Sand calculator
Estimate sand for paver bedding, a sandbox, leveling under a pool, or mixing mortar and concrete. Pick the sand type and enter your area and depth.
How the sand calculator works
The tool turns the area and depth into cubic yards, then multiplies by the sand's weight per yard to get tons and divides the pounds by 50 to get a bag count. Sand is heavy for its size: one cubic yard of dry sand weighs about as much as a small car, so a pickup can usually take only part of a yard at a time.
Moisture matters more with sand than with stone. Damp sand bulks up in volume when loose but scales heavier, which is why yards often sell it by the ton. Pick Wet sand if your load sits outside uncovered.
Common sand jobs and depths
- Paver bedding layer: 1 inch of concrete sand, screeded flat over compacted base.
- Sandbox: 6–12 inches of washed play sand.
- Base under an above-ground pool: about 2 inches, using the pool diameter with the circle shape.
- Pipe bedding in a trench: 4–6 inches under and around the pipe.
Which type? Concrete sand is coarse and drains well, so it suits paver beds and concrete mixes. Mason sand is finer and smoother for mortar and play areas.
Related guides
Mason sand vs concrete sand · How much sand for pavers · Sand for 5,000 square feet · 50 cubic yards of sand in tons. Laying a patio? The paver and paver base calculator works out pavers, base and sand together.
Sand calculator FAQ
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry sand is roughly 1.25 to 1.35 tons per cubic yard (about 2,500 to 2,700 lb). Wet sand can reach 1.5 tons or more.
How much sand do I need for a 12 × 10 ft patio?
For a 1 inch bedding layer you need about 0.37 cubic yards, roughly half a ton of concrete sand including a little extra.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a yard?
About 52 to 54 bags for dry sand at 1.30–1.35 tons per yard. Wet sand needs fewer bags by volume because each bag holds less.
Should I buy sand by the ton or the yard?
Either works if you know the density. The calculator shows both numbers, and the price menu lets you enter whichever unit your yard quotes.
Can I use play sand for pavers?
It is not ideal. Play sand is very fine and rounded, so it shifts and holds water. Coarse concrete sand locks pavers better.