How to use this calculator
- Pick the shape. Use a circle for round pools and sandpits and enter the diameter as the length.
- Enter the length and width in feet (or meters), and the depth in inches (or millimeters).
- Choose the condition of the sand. Bulk sand from a yard is usually damp, which makes it a little heavier per cubic yard than dry bagged sand.
- Keep 10% extra for waste and settling, or raise it to 15–20% for bedding sand or fill that you will compact.
- Pick your bag size and enter your supplier's bulk price per ton, delivery fee and bag price to compare the two ways of buying.
How the sand calculation works
Volume comes first: length × width × depth. In imperial units, work in feet, so divide the depth in inches by 12, then divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. A 12 × 10 ft area at 2″ deep is 12 × 10 × (2 ÷ 12) = 20 cu ft. With 10% extra that becomes 22 cu ft, or 0.81 cu yd.
Sand is sold by weight, so the volume is multiplied by its density. Dry sand weighs about 100 lb per cubic foot (1,600 kg/m³), which is roughly 1.35 US tons per cubic yard. Damp sand straight from the yard is nearer 1.43 tons, and wet sand about 1.62 tons. The 22 cu ft of damp sand in the example weighs about 1.17 tons; at $40 a ton plus $75 delivery that is about $122.
Bags are counted by dry weight, because bagged sand is kiln-dried. A 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cu ft, so the same job takes 44 bags, or $264 at $6 a bag. In metric, a 3.6 × 3 m area at 50 mm is 0.54 m³, or 0.594 m³ with 10% extra: about 1.01 tonnes of damp sand or 39 bags of 25 kg.
Pro tips
- Use the right sand for the job: washed play sand for sandboxes, coarse concrete or sharp sand for paver bedding and mixing concrete, and fine masonry (soft or builders') sand for mortar.
- Bulk delivery usually pays off above about half a cubic yard. In the example above, the bagged sand costs more than twice as much as a delivered load.
- Under pavers, screed the bedding sand to an even 1″ (25–30 mm). A thicker bed tends to shift and leads to sunken pavers.
- Cover a sand pile with a tarp. Rain makes it heavier and harder to spread, and an open pile attracts cats.
- A cubic yard of sand weighs well over a ton, so check the payload of your pickup or trailer before collecting it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of sand are in a cubic yard?
About 1.35 US tons (2,700 lb) of dry sand, 1.43 tons of damp sand as it usually comes from the yard, and about 1.62 tons of wet sand. In metric, a cubic meter of dry sand weighs about 1.6 tonnes.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
Fill a sandbox 6–12″ (150–300 mm) deep. A 6 × 6 ft box filled 12″ deep holds 36 cu ft; with 10% extra that is 39.6 cu ft, about 2 tons of dry play sand or 80 bags of 50 lb.
How many 50 lb bags of sand make a cubic yard?
About 54. A 50 lb bag of dry sand holds roughly 0.5 cu ft, and a cubic yard is 27 cu ft. In metric, a cubic meter takes about 64 bags of 25 kg or 80 bags of 20 kg.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
Pavers sit on a 1″ (25–30 mm) layer of bedding sand over a compacted gravel base. For a 10 × 10 ft patio, 1″ of sand is 8.3 cu ft, about 0.44 tons of damp sand or 17 bags of 50 lb, before any extra for compaction.
How much sand do I need for an above-ground pool?
Most installers lay about 2″ (50 mm) of sand under the liner. For an 18 ft round pool, 2″ deep with 10% extra comes to about 1.73 cu yd, or roughly 2.5 tons of damp sand.
How much area does a ton of sand cover?
A ton of damp sand covers about 226 sq ft at 1″ deep, 113 sq ft at 2″ and 57 sq ft at 4″. In metric, a tonne covers about 23.5 m² at 25 mm and 11.8 m² at 50 mm.
Is it cheaper to buy sand in bags or in bulk?
For anything but small jobs, bulk is cheaper. Bagged sand often costs $200–300 per ton once you add up the bags, while bulk sand is typically $30–60 per ton plus a delivery fee.
These results are estimates for planning and budgeting. Actual quantities depend on site conditions, products and workmanship. Check structural and code requirements with a licensed professional before you build.