Sand Calculator
For paver bedding, a sandbox or filling a low spot. Enter the area and the depth and this gives you yards, tons and bags at once.
How the math works
Volume = length x width x depth in feet, divided by 27 for cubic yards. Weight = cubic yards x the weight of that sand per yard. Damp sand weighs noticeably more than dry.
Common questions
- How much sand do I need under pavers?
- One inch of bedding sand, screeded level, over a compacted gravel base. Thicker is a common mistake: sand is not a base, and a two or three inch bed lets the pavers rut and sink.
- How much does a yard of sand weigh?
- Roughly 2,600 to 2,700 pounds dry, so about 1.3 tons. Wet sand can be 3,000 pounds or more, which matters when you are loading a trailer.
- How many 50 lb bags are in a cubic yard?
- About 54 bags of ordinary sand. That is the point where bulk delivery is both cheaper and far less lifting.
- What sand goes in a sandbox?
- Washed play sand, which is screened and rounded so it does not cut small hands. Masonry and fill sand are neither. Six inches in a typical box is plenty.