Sand calculator
Sand is sold three ways: by the bag at the store, by the cubic yard from a landscape yard, and by the ton when it is delivered. This calculator gives all three from the area and depth, with the right density for the type of sand you are buying.
How the sand calculator works
The calculator turns area and depth into cubic feet, divides by 27 for cubic yards, and adds 5 percent because sand settles and compacts when it is screeded or watered in. Weight comes from the density you pick: dry coarse sand runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, fine masonry sand a little less, and wet sand noticeably more.
Bagged sand weighs roughly 100 lb per cubic foot, so a 50 lb bag holds about half a cubic foot. That makes bags simple to count but expensive past a few dozen; a cubic yard is 54 bags.
Formula
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × 1.05
tons = cubic yards × density (1.3 to 1.5)
Example: a 12 × 10 ft paver patio needs a 1 in bedding layer, which is 10 cubic feet or 0.39 cubic yards with the allowance. That weighs about 0.54 tons of concrete sand, or 21 bags of 50 lb.
Which sand for which job
| Job | Sand | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding layer | Coarse concrete sand (ASTM C33) | 1 in, screeded, never more |
| Paver joints | Polymeric sand | Fills joints; see the paver calculator |
| Sandbox | Washed play sand | 6 to 12 in |
| Leveling a lawn | Masonry sand or sand-compost mix | 1/4 to 1/2 in per application |
| Under a pool | Masonry sand | 2 in |
| Fill under a slab | Fill sand or crushed stone | As specified |
Coarse sand drains and locks pavers in place; fine sand shifts and washes out, which is why it is never used for bedding. Pairing sand with gravel? The gravel calculator uses the same inputs.
Common sizes, already worked out
Common questions
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
About 2,600 to 3,000 lb, or 1.3 to 1.5 tons, depending on grain size and moisture. Dry play sand is at the light end; damp concrete sand is at the heavy end. A standard pickup can carry about half a yard.
How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
About 54 bags of 50 lb, or 45 bags of 60 lb. Each 50 lb bag is roughly half a cubic foot, and there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
Length × width × depth in feet, times 1.4 for tons. A 6 × 6 ft sandbox filled 8 in deep holds 24 cubic feet, which is about 0.9 cubic yards or 48 bags of 50 lb play sand.
How much sand goes under pavers?
One inch, screeded flat over a compacted gravel base. More sand lets pavers shift and sink. For 100 square feet that is 8.3 cubic feet, or about 0.3 cubic yards.