Free Sand Calculator — How Much Sand Do I Need? (Cubic Yards, Tons & Bags)

To calculate sand: measure the length and width of your project area in feet, decide on the depth of sand in inches, multiply length × width × depth ÷ 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply cubic yards by the density of your sand type to get tons. The same arithmetic powers the calculator above — the only thing it adds is sand-type density and an automatic compaction factor for paver base.

Step 1: Calculate Volume in Cubic Yards

Multiply length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. A 10 ft × 10 ft area at 2 inches works out to 10 × 10 × 2 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.62 cu yd. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. For a universal volume converter, use our cubic yards calculator.

Step 2: Convert Cubic Yards to Tons

Multiply cubic yards by the density of your sand type. Dry all-purpose sand is 1.35 tons per cubic yard. Continuing the example: 0.62 cu yd × 1.35 = 0.84 US tons. Masonry sand is heavier at 1.40–1.55 tons per cubic yard; play sand is lighter at about 1.30 tons per cubic yard.

How Much Sand for a Paver Base?

Per ICPI Tech Spec 2, a 1-inch compacted bedding layer requires about 1.2 inches of loose sand. Add 15–25% for compaction. For a 10 × 20 ft patio: (10 × 20 × 1.2 ÷ 12 ÷ 27) × 1.20 ≈ 0.89 cu yd ≈ 1.25 tons of concrete or sharp sand. For the gravel base layer beneath, use our gravel calculator.

How Much Sand for a Sandbox?

Recommended depth: 6–12 inches per CPSC Publication 325 playground safety guidelines for fall attenuation. Use clean play sand or washed sand. A 4 × 4 ft sandbox at 8 inches comes to about 0.37 cu yd, or 20 bags of 50 lb play sand.

How Much Sand for a Beach Volleyball Court?

A regulation FIVB / AVP court (60 ft × 30 ft) needs a minimum depth of 12 inches for recreational play and 18 inches for competition. At 12 inches, that is about 66 cu yd or 45 US tons; at 18 inches, about 100 cu yd or 81 tons. Use washed masonry or silica sand.

How Much Sand for Lawn Leveling?

Apply a 0.25–0.5 inch layer for top-dressing. At 0.5 inch over 1,000 sq ft, that is about 1.54 cu yd or 1 ton. Use sharp sand or horticultural sand; avoid play sand for lawns because its rounded grains drain poorly. For soil-based top-dressing instead of sand, see our topsoil calculator.

Volume (cu yd) = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. Weight (tons) = Volume (cu yd) × Density (tons/cu yd). Bags = Weight (lb) ÷ Bag size (lb). For paver base, multiply volume by 1.20 for compaction loss per ICPI Tech Spec 2. Every value the calculator returns comes from one of those four equations.

The amount of sand you need depends heavily on the project. A paver patio base needs 1 inch of bedding sand per ICPI standards, plus 15–25% extra for compaction. A sandbox needs 6–12 inches of play sand for safe depth. A regulation volleyball court requires 12–18 inches — between 66 and 100 cubic yards of washed sand.

Paver Base: 1 Inch Compacted Bedding (ICPI Tech Spec 2)

Use concrete or sharp sand under pavers — not play or masonry sand. Spread 1.2 inches of loose sand and compact to 1 inch finished. Always order 15–25% extra to absorb compaction loss and the inevitable spillage at the perimeter. For paver joint sand, see our polymeric sand calculator.

Sandbox: 6–12 Inches of Play Sand (CPSC Pub 325)

CPSC Publication 325 — the Public Playground Safety Handbook — recommends a minimum 6 inches of impact-attenuating loose-fill material for play areas with low fall heights and up to 12 inches for higher equipment. For a 4 × 4 ft sandbox at 8 inches, you need about 0.37 cu yd of clean, washed play sand — roughly 20 bags of 50 lb play sand. Always specify play sand rated as silica-free for child-safe sandbox use.

Beach Volleyball Court: 12–18 Inches (FIVB / AVP)

A regulation FIVB / AVP beach volleyball court is 60 ft × 30 ft (18 m × 9 m) with the free-zone area extended for officials and play. For recreational courts, 12 inches of sand works; competition courts use 18 inches. At 12 inches the court takes about 66 cu yd; at 18 inches, about 100 cu yd. Use washed silica or masonry sand — fines screened out, rounded or medium-coarse grains for diving comfort.

Lawn Top-Dressing: 0.25–0.5 Inch of Sharp Sand

University extension turf programs recommend a thin 0.25–0.5 inch layer of horticultural or sharp sand to level low spots after aeration. At 0.5 inch over 1,000 sq ft, that is about 1.54 cu yd or 1 ton. Reapply across two or three sessions rather than smothering the grass with one heavy pass. Avoid fine play sand on lawns — it crusts the surface and impedes drainage.

One cubic yard of dry all-purpose sand weighs approximately 2,700 pounds (1.35 short tons). Wet or damp sand can weigh up to 3,240 pounds (1.62 tons) per cubic yard. Sand type affects density — play sand is lighter at about 2,600 lb per cubic yard; masonry sand runs heavier at 2,800–3,100 lb per cubic yard.

How Much Does a Yard of Sand Weigh?

Dry sand: about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard. Wet sand: up to 3,240 lb (1.62 tons). One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so 1 cubic foot of dry sand weighs about 100 lb. Density varies by sand type — see the table above for type-by-type values used by the calculator.

Is Sand Heavier When Wet?

Yes. Water fills the void space between sand grains, adding weight without adding volume. Wet sand can weigh up to 20% more than dry sand. If you order sand by the ton and your supplier delivers freshly damp sand, the volume you receive will be slightly less than the equivalent dry weight suggests — useful to know when reconciling delivery tickets.

Ordering exactly the calculated volume is a common mistake that leaves projects short. Sand compacts under foot traffic and plate compaction — 1 inch of finished paver bedding typically requires 1.2 inches of loose sand. Always add 10% for overage on general fill, and 15–25% for compacted paver base applications.

Paver Base: Add 15–25% for Compaction

Per ICPI Tech Spec 2, a 1-inch finished bedding layer requires loose sand depth of approximately 1.2 inches before compaction. On a plate compactor, expect 15–20% volume reduction. The calculator above applies this automatically when you select Paver Base as the application — and the waste-factor slider has a 15% floor on that preset, which is the ICPI minimum.

How Much Extra Sand Should I Order?

For general fill and landscaping, add a 10% waste factor — the calculator default. For paver base, 15–25% is auto-applied. Irregular shapes, settling, and spillage at the perimeter consume your margin quickly. Round up to the next quarter-yard or nearest ton when ordering bulk delivery; the supplier will not split tons.

What Is the Density of Sand?

Density varies by type and moisture. Reference values: dry all-purpose sand ≈ 100 lb/ft³ (1,600 kg/m³), wet sand ≈ 120 lb/ft³ (1,920 kg/m³), masonry sand ≈ 104–115 lb/ft³, play sand ≈ 96 lb/ft³. The density table above lists the values the calculator uses for each application preset.

Not all sand is interchangeable. Play sand is fine, rounded, and screened for safety — ideal for sandboxes. Masonry sand is medium-fine and used for mortar and brick laying. Concrete or sharp sand is coarser with angular particles, the ASTM C33 specification for concrete mix. All-purpose sand is the standard fill and landscaping choice.

Play Sand

Fine, washed, rounded grains — safe for child play. Sold in 50 lb bags at home-improvement retailers. Density ≈ 2,600 lb/cu yd. Avoid for paver base (too fine to drain) or for concrete mix (gradation does not meet ASTM C33).

Masonry Sand

Medium-fine grains, often slightly tan or buff in color. Primary use: mortar mix for brick and block work. Density 2,800–3,100 lb/cu yd. Sometimes used for paver bedding in regions where ICPI-spec concrete sand is hard to source — but concrete sand is the engineered choice.

Concrete / Sharp Sand

Coarse, angular grains conforming to the ASTM C33 fine-aggregate gradation. Used as the fine aggregate in concrete mix and as the bedding sand under pavers. Density ≈ 2,800 lb/cu yd. The ICPI-recommended bedding choice because the angular grains lock under compaction.

All-Purpose Sand

The default landscape and fill sand. Mixed gradation, dry density ≈ 2,700 lb/cu yd, sold in bulk by the cubic yard or ton. Used for grading, drainage layers, trench backfill, pipe bedding, and general landscape work. Not specified to a single ASTM standard, so confirm the supplier's spec sheet if a precise gradation matters.

Other Specialty Sands

Washed silica sand is the standard for beach volleyball courts, pool filter media, and high- purity industrial uses. Polymeric sand is used between paver joints — not as a bedding layer. Decomposed granite is sometimes confused with sand but is a separate decomposed-rock product used for paths and patios. Marine or beach sand sourced raw is generally too salty and fine-grained for construction use.

Bulk sand typically costs $15–$40 per ton or $20–$50 per cubic yard delivered, depending on type and region. Bagged play sand (50 lb) runs $5–$10 per bag at home improvement stores. For most patio projects under 3 cubic yards, bagged sand is cost-competitive once you account for delivery minimums on bulk orders.

Do You Buy Sand by the Yard or Ton?

Suppliers quote sand by the ton (most common) or by the cubic yard. One cubic yard of dry all-purpose sand weighs about 1.35 tons. For bulk orders, multiply cubic yards by 1.35 to get tons, then multiply by the price per ton to estimate cost.

Cost of Bagged Sand vs. Bulk Sand

Bags: about $5–$10 per 50 lb bag at retail. One cubic yard equals about 54 bags, so a full yard of bagged sand costs $270–$540 — roughly 5× to 10× the bulk-delivered price. Bulk delivery: $20–$50/cu yd including delivery. The break-even point sits around 1–2 cubic yards — below that, bags are often more economical because there is no delivery minimum.

Cost data last verified: April 2026. Next review: April 2027.

Once you have your cubic yard and ton estimate, use it to order confidently. Tell your supplier the number of tons, the sand type, and your delivery address. If your estimate is under 1.5 tons, consider bags — they eliminate delivery minimums and allow precise top-ups. Add your waste factor before calling.

How to Order Bulk Sand Delivery

Tell the supplier three things: (1) sand type — all-purpose, masonry, play, or concrete sand; (2) quantity in tons (suppliers price per ton more often than per cubic yard); (3) delivery date and access notes. A standard dump truck carries 10–14 US tons. Ask whether the supplier offers partial loads — some charge a short-load fee for under 5 tons.

Should I Buy Sand in Bags or Bulk?

Under 0.5 cu yd (about 0.7 tons): buy bags. They are cheaper per project once delivery minimums are factored in. From 0.5 to 2 cu yd: compare the bag total to the delivered cost in your area. Over 2 cu yd: bulk delivery wins on price almost every time. Exception — paver projects where precision matters: buy most of your sand in bulk and round up with a few bags to top off.

Use the Calculator That Comes Next

Sand sits between a gravel base and the surface course on most hardscape projects. For the gravel base layer underneath, use our gravel calculator. For the universal volume converter, see the cubic yards calculator. For paver joint sand and the surface course, see our paver calculator and polymeric sand calculator. For mulch and topsoil quantities on the same project, use the mulch calculator next.

The calculator on this page combines a standard volume formula (length × width × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27 for cubic yards) with sand-type density values drawn from industry references and a paver-base compaction factor drawn directly from ICPI Tech Spec 2. The same formula was validated against worked examples in InchCalculator and GigaCalculator before launch.

Marcus Johnson, CCMCCM

Reviews: project calculators · 31 calculators reviewed

Marcus Johnson is a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) with 20 years of experience in residential and commercial site work. He holds CCM certification from CMAA (member #2019-1247). He has managed NALP-member landscape installation projects covering more than 2 million square feet of site work. At CalcSummit, he writes all landscape volume and bulk-material calculators, applying field-tested coverage rates for mulch, gravel, sand, topsoil, and fill dirt.

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Eight questions extracted from the People-Also-Ask box and forum demand-side phrasing research. Each answer is self-contained and cites the same density and depth standards used by the calculator above.

Two reference tables for fast lookup without rerunning the calculator. Use them for napkin-math comparisons against your supplier's quote, or to quickly switch between volume and bag counts when planning a small project from a home-improvement retailer.

Coverage at common depths (dry all-purpose sand)

Bags per cubic yard (50 lb, 60 lb, 80 lb)