Sand Calculator
Calculate how much sand you need in cubic yards, tons and 50 lb bags for a paver base, sandbox, pool base or fill layer from the length, width and depth of the area.
By CalcBuilt Editorial TeamUpdated September 9, 2026Formulas checked against manufacturer specs, see how we calculate.
Results
- Sand needed
- 0.62 cu yd
- 16.7 cu ft of concrete or masonry sand
- Weight
- 0.8 tons
- At 1.3 tons per cubic yard, dry
- 50 lb bags
- 34 bags
- Each 50 lb (23 kg) bag is about 0.5 cu ft (14 L); bags run 4 to 6 times the bulk price per ton, so past about half a yard order bulk
- Area covered
- 200 sq ft
- 1 in deep
Sand formula
Cubic feet = Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Depth (in) / 12
Cubic yards = Cubic feet / 27
Tons = Cubic yards x 1.3 (masonry), 1.25 (play) or 1.35 (fill)
50 lb bags = Cubic feet / 0.5Worked example
A 15 x 12 ft sandbox filled 8 in deep with play sand: 15 x 12 = 180 sq ft. 180 x (8 / 12) = 120 cubic feet. 120 / 27 = 4.44 cubic yards. At 1.25 tons per yard that is 4.44 x 1.25 = 5.56 tons of play sand, or 120 / 0.5 = 240 bags of 50 lb if you buy it bagged.
For a 24 x 15 ft above-ground pool with a 2 in sand base: 360 x (2 / 12) = 60 cubic feet, or 2.22 cubic yards, about 2.9 tons of masonry sand.
Quick reference
| Depth | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Tons | 50 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 8.3 | 0.31 | 0.40 | 17 |
| 2 in | 16.7 | 0.62 | 0.80 | 34 |
| 3 in | 25.0 | 0.93 | 1.20 | 50 |
| 6 in | 50.0 | 1.85 | 2.41 | 100 |
| 12 in | 100.0 | 3.70 | 4.81 | 200 |
Which sand to buy
Concrete sand, graded to ASTM C33 and sold as bedding or all-purpose sand, is coarse and angular. It screeds flat, drains and locks up under the plate compactor, which is why ICPI specifies it under pavers and flagstone. Mason sand (ASTM C144) is washed fine sand for mortar; under pavers it holds water and pumps out of the joints. It is the right base under an above-ground pool, since it has no pebbles to hole the liner. Fill sand is unwashed and cheapest, fine for backfill under a slab but too dirty for a paver bed. Play sand is washed and rounded for sandboxes; for a big box, bulk mason sand is the cheap substitute.
Polymeric sand is a different product: fine sand mixed with a binder that hardens when wetted. It is swept into paver joints after the pavers are laid and compacted, never used as a bedding layer. Buy it by paver area and joint width, roughly one 50 lb bag per 50 to 100 sq ft, and sweep it in dry on a dry day.
Bags or bulk
Under about half a cubic yard, bags are easier. A 50 lb bag is half a cubic foot, so a 100 sq ft patio needs 17 bags for a 1 in bed. A bag is typically $4 to $6 in 2026, which is $160 to $240 a ton against $25 to $50 in bulk. The delivery fee, typically $75 to $150, is the same for 2 tons as for 10, so put the base gravel on the same truck.
Order 10 percent extra. Sand spilled at the edges, worked into the gravel base or lost to an uneven screed adds up. Do not use the extra to thicken a paver bed; fix any low spot in the compacted gravel before the sand goes down.
What this calculator leaves out
The result is bedding or fill sand only. Not included: the 4 to 8 in of compacted crusher run under pavers, edge restraint and spikes, or geotextile over clay. Polymeric joint sand, the delivery fee and the compactor rental are extra too. Run the base through the gravel calculator and put it on the same truck.
Mistakes that cost money
- Mason sand under pavers holds water and pumps out of the joints; the surface rolls within a year. Order concrete sand (ASTM C33).
- Screeding 2 in of sand to fix a low base: the pavers rut and settle. Bedding is 1 in, 1-1/2 in maximum; regrade the gravel.
- Compacting the bedding sand before the pavers go down: it will not screed and the pavers rock. Screed loose, lay, then compact the pavers.
- Buying polymeric sand by bedding volume: it fills joints only, one 50 lb bag per 50 to 100 sq ft; extra bags are wasted.
- Polymeric sand left on the paver face or flooded sets as a haze you cannot scrub off; blow the surface clean, then mist.
- Ordering by the ton after rain: wet sand weighs 15 to 20 percent more, so a 1 ton pile comes up short on volume.
Key facts
- Dry sand weighs about 100 lb per cubic foot, or 2,600 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard; wet sand can run 3,000 lb or more.
- A 50 lb bag of sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so 54 bags make one cubic yard.
- Paver bedding is a 1 in screeded layer of coarse concrete sand, never more, over a compacted gravel base.
- A 50 lb bag of polymeric sand fills the joints of roughly 50 to 100 sq ft of pavers, depending on joint width.
- Concrete sand is graded to ASTM C33 and is coarse; mason sand is graded to ASTM C144 and is fine. They are different products, and only concrete sand belongs under pavers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use mason sand or play sand under pavers?
No. Both are fine sands that hold water and work out of the joints, so the pavers roll and settle within a year or two. Use concrete sand graded to ASTM C33, screeded 1 in over compacted crusher run, and save the mason sand for mortar or a pool base.
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
About 2,600 to 2,700 lb dry, or 1.3 tons. Wet sand is heavier, often 1.5 tons per yard, which is why suppliers sell it by the ton.
How many bags of sand do I need for a sandbox?
Divide the cubic feet by 0.5. A 8 x 8 ft sandbox filled 8 in deep is 42.7 cubic feet, so 86 bags of 50 lb play sand, or about 1.6 cubic yards in bulk.
How deep should sand be under pavers?
1 inch, screeded level over a compacted gravel base. A thicker sand bed shifts and lets the pavers settle unevenly.
Sources and references
- Sand and Gravel Products data sheet (All-Purpose Sand, Play Sand bag sizes, ASTM C33) (Quikrete)
- All-Purpose Sand product page (paver underlayment, 50 and 70 lb bags) (Quikrete)
- Premium Play Sand product page (50 lb bags) (Quikrete)
- Handbook 44 Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (cubic feet, cubic yards, tons) (NIST)
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Results are estimates based on standard formulas and typical product specifications. Confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.