Sand Calculator
Sand for a paver base, sandbox or fill: cubic yards, tons and bags for rectangles, circles, triangles, rings or a list of areas, with sand-type densities, extra for compaction, bulk vs bag cost and truckloads.
How it works
area: rectangle L × W · circle π × d² ÷ 4 · triangle b × h ÷ 2 · ring π × (D² − d²) ÷ 4 · cubic yards = area × depth(in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 · order = cubic yards × (1 + extra%) · tons = cubic yards × density (t/yd³) · bags = weight ÷ bag weight, rounded up
Sand volume is area times depth. Work out the area of each shape, multiply by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12) for cubic feet, and divide by 27 for cubic yards, the unit bulk yards sell by. List mode adds up several areas, and a rectangle can have its own depth, such as a deep sandbox next to a thin paver bed. The extra percentage covers screeding, spillage and settling. Dry sand weighs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard and wet sand about 1.6, so the sand type sets the tonnage when you are billed by weight. Bag counts divide that weight by the bag weight: a 50-lb bag of dry sand is only about half a cubic foot. The cost section prices the same order in bulk, with delivery, and in bags.
Worked example
A 20 × 10 ft paver base 2 in deep: 200 sq ft × (2 ÷ 12) ft = 33.3 cu ft, ÷ 27 = 1.23 cu yd. With 10% extra you order 1.36 cu yd. At 1.35 tons per cubic yard that weighs 1.83 tons. At $40 a ton plus $75 delivery the bulk order costs $148.33. In 50-lb bags it is 74 bags, or $370 at $5 a bag.
Sources: Inch Calculator — sand weight per cubic yard, dry and wet · Omni Calculator — sand density 1,601.95 kg/m³
Frequently asked questions
How deep should paver bedding sand be?
About 1 in of coarse bedding sand, screeded over a compacted gravel base. Do not go thicker, because a deep sand layer lets pavers rut and settle unevenly. The sand is only the setting bed; the gravel below carries the load. Polymeric sand then fills the joints.
What type of sand goes where?
Use coarse concrete or bedding sand for paver and slab bases, fine washed play sand for sandboxes, and mason sand for mortar. They are not interchangeable. Bedding sand under pavers, for example, must be sharp and angular so it locks together and drains.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
Fill to 10–12 in for small children and leave a few inches of rim. A 4 × 4 ft box filled 12 in deep holds 16 cu ft, which is about 0.6 cu yd or 31 fifty-pound bags of play sand. Pick "Play sand" for the right weight.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry sand weighs about 2,600–3,000 lb (1.3–1.5 tons) per cubic yard, and wet sand 3,000–3,400 lb. That is roughly 1,550–1,800 kg/m³ dry. This calculator uses 1.35 tons for dry sand unless you pick another type.
Should I buy bags or bulk?
Bags suit small jobs and need no delivery, but a 50-lb bag is only about half a cubic foot. Anything past about a cubic yard (54 bags) is usually far cheaper delivered loose. Enter both prices to see the break-even for your job, and think about whether you can move a pile with a wheelbarrow.
Related calculators
Estimate for planning. Add a waste margin and confirm against your supplier specs and local building codes.