Sand Calculator
For paver bases, sandboxes, leveling and masonry work. Enter the area and depth of sand needed to get yards, tons and bag counts.
Results
How the sand calculator works
The math is simple: multiply the length and width of the area to get square footage, then multiply by the depth of the layer to get volume. Suppliers sell by the cubic yard (27 cubic feet), so the calculator divides by 27, and uses the material's density to convert volume into weight.
Formula: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = cubic yards, then cubic feet × density (lb/ft³) ÷ 2,000 = US tons.
| Type | lb/ft³ | tons/yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Dry sand | 100 | ≈ 1.35 |
| Wet sand | 118 | ≈ 1.59 |
| Play sand | 95 | ≈ 1.28 |
| Masonry sand | 100 | ≈ 1.35 |
Tips before you order
- A paver base needs exactly 1 inch of coarse concrete/leveling sand — more than that lets pavers shift.
- For sandboxes, 6–8 inches of washed play sand is the sweet spot for digging.
- A standard 50 lb bag of sand is about 0.5 cubic feet — 54 bags make one cubic yard.
- Sand holds a lot of water: buying a few days ahead in dry weather makes it lighter to move.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard. Wet sand is significantly heavier at up to 3,200 lb per cubic yard.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
About 54 bags. Each 50 lb bag contains roughly half a cubic foot of sand, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
One inch of bedding sand over a compacted 4-inch gravel base. For a 200 sq ft patio, that's about 0.62 cubic yards of sand.
What kind of sand should I use for a sandbox?
Washed and screened play sand, which has rounded grains and no silica dust. Masonry and paver sand are angular and dusty — fine for construction, not for kids.