Sand Calculator
Sand is ordered by weight — the ton — but your project is measured in length and depth. This sand calculator turns your area and depth into cubic yards, tons, pounds, and 50-lb bag equivalents for concrete/mason sand, play sand, and paver base sand. Because different sands pack differently, the density used for each type is shown right on the page so you know exactly what the estimate assumes.
Longest side of the sand bed.
Shortest side of the sand bed.
Compacted depth. Paver bedding: 1 in; play areas: 3–6 in.
Coarser, angular sands weigh more per yard than fine round play sand.
Sand needed
1.67ton
- Volume
- 1.23yd³
- Weight
- 3,333lb
- 50-lb bagsRounded up — bags suit small jobs; order bulk beyond ~1 yd³.
- 67
How it was calculated
- Area = 20 ft × 10 ft = 200.0 ft²
- Volume = 200.0 ft² × 0.1667 ft = 33.33 ft³ = 1.23 yd³
- Tons = 1.23 yd³ × 1.35 tons/yd³ = 1.67 tons
- 50-lb bags = ceil(3333.3 lb ÷ 50) = 67
How it works
The headline answer is tons because bulk sand is priced and delivered by weight. The calculator first finds volume — area in square feet times depth in feet, divided by 27 to reach cubic yards — then multiplies by the sand type’s bulk density.
Density differs because grain shape and gradation change how tightly sand packs. Concrete and mason sand are angular and coarse, around 1.35 tons per yard; rounded play sand settles a little lighter at 1.3; and dense paver base sand packs heaviest at 1.4.
The 50-lb bag count divides total pounds by 50 and rounds up. A single cubic yard of sand is over 2,600 lb, so bags only pencil out for tiny jobs — a sandbox or a few pavers — while bulk delivery dominates for anything over about a yard.
Enter the compacted depth you want to end up with, not the loose depth you spread. Sand vibrates and tamps down roughly 10–15%, so the page warns about ordering slightly deep for leveled beds.
Worked examples
Paver patio bedding
A 20 ft × 10 ft patio needs 2 in (0.1667 ft) of bedding: area = 200 ft², volume = 33.33 ft³ = 1.23 yd³. Concrete sand at 1.35 tons/yd³ gives 1.67 tons (3,333 lb), or 67 fifty-pound bags rounded up.
Backyard sandbox
A 15 ft × 12 ft play area filled 3 in (0.25 ft) deep: area = 180 ft², volume = 45 ft³ = 1.67 yd³. Play sand at 1.3 tons/yd³ weighs 2.17 tons (4,333 lb), equal to 87 fifty-pound bags rounded up.
How to measure
- Measure the bed outline at its widest and longest points; for kidney or curved shapes, measure the bounding rectangle and multiply the result by 0.8.
- Check depth with a ruler after raking — sand looks deeper than it is, so push the ruler to the firm base.
- For paver bedding, screed to exactly 1 in of compacted sand; the base below it (crushed gravel) does the leveling, not the sand.
- Subtract the footprint of anything sitting in the sand, like playground posts or stepping stones.
- If the bed slopes, take depth readings at the high, middle, and low ends and use the average.
- Plan access before you measure: a bulk pile needs a spot within shovel distance of the bed.
Assumptions & limitations
Planning estimate
- Bulk densities (1.35 / 1.3 / 1.4 tons per yd³) are rule of thumb industry averages for dry sand; saturated sand weighs substantially more.
- Depth is the target compacted depth — freshly dumped sand fluffs up and settles after tamping and rain.
- Bag counts assume standard 50-lb bags of the matching sand type; bagged weights and fills vary by manufacturer.
- This is an ordering estimate for landscaping and masonry work, not a specification for engineered fill, where compaction testing governs.
Frequently asked questions
A 10 ft × 10 ft patio at 1 in of bedding sand is 100 ft² × 0.083 ft = 8.33 ft³ = 0.31 yd³, which weighs about 0.43 tons (864 lb) of concrete sand. That is 18 fifty-pound bags. Keep in mind bedding sand goes over a 4-inch crushed gravel base — the sand alone is not the structural layer.
Roughly 1.3 to 1.4 tons for dry sand, depending on the type: about 1.35 for concrete/mason sand, 1.3 for play sand, and 1.4 for paver base sand. Wet sand can push well past 1.5 tons per yard, so if it has been raining, treat these as minimums and check your hauling limits.
Yes. Play sand is fine, rounded, and washed for safe play; concrete (mason) sand is coarser and angular so it locks together for mortar, bedding, and paver joints. Don’t substitute play sand for structural uses — its rounded grains don’t compact as well — and don’t use concrete sand in a children’s sandbox.
One inch of compacted bedding sand over a 4-inch compacted crushed gravel base is the standard. Thicker bedding sand — over 1.5 inches — can shift and cause pavers to settle unevenly, so excess depth hurts rather than helps.
Bagging, handling, and retail markup roughly double to triple the per-yard cost. Bags still win for jobs under about a cubic yard where delivery minimums apply. For anything bigger, a landscape yard will load a pickup or deliver bulk for far less per ton.
Yes — expect 10–15% compaction after tamping and watering. That is why the calculator frames depth as the finished, compacted number. For critical levels like paver bedding, screed slightly proud, compact, then check with a straightedge before laying a single paver.