Bags of Sand for a 5x100 Walkway
How many bags of sand for a 5x100 walkway: at 2 inches deep you need about 83.3 cubic feet, which is 167 bags of the common 0.5 cubic foot size. If your store sells sand in 50-pound bags instead, figure about 167 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 | 41.7 | 84 | 84 |
| 2 in | 83.3 | 167 | 167 |
| 3 in | 125.0 | 250 | 250 |
| 4 in | 166.7 | 334 | 334 |
How to figure it
- Area: 5 × 100 = 500 sq ft.
- Volume: 500 × (2 ÷ 12) = 83.3 cu ft.
- Bags: 83.3 ÷ 0.5 = 167 bags (round up).
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 83.3 cubic feet is 3.09 yards, about 4.2 tons. Past about a yard, bulk is usually less work and often less money. Compare the bag price × 167 against a bulk quote for 4.6 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.
Laying it down for a walkway
- 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.
When to choose sand
Best suited to:
- 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 2 inches takes about 4.2 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
Common estimating mistakes
- Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
- Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
- Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
Questions people ask
How many bags of sand for a 5x100 walkway?
About 167 bags of 0.5 cubic feet at 2 inches deep.
How many 50 lb bags of sand for 5x100?
About 167 bags at 2 inches.
How many 0.5 cubic foot bags are in a cubic yard?
54 bags.
How many cubic feet is a 5x100 walkway at 2 inches?
About 83.3 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 5x60 Walkway
- Bags of Sand for a 5x75 Walkway
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