Sand Calculator

Multiply length by width by depth in feet to get cubic feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.4 to get tons of dry sand. For bags, divide the cubic feet by 0.5, the yield of a 50 lb bag.

A 10x10 ft paver patio with 1 inch of bedding sand is 10 × 10 × (1 ÷ 12) = 8.33 cubic feet. That is 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.31 cubic yards, 0.31 × 1.4 = 0.43 tons, or 8.33 ÷ 0.5 = 17 bags. Add 10% for spills and an uneven base and the order is 0.34 cubic yards, 0.48 tons or 19 bags.

Sand coverage by depth

One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch (27 cubic feet × 12 inches), and half as much each time the depth doubles. Per ton, divide by 1.4. Per 50 lb bag, a 0.5 cu ft bag covers 6 sq ft at 1 inch, the figure on the Sakrete data sheet.

How much sand for common projects

Each row uses the calculator's own math with 10% waste and dry sand at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Paver bedding is 1 inch (CMHA), a pool base is 2 inches (from an above-ground pool liner guide) and the sandboxes are filled 12 inches deep.

The bag count climbs fast. An 18 ft round pool base takes 94 bags, or 1.73 cubic yards in bulk.

How much does sand weigh?

Dry sand is taken at 1.4 tons per cubic yard and wet sand at 1.6. Engineering ToolBox gives 97 lb per cubic foot dry and 119 lb wet. Its dry figure works out to 1.31 tons per yard, a little under 1.4, so tons from this calculator lean slightly toward ordering more. Inch Calculator puts dry sand at 1.3 to 1.5 tons per yard and damp sand at 1.5 to 1.7.

Types of sand and what each is for

• Concrete sand (ASTM C33) is the bedding sand CMHA specifies under pavers. Quikrete All-Purpose Sand meets ASTM C33 and is sold for concrete and as underlayment for brick pavers.
• Mason sand (ASTM C144) is finer and is used for mortar. CMHA says not to use it as paver bedding because it can drain slowly and shift, but it can go in the joints. The Ocean Blue pool liner instructions call for fine mason sand under an above-ground pool.
• Play sand is screened and washed. Sakrete sells its Natural Play Sand for play use only.
• Trench and fill sand are sold in bulk for backfill. ThePricer's trench sand example is the lowest price in the table below.

How much does sand cost?

No price is built into the calculator, because sand prices depend on the supplier and the distance. These are published example prices from ThePricer, checked October 12, 2026. Treat them as a guide and get a local quote.

Bulk or bags

A cubic yard is 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft. At the $4.95 bagged play sand price above, 54 bags cost $267.30, against $30 to $70 for a bulk cubic yard in ThePricer's general range. To find your own break-even, divide the bulk price per yard, plus any delivery fee, by 54. If a bag costs less than that, bags are cheaper.

The calculator finds the area in square feet, multiplies it by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, and divides by 27 for cubic yards. Only the area formula changes with the shape:

• Rectangle: area = length × width.
• Circle: area = π × (diameter ÷ 2)², about 0.785 × diameter².
• Triangle: area = ½ × base × height, with the height measured square to the base.
• Hexagon: area = 3√3 ÷ 2 × side², about 2.598 × side².
• Octagon: area = 2 × (1 + √2) × side², about 4.828 × side².
• Known area: the square feet you enter.

Then: cubic feet = area × (depth in inches ÷ 12). Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. Order quantity = cubic yards × (1 + waste ÷ 100). Tons = order quantity × 1.4 for dry sand or × 1.6 for wet. Bags = order quantity in cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up. Cost = tons, cubic yards or bags × the price you enter.

The 10% default waste follows Inch Calculator's advice to order 10% more than the measured volume. The 0.5 cu ft bag size is the yield of a 50 lb bag on the Sakrete Natural Play Sand data sheet. The project presets set the depth: 1 inch for paver bedding (CMHA), 2 inches for an above-ground pool base (Ocean Blue liner instructions) and 12 inches for a sandbox.

Sand is one layer of most jobs. Size the compacted stone base under pavers with the Gravel Calculator, work out soil for beds and lawns with the Topsoil Calculator, and size a slab with the Concrete Calculator. To mix several materials on one order, or to figure dirt you dig out, use the Cubic Yard Calculator.