Sand Calculator

Calculate how much sand you need in tons, cubic yards, or cubic metres — for patios, sandboxes, pavers, pool bases, and foundations.

Paver bedding: 1 in · Patio base: 2–4 in · Sandbox: 12 in

Bulk delivered sand is typically damp. Bagged play sand is dry. Mason sand, paver (leveling) sand, and construction/septic sand are typically sold damp — use the damp setting unless your supplier tells you otherwise.

Sand Calculator — Tons, Cubic Yards & Coverage Guide

This calculator estimates sand volume and weight for common home projects such as patios, sandboxes, paver bases, pool installations, and foundations. Enter your dimensions and sand type to get cubic yards or cubic metres, weight in tons or tonnes, and bag counts. Works for construction sand, mason sand, paver (leveling) sand, play sand, and septic sand — the main difference between these is moisture content and grain size, not density, so pick the closest match under Sand Type above.

Sand Coverage Quick Reference

Depth1 ton covers1 cubic yard coversPer 50 lb bag
1 inch~140–160 ft²~324 ft²~1.6 ft²
2 inches~70–80 ft²~162 ft²~0.8 ft²
3 inches~47–53 ft²~108 ft²~0.54 ft²
4 inches~35–40 ft²~81 ft²~0.4 ft²
6 inches~23–27 ft²~54 ft²~0.27 ft²
12 inches~12–13 ft²~27 ft²~0.13 ft²

Based on dry sand (~100 lb/ft³). Damp/wet sand is heavier — covers slightly less area per ton. 2-inch depth highlighted as most common for patio and paver projects.

How much does sand weigh?

Sand weight depends on moisture: dry (bagged/stored) sand is lightest, damp (bulk delivered) sand is the typical default, and wet (saturated) sand is heaviest. Use this table to convert between gallons, cubic feet, and cubic yards.

UnitDry (100 lb/ft³)Damp (111 lb/ft³)Wet (120 lb/ft³)
1 gallon13.4 lb14.8 lb16.0 lb
1 cubic foot100 lb111 lb120 lb
1 cubic yard2,700 lb (1.35 tons)2,997 lb (1.50 tons)3,240 lb (1.62 tons)

Reverse conversion: one ton of sand is roughly 0.74 cubic yards dry, 0.67 cubic yards damp, or 0.62 cubic yards wet. Bulk suppliers price by weight (ton/tonne), so confirm which moisture state your quote assumes.

Sand Quantity by Project Type

ProjectTypical depth10×10 ft area20×20 ft area
Paver bedding layer1 inch0.31 cu yd / 0.42 ton1.23 cu yd / 1.67 ton
Patio base (sand only)2 inches0.62 cu yd / 0.84 ton2.47 cu yd / 3.33 ton
Sandbox (shallow)6 inches1.85 cu yd / 2.5 ton7.41 cu yd / 10 ton
Sandbox (deep)12 inches3.70 cu yd / 5.0 ton14.81 cu yd / 20 ton
Pool base3–4 inches0.93–1.23 cu yd3.70–4.94 cu yd

Based on dry sand, no waste factor applied. Add 10% for compaction and spillage.

Sand Density Reference

Sand typelb/ft³kg/m³Ton per cubic yardWhen to use
Dry sand1001,6021.35 t/yd³Bagged play sand, stored sand
Damp sand1111,7781.50 t/yd³Bulk delivered sand — mason, paver, construction, septic sand (most common)
Wet sand1201,9221.62 t/yd³Saturated or recently rained on

Mason sand, paver sand, construction sand, and septic sand are all washed sands with similar densities to standard bulk (damp) sand — they differ mainly in grain size and cleanliness, not weight. Always confirm with your supplier for engineered applications like septic drain fields.

How to calculate how much sand you need

Imperial: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in ÷ 12) = cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply cubic feet × density (lb/ft³) ÷ 2,000 for tons.

Metric: Length (m) × Width (m) × Depth (cm ÷ 100) = cubic metres. Multiply by density (kg/m³) ÷ 1,000 for tonnes.

Add 10% for compaction, uneven ground, and spillage. For paver projects, the sand bedding layer should be exactly 1 inch — thicker beds allow pavers to shift and settle unevenly over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Multiply length × width × depth to get volume. For a 10×10 ft patio at 2 inches deep: 10 × 10 × (2÷12) = 16.67 ft³ ÷ 27 = 0.62 cubic yards, or about 0.84 tons of dry sand. Enter your dimensions above for an instant result including bag count.
A gallon of dry sand weighs about 13.4 lb. Damp sand (bulk delivered) weighs about 14.8 lb per gallon, and wet/saturated sand weighs about 16 lb per gallon. This is based on sand's typical density of 100–120 lb per cubic foot, since one gallon equals about 0.134 cubic feet.
A cubic yard of sand weighs about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) dry, 2,997 lb (1.50 tons) damp (the typical bulk-delivered state), or 3,240 lb (1.62 tons) wet. Suppliers usually price and deliver by the ton assuming damp sand — confirm which moisture state their quote uses.
About 1.35 to 1.62 tons per cubic yard, depending on moisture — 1.35 tons for dry sand, 1.50 tons for damp (bulk delivered) sand, and 1.62 tons for wet sand. Most suppliers use the damp figure (1.5 tons/yd³) as their default.
About 0.62 to 0.74 cubic yards per ton, depending on moisture — roughly 0.74 yd³/ton for dry sand, 0.67 yd³/ton for damp sand, and 0.62 yd³/ton for wet sand. As a quick rule of thumb, 1 ton of damp sand ≈ ⅔ of a cubic yard.
A 5×5 ft sandbox with 1 foot of sand needs about 0.93 cubic yards (~1.25 tons dry). A smaller 4×4 ft box at 6 inches: 4 × 4 × 0.5 = 8 ft³ ÷ 27 = 0.30 cubic yards. Most sandbox sand is sold in 50 lb bags — a 5×5 sandbox with 1 ft depth needs roughly 50 bags. Bulk delivery is more economical for anything over 0.5 yards.
Multiply length × width × depth (all in feet) then divide by 27. A 20×10 ft area at 3 inches deep: 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards. Add 10% for compaction = 2 cubic yards to order. One cubic yard of dry sand weighs approximately 1.35 tons.
One ton of dry sand covers approximately 70–80 sq ft at 2 inches deep, or 140–160 sq ft at 1 inch. At 4 inches: about 35–40 sq ft per ton. Wet sand is heavier so covers less area per ton. See the coverage table above for a full reference by depth.
The sand bedding layer under pavers should be exactly 1 inch (25 mm) — this is the screeded levelling layer only. Below that you need 4–6 inches of compacted gravel base for drainage and stability. Total excavation depth for a standard patio is 5–7 inches. Use the gravel calculator for the base layer quantity.
50 lb bags contain roughly 0.5 cubic feet each. Divide total cubic feet by 0.5. A 10×10 ft area at 1 inch deep = 8.33 ft³ ÷ 0.5 = 17 bags. For projects over 0.5 cubic yards, bulk delivery by the yard or ton is significantly more economical than bags.
Dry sand weighs ~100 lb/ft³. Damp (bulk delivered) sand weighs ~111 lb/ft³. Wet (saturated) sand weighs ~120 lb/ft³. The difference matters when your supplier prices by weight but you calculated by volume. Bulk delivered sand is almost always damp — use the damp setting for most bulk orders.
Mason sand, paver (leveling) sand, construction sand, and septic sand are all washed sands that differ from each other mainly in grain size and cleanliness — not density. For calculator purposes, use the damp sand setting (111 lb/ft³) for any bulk-delivered version of these. Play sand is typically sold bagged and dry, so use the dry setting instead.

Sand & Aggregate Planning Checklist

Covers excavation depth, compaction, drainage slope, base layer sequencing, and delivery logistics before ordering aggregate.

Download Checklist (PDF)

Planning reference only. See Methodology and Data Sources. View all project checklists →

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Disclaimer: These are general planning estimates only. Actual quantities vary based on compaction, moisture content, ground conditions, and supplier-specific densities. Always add 10% and confirm with your supplier.

See Methodology and Data Sources for details.