface will look nicer, and you are less likely to damage the tower. I like to hold the knife with two hands, one at the handle and one at the tip. This helps me make long, smooth cuts. Again, when you're cutting, cut down, and try not to push sideways too much. Did I mention that the towers are brittle?

Once you can do this, let your imagination take over. You can make square towers, triangles, or whatever. For round towers, just be extra careful when you're smoothing with your hands. For the top, you can make it flat, angled, or whatever. But because you -have- to cut sideways, make sure to support the tower -under- the cut, or you may accidentally cause breakage.

That's the towers. Since they are the coolest part of the castle (and most difficult) build them first. They can last for many hours if you don't touch them. Once built, you can go to work on building the rest of the castle. Use the knife to cut large flat floors and walls. Use the spoon to create simple windows. I often use pottery tools to perform the more elaborate sculpting.

BONUS -- Walls and Arches

Freestanding walls and arches can be built using the exact same techniques described above. For a wall, just place your patties in a line, and build them to the desired height. Then use your hands and the knife to smooth them. Arches are the most difficult to make. Start by building two towers right next to each other, with a little space between them (1-3 inches). Arches are more delicate than towers, and the space in the middle usually causes the problems. As you build the towers, gradually place your patties closer and closer to the center. At some point, you will start overlapping the patties. Don't make the top too tall, as you don't want a lot of weight over the unsupported center. Then, use your hands and the knife to smooth and sculpt. Take care when shaping the inside of the arch, and don't fuss with it too much, or else...

I hope this helps, and good luck! Let me know how it turns out. Since I'm in Utah now, I've been making snow men, giant snow men. Snow is a lot more stable than sand, and 9 feet tall isn't hard to do. The tower technique described above really does work, it just takes practice. Once, I used it to make a single skyscraper 7 feet tall!