YardHow to use the sand calculator
Calculate sand
One cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) and fills roughly 54 bags of 50 lb. Damp sand weighs more. Estimates only - confirm quantities with your supplier.
- Choose your project shape: rectangle, circle or triangle.
- Enter the length and width (or diameter) in feet.
- Enter the depth in inches. One inch is typical for paver bedding sand, 2 to 3 inches for an above-ground pool base and 4 to 6 inches for a sandbox.
- Read off the cubic yards, the weight in tons and the number of 50 lb bags, then adjust the extra allowance if your ground is uneven.
The sand formula
Sand is sold by volume, so the maths starts with the space you are filling:
Volume (cubic feet) = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft)
Depth is measured in inches, so divide by 12 to get feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. Weight then depends on density: dry sand weighs about 1.35 tons (2,700 lb) per cubic yard, and damp sand weighs more.
Worked example: a 12 × 12 ft paver patio with a 1 inch bedding layer. 144 × (1 ÷ 12) = 12 cubic feet = 0.44 cubic yards. At 1.35 tons per yard that is about 0.6 tons, and with 10 percent extra you should order roughly 0.49 cubic yards, about 0.66 tons or 27 bags of 50 lb sand.
Which type of sand do you need?
| Sand type | Typical uses | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Play sand | Sandboxes, play areas, pool bases | Washed and screened, soft and fine |
| Concrete sand | Paver bedding, mixing concrete | Coarse, angular grains that lock together |
| Mason sand | Mortar, brick joints, topdressing | Fine and clean, easy to work |
| Jointing sand | Sweeping into paver joints | Very fine and dry so it flows into gaps |
Using the right type matters more than the exact quantity. Bedding a patio with play sand, for example, gives a soft layer that shifts, while concrete sand compacts and stays put.
How deep should the sand be?
| Project | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Paver bedding layer | 1 in |
| Levelling a patio base | 1–2 in |
| Above-ground pool base | 2–3 in |
| Sandbox | 4–6 in |
| Play area / volleyball court | 8–12 in |
Bags or bulk?
A 50 lb bag of sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so a full cubic yard takes roughly 54 bags. Bags suit small jobs like a single sandbox top-up and are easy to move by car. Bulk sand, delivered by the ton or cubic yard, is far cheaper per unit for anything over about half a yard and saves dozens of trips. If your result is more than about 20 bags, get a bulk price before you buy bags.
Tips before you order
- Round up, not down. Running short mid-job costs more in delivery fees than a little spare sand.
- Ask whether the quoted price is per ton or per cubic yard, and confirm the sand type by name.
- Damp sand weighs more per yard. If your supplier weighs the load, a rainy-week delivery can bill heavier for the same volume.
- Keep spare sand dry and covered; wet bagged sand is miserable to spread for joints.