🏖️ Sand Calculator
Calculate exactly how much sand you need for paver bases, sandboxes, fill, and landscaping. Get cubic yards, cubic feet, tons, bag count, and bulk cost — instantly. Free, no sign-up. 2026 US pricing.
A sand calculator tells you exactly how much sand you need to fill a paver base, sandbox, planting bed, or any defined area. It converts your dimensions into cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, weight in tons, bag count, and estimated bulk cost. The standard volume formula for a rectangular area is:
How to calculate sand in 3 steps:
- Measure the length, width, and depth of the area you are filling. Paver bedding is typically 1 inch deep; sandboxes 8–12 inches; fill jobs vary.
- Pick a sand type, waste factor, and bag size that match the job — mason sand and 10% waste are the standard defaults.
- Click Calculate Sand to see total cubic yards, cubic feet, tons, bag count, and estimated bulk cost instantly.
For example, a 10 ft × 10 ft area filled 2 inches deep needs (10 × 10 × 2) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.62 cubic yards of sand (about 0.68 yd³ with 10% waste). That's roughly 16.7 cubic feet, 0.83 tons, and about 34 fifty-pound bags of mason sand.
Sand Calculator
Pick a shape, enter dimensions, see volume, tonnage, bag count and 2026 cost instantly.
Know Exactly How Much Sand to Order –
and What It Will Cost Delivered
Running short on sand mid-project means a second trip and a second delivery fee. Over-ordering leaves a pile in your driveway you have to move or dump. This free calculator gives you the exact volume, tonnage, bag count and bulk cost in seconds — with 2026 US pricing.
⚡ Try the Calculator NowHow Much Sand Do You Actually Need? Let's Find Out.
Sand is cheap by the ton but expensive to get wrong. Order too little and you pay a second delivery fee that often costs more than the sand itself. Order too much and you have a pile in the driveway you have to shovel, bag, or haul away. The math is simple — the planning around it is where money gets saved or lost.
The formula itself is straightforward — area × depth — but the surrounding decisions are what control the final bill: which sand type fits the job, how much waste to add for settling and spillage, whether to buy bags or order bulk, and how the delivery fee changes the per-ton math. Get those right and a paver base or sandbox fill comes in cheap. Get them wrong and a $40 pile of sand turns into a $150 mistake.
This free Sand Calculator uses 2026 US aggregate-supplier pricing to convert your dimensions into cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, weight in tons, and bag count — and shows you the order size that accounts for waste and settling.
How the Sand Calculator Works
Pick a shape. Enter three or four dimensions. Choose a sand type. One click gives you volume, weight, bag count, and bulk cost. Here is what each field does behind the scenes.
Pick the Area Shape
Choose Rectangle for most jobs — paver bases, sandboxes, beds, and fill areas. Choose Circle for round patios, fire-pit surrounds, and tree rings. Choose Triangle for corner beds and odd lots. The calculator swaps the input fields to match the shape you select.
Enter the Length & Width
Measure the area in feet. For a rectangle, that is the long side and the short side. For a circle, you enter the diameter. For a triangle, the base and the height. Half-foot precision is fine for almost every sand job.
📐 An L-shaped area splits cleanly into two rectangles — run the calculator once per piece and add the results.Enter the Depth (in Inches)
Depth is where most people over- or under-estimate. Paver bedding is 1 inch. Leveling sand is 2–3 inches. A sandbox is 8–12 inches. A backfill or grade-raising job can be anything. Measure or decide the depth before you calculate.
📊 A thicker sand bed under pavers is not better — it compresses unevenly and lets pavers shift.Enter the Quantity
If you are filling several identical areas — four planter boxes, three tree rings, a set of stepping-stone beds — enter the count here. The calculator multiplies a single-area volume by the quantity for the totals. For one area, leave this at 1.
Pick Sand Type, Waste Factor & Bag Size
Sand type sets the density (which drives weight) and the auto-priced cost per ton. Waste factor adds margin for settling, compaction, and spillage — 10% is the standard default. Bag size determines how many bags equal your volume if you buy bagged instead of bulk.
Hit Calculate — Get Your Estimate
Instantly see total cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, weight in tons, bag count, and estimated bulk cost. The order-size widget shows the rounded-up volume that accounts for waste and settling.
✅ Formula: yd³ = (Length × Width × Depth_in ÷ 12) ÷ 27How the 2026 Pricing & Density Numbers Are Built
Every number in this calculator is grounded in published density values and current US aggregate pricing. Here is what is under the hood — and where the data is weaker than a single headline figure suggests.
Density values: Sand weight is driven by density, measured in pounds per cubic foot. Dry loose sand runs about 90 lb/ft³; mason sand and washed play sand about 100 lb/ft³; coarse concrete and paver sand about 105 lb/ft³; and wet or compacted sand 110–125 lb/ft³. The calculator uses 100 lb/ft³ (mason sand) as the default and adjusts when you change the sand type. These are widely published averages — your local sand can vary by moisture content and grain size.
The cost mapping behind the Sand Type dropdown: Each type is mapped to a 2026 national-average bulk price per ton — roughly $22 for fill and bank sand, $35 for mason sand, $38 for washed concrete or paver sand, and $45 for play sand. These are material-only prices at the supplier yard. They exclude the delivery fee, which is a separate flat charge.
Why the delivery fee is not in the per-ton number: Bulk sand suppliers charge a flat haul fee — typically $50–$150 per load — that does not scale with order size. A 1-ton order and a 6-ton order pay the same fee. Because this fee dominates the cost of small orders, the calculator shows the material cost and treats delivery as a separate line you add based on your supplier's quote.
Where the data gets thin: Sand pricing is intensely local. Proximity to a quarry or river dredging operation, fuel costs, and seasonal demand all move the price. In dense metros, expect 20–40% above the national average. In areas far from a sand source, the haul fee alone can exceed the material cost. Always get a written quote that itemizes material and delivery separately.
Sand Volume, Coverage & Weight (2026)
A handful of constants do all the work. Memorising two of them — 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, and roughly 1.35 tons per cubic yard of sand — covers most back-of-envelope math at the supplier yard.
| Conversion | Multiplier | When You Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic feet → cubic yards | ÷ 27 | Converting calculated volume into the unit suppliers quote |
| Cubic yards → cubic meters | × 0.7646 | Working with metric specs or non-US suppliers |
| Cubic feet → cubic meters | × 0.02832 | Direct conversion for international jobs |
| Inches of depth → feet | ÷ 12 | Almost every sand math problem starts here |
| Cubic feet → pounds (sand weight) | × 100 | Estimating tonnage for dry mason sand |
| Pounds → tons | ÷ 2,000 | Converting weight into the unit sand is sold by |
The two-step area formula in plain language: Multiply length (ft) by width (ft) by depth in inches, divide by 12 to convert the depth to feet, then divide the whole thing by 27 to convert from cubic feet to cubic yards. A 10 × 10 area at 2 inches deep works out as (10 × 10 × 2) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.62 yd³. To get weight, multiply the cubic feet by the density — 16.7 ft³ × 100 lb/ft³ = 1,667 lb, or about 0.83 tons.
Coverage: How Far One Cubic Yard of Sand Goes
| Depth | Coverage Per Cubic Yard | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 ft² | Paver bedding layer |
| 2 inches | 162 ft² | Leveling course, light fill |
| 3 inches | 108 ft² | Deeper leveling, drainage layer |
| 4 inches | 81 ft² | Pipe bedding, base fill |
| 6 inches | 54 ft² | Backfill lift, shallow sandbox |
| 12 inches | 27 ft² | Deep sandbox, grade raising |
The rule behind the table: coverage in square feet equals 324 divided by the depth in inches. It is the fastest way to sanity-check a sand order without a calculator on hand.
Bag-Yield Reference
| Bag Size | Cubic Feet Per Bag | Bags Per Cubic Yard | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦 40 lb | 0.40 ft³ | 68 bags | Small touch-ups, joint topping, paver repairs |
| 📦 50 lb | 0.50 ft³ | 54 bags | Standard play sand and all-purpose sand bag |
| 📦 60 lb | 0.60 ft³ | 45 bags | Larger bagged jobs — heavier to lift and carry |
Factors That Affect How Much Sand You Actually Need
The area formula gives a clean theoretical number. The real world reliably uses more. Here are the variables that move your order size — and what each one costs you if you ignore it.
Recommended Sand Depth by Use Case (2026 best practice)
| Use Case | Recommended Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🧱 Paver Bedding Layer | 1 inch | |
| 📏 Leveling Course | 2 – 3 inches | |
| 🔧 Pipe / Utility Bedding | 4 – 6 inches | |
| 🏖️ Children's Sandbox | 8 – 12 inches | |
| 🏐 Volleyball / Play Court | 12 – 18 inches | |
| 🟫 Backfill / Grade Raising | Per site need | |
| 🌱 Lawn Top-Dressing | 0.25 – 0.5 inch |
Fill vs Mason vs Concrete vs Play Sand: Which to Use
"Sand" is not one product. The four common types differ in grain size, washing, density, and price. Using the wrong one is a quality problem — fine sand under pavers shifts, coarse sand in a sandbox is rough on hands.
| Type | Bulk Price/ton | Texture | Why You'd Use It | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill / Bank Sand | $15–$25 | Coarse, unwashed | Cheapest way to add volume where looks don't matter | Backfill, raising grade, filling voids |
| Mason Sand | $30–$40 | Fine, smooth, washed | Clean, consistent grain for mortar and finish work | Mortar, brick joints, sandboxes, paver joints |
| Concrete / Paver Sand | $35–$45 | Coarse, sharp, washed | Angular grains lock together and resist shifting | Paver bedding, concrete mixing, drainage |
| Play Sand | $40–$55 | Fine, washed, screened | Cleaned and screened to be safe for children | Sandboxes, play areas, craft use |
| White / Specialty Sand | $80+ | Varies | Decorative colour or a specific engineered spec | Landscaping features, golf bunkers, aquariums |
How to Order & Place Sand: A Phase-by-Phase Roadmap
A good sand job is mostly planning. Here are the four phases that separate a clean, single-delivery project from one with a second trip and a leftover pile.
Measure the area and decide the target depth for your specific job. Run the calculation, then add a waste factor. Choose the sand type that fits — coarse concrete sand for paver bedding, washed play sand for a sandbox, cheap fill sand for backfill. Decide bulk versus bags based on the total volume.
Call two or three bulk suppliers. Ask for the material price per ton and the delivery fee separately — never accept a single blended number. Confirm the minimum order, the delivery window, and whether they can place the pile where you want it or only at the curb.
Level and compact the subgrade so it does not swallow extra sand. Set edging, borders, or forms to keep the sand contained. Lay down a tarp where the delivery pile will land so cleanup is easy and you lose less to the ground. Have your wheelbarrow, rake, and screed ready.
Move sand in manageable loads and spread it evenly. For bedding, screed to a consistent depth using rails or pipe guides. For deep fill, place and compact in 4–6 inch lifts rather than one deep pour — a single deep layer never compacts properly and keeps settling for months.
2026 Sand Cost Breakdown: Where the Money Goes
A sand job has three cost buckets. On small orders the delivery fee is the largest of the three — which is why how you buy matters as much as what you buy.
| Project | Volume | Bagged Cost | Bulk + Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paver patio bedding (120 ft², 1") | ~0.37 yd³ | $100–$160 | $90–$140 |
| Small sandbox (4×4, 8") | ~0.40 yd³ | $110–$170 | $95–$145 |
| Large sandbox (8×6, 10") | ~1.5 yd³ | $420–$640 | $160–$240 |
| Leveling course (300 ft², 2") | ~1.85 yd³ | $510–$780 | $150–$230 |
| Backfill job (10 yd³ fill sand) | ~10 yd³ | not practical | $350–$550 |
Example Sand Volume Calculations
Three jobs, three shapes — all worked through with verified math so you can sanity-check your own results. Each example assumes a 10% waste factor and 50 lb bags.
How to Save Money on Your Sand Order
Sand is one of the cheaper materials in any project, but the way you buy it can double or halve the real cost. These six moves are where the savings come from.
The single biggest lever is the delivery fee. Because it is flat, it punishes small orders and rewards consolidation. A 1-ton delivery and a 5-ton delivery pay the same haul charge — so the per-ton cost of a tiny order can be triple the per-ton cost of a full one. Planning around that one fact saves more than shopping for a lower per-ton rate.
The second lever is matching the sand type to the job. Fill sand at $22 a ton does everything a backfill job needs; paying $45 a ton for play sand to fill a void you will never see is wasted money. Conversely, cheaping out on bedding sand under a patio costs far more later when the pavers shift.
Six Sand Cost-Cutting Moves
When This Calculator Is the Wrong Tool
The area-times-depth formula covers the large majority of sand jobs, but it is not universal. Here are four situations where the output will mislead you, and what to use instead.
1. Irregular, free-form shapes. A curving garden bed or a kidney-shaped play area is not a rectangle, circle, or triangle. Forcing it into one shape will be off by a wide margin. Break the area into a set of simple shapes, run the calculator once per piece, and add the results — or measure the area directly and enter it as a 1-foot-wide strip of equal area.
2. Sand sold strictly by weight. This calculator works in volume and converts to weight using an average density. If your supplier sells only by the ton and the sand is wet, the weight you pay for includes water that adds no volume. For weight-billed wet sand, ask the supplier for their loaded density that day rather than relying on a dry-sand average.
3. Engineered or structural fill specs. Pipe bedding, structural backfill, and load-bearing fill are governed by compaction specs and lift requirements in the project documents. The volume math is the same, but the depth, compaction effort, and sand gradation are dictated by an engineer. Follow the spec, not a general calculator.
4. Deep fills that compact dramatically. A deep backfill placed in one lift can settle far more than a 10% waste factor predicts, especially if it gets wet. For fills over about 12 inches deep, place and compact in 4–6 inch lifts and expect to add material to reach final grade. Treat the calculator's number as a starting point, not a final order.
Where to go instead: For paver projects, pair this with a gravel calculator for the base course beneath the sand. For mixing your own concrete, a concrete calculator handles the full mix. For structural fill, work from the engineer's drawings. This tool is built for straightforward area-and-depth sand jobs, which covers most DIY and small-contractor work.
Sand Calculator Terms You'll See On This Page
Quick reference for the terms and acronyms used throughout this calculator and the aggregate-supply industry generally.
- Cubic Yard (yd³)
- A common US ordering unit for bulk sand. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, weighs roughly 2,400–2,900 lb depending on the sand, and covers 324 ft² at 1 inch deep.
- Cubic Foot (ft³)
- The base imperial volume unit for sand math. Bag yields are listed in ft³ (a 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 ft³). Divide ft³ by 27 to get cubic yards.
- Cubic Meter (m³)
- The standard metric volume unit. One cubic meter equals 1.308 cubic yards or 35.31 cubic feet and is the preferred unit outside the US.
- Density
- The weight of sand per unit of volume, in pounds per cubic foot. Dry sand runs about 90–105 lb/ft³; wet or compacted sand is heavier. Density is what turns a volume into a weight.
- Ton
- The unit bulk sand is most often priced by. One US ton is 2,000 lb. A cubic yard of dry sand is roughly 1.2–1.45 tons.
- Mason Sand
- A fine, smooth, washed sand used for mortar, brick and block joints, and sandboxes. The all-purpose default for most non-bedding jobs.
- Concrete / Paver Sand
- A coarse, sharp, angular washed sand. The angular grains interlock, which makes it the correct choice for paver bedding and for mixing concrete.
- Play Sand
- Sand that has been washed and screened to remove dust and debris so it is safe for children's sandboxes and play areas. Usually sold bagged.
- Fill / Bank Sand
- The cheapest, unwashed sand, used for backfilling, raising grade, and filling voids where appearance and grain consistency do not matter.
- Waste Factor
- A percentage added to the raw calculated volume to cover settling, compaction, spillage, and uneven subgrade. Ten percent is the standard default.
- Bedding Layer
- A thin, screeded course of sand — typically 1 inch — laid over a compacted gravel base to seat pavers level. It is not a structural layer.
- Screeding
- Dragging a straight edge across guide rails to level a sand layer to a consistent depth. The standard technique for paver bedding.
- Lift
- A single layer of fill material, usually 4–6 inches deep, placed and compacted before the next layer goes down. Deep fills are built up in lifts.
- Delivery Fee
- A flat charge, typically $50–$150 per load, that bulk suppliers add for hauling. It does not scale with order size, so it dominates the cost of small orders.
- Subgrade
- The prepared ground surface beneath the sand. A rough or soft subgrade absorbs extra sand; a graded and compacted one keeps the order accurate.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions about calculating, buying, and placing sand — answered with 2026 pricing and standard practice.
How do I calculate how much sand I need?
Multiply the area by the depth, with all measurements in the same unit. For a rectangular area in imperial: length ft × width ft × (depth inches ÷ 12) gives cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards. To get weight, multiply cubic feet by the sand density (about 100 lb per cubic foot for dry mason sand). For metric: length m × width m × (depth cm ÷ 100) gives cubic meters directly. This calculator does every conversion automatically and adds your chosen waste factor.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
A cubic yard of dry sand weighs roughly 2,400 to 2,900 lb — about 1.2 to 1.45 tons. Mason sand averages near 2,700 lb per cubic yard at a density of 100 lb per cubic foot. Wet or compacted sand is heavier, often 3,000 lb or more per cubic yard, because water fills the gaps between grains. Always check the trailer or truck rating before hauling sand yourself.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
A 50 lb bag of sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so it takes roughly 54 fifty-pound bags to fill one cubic yard (27 cubic feet). A 40 lb bag holds about 0.4 cubic feet (68 bags per yard) and a 60 lb bag about 0.6 cubic feet (45 bags per yard). Above about half a cubic yard, bulk sand delivered by the ton is almost always cheaper than buying bags.
How much does a ton of sand cost in 2026?
In the US, bulk sand typically costs $20–$50 per ton in 2026 depending on the type. Fill and bank sand are the cheapest at roughly $15–$25 per ton; mason sand runs $30–$40; washed concrete or paver sand $35–$45; and play sand $40–$55. Delivery usually adds a flat $50–$150 per load, so small orders cost much more per ton once hauling is included.
How deep should sand be under pavers?
A bedding layer of 1 inch of sand is standard under pavers, screeded level over a compacted gravel base. Do not exceed 1 to 1.5 inches — a thick sand bed compresses unevenly and lets pavers shift. The gravel base below it should be 4 to 6 inches for walkways and 6 to 8 inches for driveways. Use coarse, sharp concrete or paver sand for bedding, not fine play sand.
What type of sand should I use for my project?
Use concrete or paver sand (a coarse, sharp sand) for paver bedding and mixing concrete. Use mason sand, which is finer and smoother, for mortar, brick joints, and sandboxes. Use play sand, which is washed and screened, for children's sandboxes and play areas. Use fill or bank sand, the cheapest option, for backfilling, raising grade, and filling large voids where appearance and consistency do not matter.
Should I buy bagged sand or bulk sand?
Use bagged sand for small jobs under about half a cubic yard — a small sandbox, paver repairs, or topping off joints. Use bulk sand delivered by the ton for anything larger. Bagged sand costs roughly $4–$8 per 50 lb bag, which works out to far more per ton than bulk. The crossover is around 25–30 bags: beyond that, a bulk delivery, even with the delivery fee, is cheaper and faster.
How do I convert cubic feet of sand to cubic yards?
Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, because one cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. To convert cubic yards to cubic meters, multiply by 0.7646. To convert cubic feet to cubic meters, multiply by 0.0283. Sand is sold by the cubic yard or the ton in the US and by the cubic meter or tonne in most other countries.
What waste factor should I use when ordering sand?
A 5–10% waste factor is standard for sand. Use 5% for a flat, well-prepared area with clean edges; 10% (the recommended default) for typical jobs; and 15–20% for uneven ground, irregular shapes, or first-time projects. Sand settles and compacts after placement, and some is always lost to spillage and wind, so ordering slightly more than the raw calculation prevents a second trip.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
For a typical 8 ft × 6 ft sandbox filled 10 inches deep, you need about 40 cubic feet of sand — roughly 1.5 cubic yards, 2 tons, or 80 fifty-pound bags of play sand. A smaller 4 ft × 4 ft box at 8 inches deep needs about 10.7 cubic feet, around 21 fifty-pound bags. Always use washed, screened play sand for children's areas, and fill to about 8–10 inches for comfortable digging.
Does sand settle or compact after I place it?
Yes. Loose sand settles 5–15% after placement as the grains rearrange, and more if it is mechanically compacted or gets wet. This is why a waste factor matters: a paver bedding layer screeded at 1 inch may compress noticeably under foot traffic and load. For fill applications, compact the sand in 4–6 inch lifts and expect to add more to reach final grade.
How much does a cubic yard of sand cover?
One cubic yard of sand (27 cubic feet) covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 square feet at 2 inches, 108 square feet at 3 inches, or 81 square feet at 4 inches. The rule is simple: coverage in square feet equals 324 divided by the depth in inches. A cubic yard spread 12 inches deep covers just 27 square feet.
Why does my sand order need a delivery fee?
Bulk sand suppliers charge a flat delivery fee, usually $50–$150 per load, to cover the truck, fuel, and driver time regardless of order size. This is why small bulk orders have a high effective cost per ton. The material itself may only be $20–$40 per ton, but a 1-ton delivery still pays the full haul fee. Combining sand with gravel or other materials on one delivery spreads the fee across more tonnage.
More Tools You'll Love
If this calculator helped you size your sand order, these companion tools cover the rest of a typical landscaping or hardscape project — from the gravel base beneath the sand to the concrete on top.
Know Exactly How Much Sand
to Order in 30 Seconds
Enter your area length, width and depth — get cubic yards, cubic feet, weight in tons, bag count, and estimated bulk cost in 2026 US prices. All free.
Calculate Sand — Free Takes 30 seconds · No account needed · 2026 US sand pricing