Sand Calculator
Sand volume is length × width × depth; weight is volume × bulk density — about 1.35 tons per cubic yard dry, roughly 20% more when damp. A 20 × 10 ft area 1 in deep needs 0.62 yd³ (≈ 0.83 tons), or 0.68 yd³ with 10% waste. For the paver bedding layer, see the Paver Sand Calculator.
How it's calculated: Weight = length × width × depth × bulk density (dry ≈ 1,600 kg/m³; damp ≈ 1,920 kg/m³).
Result appears here
Fill in the fields and press Calculate.
Formula, calculation, assumptions and sources
Volume = Length × Width × Depth
Weight = Volume × bulk density (dry sand ≈ 1,600 kg/m³)
Run the calculation to see each step with your own numbers.
A 20 ft × 10 ft paver base, 1 in of bedding sand, 10% waste.
Volume = 200 ÷ 12 = 16.7 ft³ = 0.62 yd³ exact
Weight ≈ 0.62 × 1.35 ≈ 0.83 US tons
+10%: order 0.68 yd³
- A rectangular area at one screeded depth; a paver bed is normally a constant one inch.
- Dry-sand density ≈ 1,600 kg/m³; damp/wet sand ≈ 1,920 kg/m³ — moisture makes a real difference to delivered weight.
- A bedding layer is usually screeded loose and compacts — the waste allowance covers that.
- How many 50 lb bags is a cubic yard?
- Roughly 54 bags of 50 lb dry sand per yd³ (1 yd³ ≈ 2,700 lb). For a bedding layer under a yard, bagged sand is usually cheaper to handle than a bulk delivery.
- Dry or wet sand?
- It changes the delivered weight by about 20%. Sand stockpiled outside is usually damp — pick the type that matches what you're buying so the tonnage is right.
- How many tons of sand are in a cubic yard?
- About 1.35 US tons for dry masonry or concrete sand (≈ 1,600 kg/m³), and about 1.6 tons for damp sand (≈ 1,920 kg/m³). Moisture changes the delivered weight by roughly 20%, so choose the sand type that matches what you are buying.
- How do you calculate how much sand you need?
- Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by the bulk density for tons. A 20 × 10 ft area at 1 in deep is 16.7 ft³, or 0.62 yd³ before waste.
Volume
Standard geometry. Unit conversions per NIST SP 811.
Sand density
Typical dry masonry/concrete sand ≈ 1,600 kg/m³ (≈1.35 t/yd³). Engineering ToolBox 'Densities of common materials'. Wet sand ≈ 1,920 kg/m³ (Engineering ToolBox).
About the Sand Calculator
The Sand Calculator gives sand by volume and by delivered weight for a paver bed, a fill layer or a mix, with the bulk density shown and adjustable — damp sand weighs noticeably more than dry, which matters when you order by the ton. For the specific one-inch bedding layer under pavers, the Paver Sand Calculator adds the right depth and joint allowance for you.
What you enter
- Length
- Width
- Depth — 1 in for a paver setting bed; 4–6 in for a fill layer.
- Sand type
- Waste allowance — Default 10%. Adjust to your own allowance — the exact figure is always shown too.
What you get back
- Volume — shown as the exact figure and, separately, a recommended figure with your waste allowance added.
- Weight — shown as the exact figure and, separately, a recommended figure with your waste allowance added.
The formula, a worked example, the assumptions behind it and the sources are shown in full below the calculator.
Related calculators
- Gravel Calculator — Gravel by volume and by delivered weight for driveways, paths and fill.
- Paver Sand Calculator — Bedding sand for a paver installation.
- Cement Calculator — Bags of cement (and sand/aggregate) for a given mix ratio and volume.
- Limestone Calculator — Crushed limestone by volume and weight for a base or surface layer.
Related articles
- Sand Types Used in Construction — Construction sand comes in several types — concrete/mixing sand, bedding sand, and fill sand among them — and using the wrong type can affect performance.
Part of the Materials calculators.