How much sand do you need?
Add your areas, pick the sand, get cubic yards, tons and bag count instantly.
How do I calculate how much sand I need?
Multiply the area by the depth to get the volume, then convert it to cubic yards, tons or bags. A 10 ft by 10 ft area at 2 inches deep takes about 16.7 cubic feet: roughly 0.62 cubic yards, 0.83 tons (about 1,670 lb) of dry sand, or 34 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, before any extra for compaction.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry and loose, about 2,400 to 3,000 lb (1.2 to 1.5 tons): Caltrans lists 2,400 to 2,600 lb a cubic yard, the EPA conversion table 90 to 110 lb a cubic foot, and the Minnesota DOT counts loose sand at 105 lb a cubic foot, 1.4 tons a yard. The calculator uses 1.35 tons for dry sand and 1.4 for masonry sand. Wet sand is heavier — 110 to 130 lb a cubic foot in the EPA table, about 1.5 to 1.75 tons a yard — because water fills the gaps between the grains; the calculator uses 1.6. If your supplier sells by the ton, ask for their weight per yard and enter it in the Weight field.
How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
A 50 lb bag of all-purpose or play sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so one cubic yard takes 54 bags. Bags suit a sandbox or a few pavers; past half a yard or so, bulk delivery is usually cheaper even with the delivery fee. Enter your local prices above to compare.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
Fill a sandbox 6 to 12 inches deep, leaving a few inches of rim so the sand stays in. A 5 ft by 5 ft box filled 8 inches deep takes about 16.7 cubic feet — 34 bags of 0.5 cubic feet. Use washed play sand, which is screened and free of silt.
How much sand goes under pavers or an above-ground pool?
Pavers sit on a 1-inch layer of coarse concrete sand, screeded flat over the compacted gravel base and not packed down before the pavers go on; the paver calculator figures it together with the base. Above-ground pools are commonly set on about 2 inches of sand over leveled ground: a 24 ft round pool covers about 452 square feet, so 2 inches takes roughly 2.8 cubic yards.
How much extra sand should I order?
Sand settles and compacts when it is tamped and wetted, so add about 10% for a leveling or bedding layer and 10 to 15% on soft or uneven ground. Loose sand in a play area needs less. Bulk sand is sold in half or whole tons or yards, so round up to the next step.
Sources: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Vol. 1, Appendix (weights of materials); Minnesota DOT, Grading and Base Manual, 5-692.430 (soil and aggregate conversion factors); U.S. EPA, Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors. How we check our calculators.