Bags of Sand for a 20x12 Patio
How many bags of sand for a 20x12 patio: at 2 inches deep you need about 40.0 cubic feet, which is 80 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells sand in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 80 bags, since sand weighs roughly 100 pounds per cubic foot.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Bag count by depth
| Depth | Cubic feet | 0.5 cu ft bags | 50 lb bags (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 20.0 | 40 | 40 |
| 2 in | 40.0 | 80 | 80 |
| 3 in | 60.0 | 120 | 120 |
| 4 in | 80.0 | 160 | 160 |
How to figure it
- Area: 20 × 12 = 240 sq ft.
- Volume: 240 × (2 ÷ 12) = 40.0 cu ft.
- Bags: 40.0 ÷ 0.5 = 80 bags (round up).
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 40.0 cubic feet is 1.48 yards, about 2.0 tons. Past about a yard, bulk is usually less work and often less money. Compare the bag price × 80 against a bulk quote for 2.2 tons delivered.
About sand
For paver bedding, concrete sand (coarse, washed) is the usual pick. Mason sand is finer and used in mortar and play areas.
Install tips for a patio
- Dig and level. Remove sod and set the base slightly below the surrounding grade.
- Edge it. Steel, plastic or stone edging keeps material in place.
- Spread in layers. Rake to depth, then tamp or wet and compact.
- Buy a few extra. Grab 5 to 10 percent more bags for settling and touch-ups.
The volume and tonnage calculator handles other sizes and depths.
Good and poor uses for sand
Works well for:
- Paver and flagstone bedding
- Leveling under above-ground pools (with the right product)
- Filling joints and backfilling pipe
Less suited to:
- Driveway bases, since sand shifts under load
- Steep areas exposed to runoff
- Thick layers under pavers, which settle unevenly
Quick reference numbers
- Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.42 tons of sand (0.31 cubic yards).
- Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.2 tons.
- Another size for comparison: a 20x25 area at 4 inches takes about 8.3 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
Mistakes that throw off the order
- Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
- Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
- Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
Questions people ask
How many bags of sand for a 20x12 patio?
About 80 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.
How many 50 lb bags of sand for 20x12?
About 80 bags at 2 inches.
How many 0.5 cubic foot bags are in a cubic yard?
54 bags.
How many cubic feet is a 20x12 patio at 2 inches?
About 40.0 cubic feet.
When does bulk make more sense?
Usually once the job passes about a cubic yard, or when you would need more than a few car trips.
Related guides
- How Much Does a Ton of Sand Cover?
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- Bags of Sand for a 16x30 Patio
- Bags of Sand for a 20x10 Patio
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