Enter the area and depth of sand. The calculator gives cubic yards for bulk delivery, tons for yards that sell by weight, and the number of bags if you are buying bagged sand.
Sand calculator
How it works
- Volume = length × width × depth in inches ÷ 12 → cubic feet; ÷ 27 → cubic yards
- Tons = cubic feet × density ÷ 2,000 (dry sand 97 lb/cu ft, wet sand 119 lb/cu ft, from Engineering ToolBox)
- Bags = cubic feet × density ÷ bag weight, rounded up
Worked example
A 1 in bedding layer under a 16 × 12 ft patio:
- Length: 16 ft
- Width: 12 ft
- Depth: 1 in
- Material: Sand, dry (97 lb/cu ft)
- Extra: 5%
- Bag weight (for bagged sand): 50 lb
- Price per ton (optional): $0
The calculator gives:
- Cubic yards: 0.62 cu yd
- Tons (approx.): 0.81 tons at 1.31 t/yd³
- Cubic feet: 16.8 cu ft
- Includes: 5% extra (0.59 cu yd before)
- Metric: 0.48 m³, 0.74 tonnes
- Or in bags: 33 × 50 lb bags
16 × 12 × 1 ÷ 12 = 16 cu ft; with 5% extra, 16.8 cu ft (0.62 cu yd). Dry, that is about 0.81 tons, or thirty-three 50 lb bags.
Material and waste notes
- Bulk density varies with the stone, its size, moisture and how it was loaded. The figures here are general published values (Engineering ToolBox, and IDOT for compacted stone). When you order by the ton, ask the yard for its own conversion and choose “Custom”.
- Damp sand bulks up and weighs more per cubic foot than dry sand; yards often sell it damp.
- Paver bedding sand is a coarse concrete sand, not play sand or masonry sand; ICPI Tech Spec 2 gives the grading.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons is a cubic yard of sand?
About 1.3 tons for dry sand at 97 lb/cu ft. Wet sand is about 1.6 tons per cubic yard.
How many 50 lb bags of sand in a yard?
A cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,620 lb, so about 53 bags of 50 lb.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
ICPI Tech Spec 2 specifies a 1 in bedding layer, screeded and not compacted. For 100 sq ft that is 8.3 cu ft, about 0.4 tons of dry sand.
Sources
- Engineering ToolBox, "Dirt and Mud – Densities" (dirt, gravel, sand and clay, dry and wet)
- Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, ICPI Tech Spec 2: Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements (base thickness, 1 in bedding layer, joint widths)
- NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (unit conversion factors)
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known answers taken from the sources above. Found an error? Please let us know.