How the calculation works
Sand is sold by the ton or the cubic yard in bulk, and in 50 lb bags at hardware stores. The calculator finds the volume of your area, adds compaction for sands that pack down, adds overage, and converts to weight.
Worked example
A 16 × 12 ft paver patio is 192 ft². One inch of bedding sand is 16 ft³, or 0.59 cubic yards. Add 10% and you get 0.65 yards, which is about 0.9 tons of concrete sand.
How deep should sand be?
| Project | Depth | Usual sand |
|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding | 1 in · 2.5 cm | Concrete sand (coarse, washed) |
| Above-ground pool base | 2 in · 5 cm | Mason sand (fine) |
| Sandbox | 6–12 in · 15–30 cm | Play sand |
| Flagstone bed | 1–2 in · 2.5–5 cm | Stone dust (screenings) |
| Backfill or raise grade | Compact in 4–6 in layers · 10–15 cm | Fill sand |
Bedding sand goes over a compacted gravel base, not straight onto soil. Work out the base with the gravel calculator.
Sand weight by type
These are typical figures for dry sand. Sand holds a lot of water, so a damp load weighs noticeably more for the same volume.
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Tonnes / m³ | Compaction added | Bag size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete sand (coarse, washed) | 1.35 | 1.60 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Mason sand (fine) | 1.35 | 1.60 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Play sand | 1.30 | 1.54 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Stone dust (screenings) | 1.40 | 1.66 | +10% | 0.5 cu ft |
| Fill sand | 1.40 | 1.66 | +15% | 0.5 cu ft |
Bags or bulk?
A 50 lb bag of sand holds about half a cubic foot, so 54 bags make a cubic yard. Bags make sense for a small sandbox or a few pavers. For a patio bed, a pool base or backfill, bulk delivery is cheaper and far less lifting.
Common questions
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
Dry sand weighs about 2,600 to 2,800 lb per cubic yard, roughly 1.3 to 1.4 tons. Wet sand is heavier, so a load delivered after rain weighs more for the same volume.
How many bags of sand make a yard?
Fifty-four bags of 0.5 cu ft (the common 50 lb bag) make one cubic yard.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
One inch of bedding sand, screeded flat over a compacted gravel base. For a 16 × 12 ft patio that is 16 cubic feet, or 0.6 cubic yards before overage.
How much sand do I need for an above-ground pool?
A 2 inch layer is common. For a 24 ft round pool that is about 75 cubic feet, or 2.8 cubic yards, before overage. Measure the whole area you are levelling, which is usually a little wider than the pool.
What kind of sand should I buy?
Concrete sand for paver bedding, mason sand where you want a fine smooth surface such as a pool base, play sand for sandboxes, and fill sand for backfill. Stone dust is crushed stone rather than sand, and packs firmer under flagstone.
Sources: typical dry sand densities from North American aggregate supplier price sheets. More on how we calculate.