Sand calculator

Play sand, paver (concrete) sand and leveling sand are all estimated the same way: area × depth, then weight from density. Dry sand runs roughly 1.35 tons per cubic yard; damp sand, the way most yards deliver it, is heavier — and when you buy by the ton, that water is part of what you pay for.

How the sand calculation works

Volume first — area × depth — then weight from density. Sand is fine and packs tightly, so its density swings with moisture more than gravel does: dry sand is often quoted around 1.3–1.4 tons per cubic yard, damp sand noticeably more. Saturated sand is heavier still. When a yard sells sand by the ton, the tons include that water, which is why the Sand condition setting matters for bulk orders.

Sand that gets tamped or plate-compacted — bedding sand under pavers, sand under a pool or a shed — ends up about 10% denser than it was in the pile, so the calculator orders about 10% more loose sand by default, plus 5% for spillage. Sand that just sits in a sandbox isn’t compacted: set Compaction to 0 for that.

cubic feet = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12
loose cubic feet = cubic feet × 1.1 (if compacted) × 1.05 (waste)
cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.35 (dry)

A 0.5 cu ft bag of dry sand weighs about 50 lb, so a cubic yard (27 cubic feet, a box 3 ft on each side) is roughly 54 bags. Metric bags are sold by weight; the calculator converts using the density above, and switching units keeps your US bag size, listed by its weight (a 0.5 cu ft bag of dry sand is about 22.7 kg).

Which sand for which job

For pavers, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute’s Tech Spec 2 calls for bedding sand meeting ASTM C33 (sold as concrete sand), screeded to a nominal 1 in, and says masonry sand, limestone screenings and stone dust should not be used for bedding.

Sandboxes

A small backyard box takes surprisingly little: how much sand for a 4×4 sandbox works it through, including how deep to fill and how many bags to carry. A sandbox is for digging, not a fall surface — under climbing equipment, loose fill has to be much deeper; see how much pea gravel for a 10×10 play area for the CPSC depths.

Tips

• Don’t level a clay lawn with pure sand; layering sand over clay can create drainage problems. A sand–topsoil or compost blend is usually safer.
• Masonry sand is fine and smooth — fine for mortar and some sandboxes, but not for paver bedding, where coarse concrete sand locks better.
• Cover sandboxes when not in use to keep out rain, leaves and animals.