Building materials
Sand Calculator
Work out how much sand to order for a paver base, sandbox, or leveling layer, in cubic yards, tons, and bags.
Maintained by Austin Witherow · Updated
Sand to order
0.68 yd³
- Tons to order
- 0.89 tons
- Bags of dry sand
- 36 bags
- Cost at your price per ton
- $31.12
- Area covered
- 100 sq ft
- Volume with extra
- 18.33 ft³
Formula
Area (sq ft) = Length × Width, or π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² for a circleVolume (cu ft) = Area × (Depth in inches ÷ 12) × (1 + Extra ÷ 100)Cubic yards = Volume ÷ 27Tons = Volume × Density (lb/cu ft) ÷ 2,000Bags = Volume × 97 ÷ Bag weight (lb), rounded up (dry sand)Cost = Tons × Price per ton
Key caveat
Default densities are general values. Published dry sand figures range from about 80 to 100 lb/ft³, and moisture adds more, so use your supplier's figure when you have it.
What this calculator is for
Sand shows up in a lot of small projects: the bedding layer under pavers, a sandbox, leveling under a pool or shed, or mixing with cement. Enter the area and depth, and this calculator returns the cubic yards and tons to order, how many bags that is at the bag size you plan to buy, and the cost at your price per ton.
How it works
Area is length times width in square feet, or π times the radius squared for a circle.
Volume is area times depth, with depth converted from inches to feet.
The extra percentage you choose is added on top of the measured volume.
Cubic feet are divided by 27 to get cubic yards.
Tons are cubic feet times the sand's density in pounds per cubic foot, divided by 2,000.
Bags use dry sand at 97 lb per cubic foot whatever density you choose, because a bag is a fixed product: volume × 97 ÷ bag weight, rounded up. Cost is tons times your price per ton.
Quick calculator insights
Bags in one cubic yard of dry sand
One cubic yard of dry sand at 97 lb per cubic foot weighs about 2,619 lb.
- 50 lb bags
- 53 bags
- 60 lb bags
- 44 bags
- 70 lb bags
- 38 bags
Weight per cubic yard
Bulk density × 27 ÷ 2,000 gives US tons per cubic yard.
| Material | Density | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Sand, dry | 97 lb/ft³ | 1.31 |
| Sand, wet | 119 lb/ft³ | 1.61 |
How far one cubic yard goes
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Spread evenly, it covers this much area at each depth (before any extra).
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft |
How to use this calculator
- 01Measure the length and width in feet, or the diameter for a round area.
- 02Enter the depth of sand in inches.
- 03Choose dry or wet to match sand you are buying by the ton, or use Custom if your supplier gives a tons-per-yard figure.
- 04Pick the bag weight you plan to buy and enter your price per ton.
- 05Order the tons shown for bulk, or the bag count for small jobs.
Inputs explained
- Length and width
- The size of the area in feet.
- Depth
- The finished thickness of the sand layer in inches.
- Sand condition
- Sets the density used for the weight. Wet sand weighs about 23% more than dry sand for the same volume.
- Supplier density
- Only shown for Custom. Enter the tons per cubic yard your supplier uses.
- Extra to order
- A percentage added to the measured volume.
- Bag weight
- The weight printed on the bags you plan to buy.
- Price per ton
- Your supplier's price for bulk sand.
Outputs explained
- Sand to order
- Cubic yards including the extra.
- Tons to order
- The weight at the selected density.
- Bags of dry sand
- Whole bags of dry sand that fill the same volume.
- Cost at your price per ton
- Tons times your price, before delivery and tax.
Worked examples
Leveling layer, 10 ft × 10 ft at 2 inches
- Area = 100 sq ft. Volume = 100 × (2 ÷ 12) = 16.67 cu ft, plus 10% = 18.33 cu ft.
- Cubic yards = 18.33 ÷ 27 = 0.68 yd³.
- Weight at 97 lb/cu ft = 18.33 × 97 ÷ 2,000 = 0.89 tons.
- In 50 lb bags: 1,778 ÷ 50 = 36 bags. At $35 per ton the sand costs about $31.12.
Sandbox, 6 ft × 6 ft at 12 inches
- Volume = 36 × (12 ÷ 12) = 36 cu ft, plus 10% = 39.6 cu ft, or 1.47 yd³.
- Weight at 97 lb/cu ft = 1.92 tons, or 77 bags of 50 lb.
Base under a 12 ft round pool at 2 inches
- Choose Circle. Area = π × (12 ÷ 2)² = 113.1 sq ft.
- Volume = 113.1 × (2 ÷ 12) = 18.85 cu ft, plus 10% = 20.73 cu ft, or 0.77 yd³.
- Weight at 97 lb/cu ft = 1.01 tons, or 41 bags of 50 lb.
The same sandbox filled with damp bulk sand
- The volume is still 39.6 cu ft.
- Weight at 119 lb/cu ft = 39.6 × 119 ÷ 2,000 = 2.36 tons.
- Buying by the ton, damp sand costs more for the same space, so ask whether the price is for dry or damp sand.
When to use it
- Bedding sand under pavers or flagstone.
- Filling a sandbox or a play area.
- Leveling under a round above-ground pool, a shed, or a hot tub pad.
- Buying sand to mix with cement for concrete or mortar.
Tips
- QUIKRETE sells All-Purpose Sand and Premium Play Sand as separate products. Use the type your project calls for.
- For areas larger than a few square yards at depth, compare bag cost with a bulk delivery quote.
Limitations
- Default densities are general values. Published dry sand figures range from about 80 to 100 lb/ft³, and moisture adds more, so use your supplier's figure when you have it.
- Bag counts assume dry sand at 97 lb/ft³ in every case.
- Cost covers the sand only. Delivery and tax are not included.
Methodology & assumptions
- Volume uses exact unit relationships: 12 inches per foot and 27 cubic feet per cubic yard.
- Default densities come from Engineering ToolBox's published sand densities, converted with 2,000 lb per US ton.
- Bag sizes match QUIKRETE's published All-Purpose Sand sizes. Bag counts use dry sand density because a bag is a fixed product, and round up to whole bags.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-10-05
- Engineering ToolBox: Dirt and Mud - Densities
Sand, dry 97 and Sand, wet 119 lb/ft³ (the sand options).
- Engineering ToolBox: Densities of common Products
A second table with lower values (gravel 75-85, limestone crushed 85-95, sand dry 80-100 lb/ft³). The page warns that some listed values may mix bulk and solid density.
- QUIKRETE Sand & Gravel Products data sheet
Bag sizes for All-Purpose Sand (50, 60, and 70 lb) and All-Purpose Gravel (50 lb).
FAQs
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?+
At the figures used here, about 1.31 US tons dry (97 lb per cubic foot) and about 1.61 tons wet (119 lb per cubic foot). Published dry sand values range from about 80 to 100 lb per cubic foot, so your supplier's figure may differ.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?+
About 53 bags of dry sand. At 60 lb it is 44 bags, and at 70 lb it is 38 bags.
How much sand do I need under pavers?+
Use the bedding depth in your paver installation guide and enter it here. The calculator returns the volume, weight, and bag count for that depth.
Why does wet sand cost more when I buy by the ton?+
The price per ton is the same, but wet sand weighs more for the same space: 119 lb per cubic foot against 97 dry. So the same project needs more tons, and the total is higher.
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