Sand Calculator: How Much Sand Do I Need? (Yards, Tons, Bags)

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A 12 x 10 ft paver patio needs 10 cu ft of bedding sand at 1 inch deep: 0.37 cubic yards, about 963 to 1,074 lb of dry sand, or 20 bags of 50 lb.

How much sand do you need?

Enter the area and the depth in inches. For a circle, enter the diameter as the length; the width is not used. Pick dry or wet sand for the weight. Results in cubic feet, cubic yards, pounds or tons, and 50 lb bags.

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Paver bedding sand is a nominal 1 in layer. Weights are for loose sand (US Army FM 5-434: dry 2,600 to 2,900 lb, wet 2,800 to 3,100 lb per cubic yard), so ask your supplier for theirs. Bags assume about 0.5 cu ft per 50 lb bag; check the label.

To figure out how much sand you need, multiply the length by the width in feet, multiply by the depth in inches, and divide by 12 to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by the weight of a cubic yard of sand to get pounds or tons.

Our sand calculator does that for a rectangle or a circle, gives the weight of dry or wet sand as a range, and counts 50 lb bags.

How to measure for sand

  1. Measure the area in feet. For an L shape, split it into rectangles and add them; the square footage calculator adds up to three. Convert inches to decimal feet (6 in is 0.5 ft).
  2. For a round area, measure the diameter. Measure straight across through the center, choose Circle, and enter the diameter as the length. The width is not used.
  3. Pick the depth in inches. Use the depth table below. For a layer that settles, such as sand under a play set, enter the starting depth.
  4. Choose dry or wet. Wet sand weighs more per cubic yard, which matters when you buy by the ton.
  5. Add extra if you need it, for uneven ground or a pool's sand cove. Leave it at 0 for the exact volume.

The sand formula

  • Area (sq ft): rectangle = length × width; circle = 3.1416 × radius × radius (the radius is half the diameter)
  • Cubic feet = area × depth (in) ÷ 12, plus any extra percentage
  • Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
  • Weight (lb) = cubic yards × 2,600 to 2,900 for dry sand, or × 2,800 to 3,100 for wet sand; tons = pounds ÷ 2,000
  • 50 lb bags = cubic feet ÷ 0.5, rounded up

NIST Handbook 44 gives 27 cubic feet to the cubic yard and 2,000 pounds to the (short) ton. The weights are from the US Army's earthmoving field manual, FM 5-434, which lists dry sand at 2,600 to 2,900 lb and wet sand at 2,800 to 3,100 lb per loose cubic yard and notes that weight varies with grain size, moisture, and compaction. That is why the calculator shows a range instead of one number. For the volume of any other material, the cubic yard calculator does the same math for rectangles, circles, and triangles.

Worked example (the calculator's default values)

A 12 x 10 ft patio with a 1 inch layer of dry bedding sand and no extra:

  1. Area: 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft
  2. Volume: 120 × 1 ÷ 12 = 10 cu ft
  3. Cubic yards: 10 ÷ 27 = 0.37
  4. Weight: 0.37037 × 2,600 = 963 lb to 0.37037 × 2,900 = 1,074 lb (0.48 to 0.54 tons)
  5. Bags: 10 ÷ 0.5 = 20 bags of 50 lb

The calculator shows: "You need 0.37 cubic yards of sand (10 cu ft): about 963 to 1,074 lb, or 20 bags of 50 lb." That is the same 10 cu ft of bedding sand the paver calculator gives for this patio, and twenty 50 lb bags weigh 1,000 lb, inside the dry range.

Second example: the sand base for a 24 ft round pool

Choose Circle and enter 24 ft and 2 in. The area is 3.1416 × 12 × 12 = 452.39 sq ft, and 452.39 × 2 ÷ 12 = 75.4 cu ft: "You need 2.79 cubic yards of sand (75.4 cu ft): about 3.63 to 4.05 tons, or 151 bags of 50 lb."

Third example: sand under a home play set

A climber with a 6 x 6 ft footprint, up to 5 ft high (an example size), needs surfacing 6 ft out on every side, so the area is 18 x 18 ft. At a 12 inch starting depth: "You need 12 cubic yards of sand (324 cu ft): about 15.6 to 17.4 tons, or 648 bags of 50 lb." A job this size is a bulk order.

Sand: a 12 by 10 foot patio with 1 inch of bedding sand takes 10 cubic feet, 20 bags of 50 poundsTop view of a patio 12 feet long and 10 feet wide: 12 times 10 is 120 square feet. Beside it, the steps: 120 square feet times 1 inch divided by 12 is 10 cubic feet, and 10 divided by 27 is 0.37 cubic yards, or 20 bags of 50 pounds at about half a cubic foot per bag. Dry sand weighs about 2,600 to 2,900 pounds per loose cubic yard, so that is 963 to 1,074 pounds. Below, a side view of the patio layers: pavers on top, a 1 inch layer of bedding sand, and a gravel base underneath. The layer thicknesses are not drawn to scale.SAND: AREA × DEPTH ÷ 12Area120 sq ft12 ft10 ftTop view120 sq ftarea, 12 × 10 ft10 cu ft120 sq ft × 1 in ÷ 120.37 cu yd10 cu ft ÷ 2720 bags of 50 lbor 963 to 1,074 lb of dry sandSide view (layers not to scale)Pavers1 in bedding sandGravel base1 inDry sand: 2,600 to 2,900 lb per loose cu yd (FM 5-434). A 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cu ft.
Cubic feet of sand = area × depth in inches ÷ 12. A 12 x 10 ft patio is 120 sq ft, and a 1 inch bedding layer is 120 × 1 ÷ 12 = 10 cu ft, or 0.37 cubic yards (27 cu ft each). Dry sand weighs about 2,600 to 2,900 lb per loose cubic yard (US Army FM 5-434), so that is 963 to 1,074 lb, and at about 0.5 cu ft per 50 lb bag it is 20 bags.

How much sand per 100 square feet

DepthCubic feetCubic yards50 lb bagsDry sand (tons)Wet sand (tons)1 cubic yard covers
1 in8.330.31170.4 to 0.450.43 to 0.48324 sq ft
2 in16.670.62340.8 to 0.90.86 to 0.96162 sq ft
3 in250.93501.2 to 1.341.3 to 1.44108 sq ft
4 in33.331.23671.6 to 1.791.73 to 1.9181 sq ft
6 in501.851002.41 to 2.692.59 to 2.8754 sq ft
9 in752.781503.61 to 4.033.89 to 4.3136 sq ft
12 in1003.72004.81 to 5.375.19 to 5.7427 sq ft

For 200 sq ft, double the figures; for 50 sq ft, halve them. The bag column is rounded up to whole bags.

How much does a yard of sand weigh?

SandPounds per cubic yardTons per cubic yardSource
Dry, loose2,600 to 2,9001.3 to 1.45FM 5-434
Wet, loose2,800 to 3,1001.4 to 1.55FM 5-434
Bagged, 50 lb per 0.5 cu ft2,700 (54 bags)1.35QUIKRETE bag yield

"Loose" means sand in a pile or a truck bed; the manual lists 10 to 15 percent swell for sand dug from the ground. A ton of dry sand is about 18.6 to 20.8 cu ft, enough for 223 to 249 sq ft at 1 inch deep.

QUIKRETE's mason sand data sheet says each 50 lb bag contains approximately 0.5 cu ft, and Lowe's lists QUIKRETE and Sakrete 50 lb play sand at 0.5 cu ft. That is 100 lb per cubic foot, inside the dry range. Sakrete's 50 lb Damp Mason Sand is listed at 0.6 cu ft, so check the yield on your bag.

How deep should the sand be?

UseDepth to enterSource
Paver bedding sand1 in (nominal), screededCMHA guide specification
Base under an above-ground pool2 in, plus a 6 to 8 in cove along the wallPool owner's manual (Reprieve)
Home play set, equipment up to 5 ft high12 in to start; it compresses to about 9 inCPSC Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook
SandboxThe depth you plan to fillYour choice

Pools. One above-ground pool manual calls for a 2 inch base of fine sand without pebbles over the whole pool area, then a 6 to 8 inch cove inside the wall. Royal Swimming Pools also cites a 2 inch base. Its chart, which it calls general estimates, lists 3 cubic yards for a 24 ft round pool with a sand cove; the base alone is 2.79, so add extra for a sand cove. Follow your own pool's manual, and once it is up, the pool volume calculator gives the gallons to fill it.

Play areas. The CPSC's home playground handbook lists 9 inches of sand or pea gravel for equipment up to 5 ft high, notes that a 12 inch initial fill compresses to about 9 inches, and extends the surfacing at least 6 ft from the equipment in all directions (for swings, twice the height of the top bar in front and behind).

Sand for pavers

The Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA) guide specification spreads washed bedding sand over the base and screeds it to a nominal 1 inch, which is 1 cu ft of sand for every 12 sq ft of patio. Its gradation follows ASTM C33 with a few modifications. The specification also says not to use the bedding sand to fill dips in the base, so fix low spots in the gravel base instead of adding sand.

Joint sand is a second, smaller purchase. CMHA's joint sand follows ASTM C144 grading (coarser C33 sand is also allowed), and it is swept in dry and compacted, with at least 4 passes of the plate compactor, until the joints are full. To size the whole job, the paver calculator counts pavers, base gravel, and bedding sand in one step.

Which sand to buy

SandUsed forWhat the maker or spec says
Play sandSandboxesWashed and screened (QUIKRETE, Sakrete)
All-purpose sandConcrete; under brick paversMeets ASTM C33 (QUIKRETE)
Mason sandMortar; paver and brick jointsMeets ASTM C144 (QUIKRETE)
Paver bedding sandThe 1 in layer under paversWashed, ASTM C33 grading (CMHA)
Pool base sandUnder a pool linerMasonry sand (Royal Swimming Pools); fine sand without pebbles (pool manual)

Tips and common mistakes

  • Mixing inches and feet. The depth field is in inches. Entering 0.08 for a 1 inch layer gives a result twelve times too small.
  • Leveling the base with sand. Bedding sand should be an even 1 inch; CMHA says not to use it to fill depressions in the base.
  • Forgetting that loose fill settles. For a play area, start at 12 inches so it ends near 9, and top it up as it compresses.
  • Using dry weights for a wet load. Wet sand weighs more, so the same number of tons buys less sand. When you order by the ton and the sand is wet, choose Wet.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate how much sand I need?

Multiply length by width in feet and by depth in inches, then divide by 12 for cubic feet and by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 x 10 ft area 1 inch deep is 10 cu ft, or 0.37 cubic yards.

How much does a yard of sand weigh?

The US Army's FM 5-434 lists dry sand at 2,600 to 2,900 lb per loose cubic yard (1.3 to 1.45 tons) and wet sand at 2,800 to 3,100 lb (1.4 to 1.55 tons). Weights vary with grain size and moisture, so ask your supplier for the sand they sell.

How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?

About 54. QUIKRETE puts approximately 0.5 cu ft of sand in a 50 lb bag of mason sand, and a cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so 27 ÷ 0.5 = 54 bags. Check the yield printed on the bag you buy.

How much sand do I need for pavers?

For the bedding layer, about 1 inch, which is 1 cu ft for every 12 sq ft. A 12 x 12 ft patio needs 12 cu ft (0.44 cubic yards), or 24 bags of 50 lb. Joint sand is a separate, smaller purchase.

How much sand do I need for an above-ground pool?

A 2 inch base under an 18 ft round pool is 42.41 cu ft (1.57 cubic yards), and under a 24 ft round pool 75.4 cu ft (2.79 cubic yards), before the sand cove at the wall. Follow your pool's manual for the depth and the cove.

How deep should sand be under a swing set?

The CPSC's Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook calls for at least 9 inches of sand for equipment up to 5 ft high, and a 12 inch initial fill compresses to about 9 inches. For taller equipment (up to 8 ft), it lists wood mulch, engineered wood fiber, or shredded rubber instead.

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