Sand is one of the cheapest materials in a project and one of the easiest to misjudge, because it is planned by volume but often sold by weight. This calculator turns the area and depth you need to fill into cubic yards, tons, metric units and bag counts, using a density you can adjust to match your supplier’s sand.
How to use the sand calculator
- Choose the area shape and enter its dimensions, or enter a known area.
- Enter the depth of sand.
- Check the density. The default, 1.35 tons per cubic yard (100 lb/ft³), is typical of dry sand; change it if your supplier quotes another figure.
- Set the extra percentage for settling and uneven spreading.
- Choose a bag size and, optionally, a price per ton.
Sand formulas
Depth in inches must be divided by 12 before multiplying. A density of 1.35 tons per cubic yard equals 100 lb/ft³ or about 1,600 kg/m³.
Worked example: bedding sand for a patio
Area: 12 × 10 ft = 120 ft². Depth: 2 in = 0.1667 ft.
Volume: 120 × 0.1667 = 20 ft³; with 10% extra = 22 ft³ = 0.81 yd³.
Weight: 22 ft³ × 100 lb/ft³ = 2,200 lb = 1.10 tons, or 44 bags of 50 lb.
At this depth one ton of sand covers about 120 ft², a handy figure when comparing a bulk load with bags.
Types of sand and where they go
| Sand | What it is | Common uses |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete sand | Coarse, washed, angular | Paver bedding, concrete, drainage |
| Masonry sand | Finer, uniform, washed | Mortar, stucco, smooth play areas |
| Play sand | Fine, washed and screened | Sandboxes |
| Fill sand | Unwashed, mixed sizes | Filling holes and trenches, backfill |
| Polymeric sand | Fine sand with a binder | Paver joints |
| Leveling or utility sand | Variable | Bases under pools, sheds and pipe |
Typical depths
| Project | Depth |
|---|---|
| Paver or flagstone bedding | 1 in |
| Under an above-ground pool | 2 in |
| Leveling base for a shed or slab form | 2–4 in |
| Bedding around buried pipe | 4–6 in |
| Sandbox | 6–12 in |
| Volleyball court | 12 in or more |
Buying tips
- Bulk or bags? Bags are clean and easy to carry for small jobs, but bulk sand delivered by the ton or yard costs far less per pound. Delivery fees often make bags competitive below about half a ton.
- Ask how it is measured. Some yards sell by the ton and some by the loader bucket or cubic yard; a bucket is not always a full yard.
- Keep it dry and covered. Wet sand weighs more, bulks up in volume and is harder to screed.
- Order a little extra. Sand settles when it is compacted or wetted, and a few spare buckets are useful for touch-ups.
For crushed stone or pea gravel use the gravel calculator, and for a complete patio with pavers, base and sand, the paver calculator handles every layer at once.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry, loose sand weighs about 2,600 to 2,900 pounds per cubic yard, or roughly 1.3 to 1.45 US tons. Damp sand can be heavier, and saturated sand much heavier, so ask your supplier for their conversion when buying by the ton.
How many 50-lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
At about 2,700 lb per cubic yard, one yard equals roughly 54 bags of 50 lb. That is why bulk delivery is usually cheaper once a project needs more than about half a ton.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
Multiply the box's length by its width by the sand depth in feet. A 6 × 6 ft box filled 8 inches deep holds 24 ft³ — about 2,400 lb, or 48 bags of 50 lb at 100 lb/ft³. Use washed play sand made for sandboxes.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
Coarse, washed concrete sand (meeting ASTM C33) is the standard bedding layer, screeded about 1 inch thick. Fine sand or polymeric sand is swept into the joints afterward. Masonry sand, which is finer and more uniform, is used for mortar.
How much sand do I need for an above-ground pool?
Most installers spread about 2 inches of sand over the leveled ground inside the pool's footprint. For a 24-foot round pool that is π × 12² × (2 ÷ 12) ≈ 75 ft³, roughly 2.8 cubic yards or 3.8 tons at typical dry density, before any extra.