How to use the sand calculator
- Choose the shape of the area. Pick a rectangle, a round area, or area and depth. To convert a quantity you already have, pick yards to tons or tons to yards.
- Enter the size, the depth and the sand type. Type the dimensions and the depth of the sand layer. Then choose loose or compacted sand, or enter your supplier's tons per cubic yard.
- Read the tons, the yards and the bags. The result shows the tons to order, the cubic yards, the weight in pounds, the number of 50 lb bags and the area covered.
What is a sand calculator?
A sand calculator is a tool that estimates how much sand a job needs. It multiplies the area by the depth to get a volume in cubic yards, then multiplies the volume by the weight of the sand to get tons. Bulk sand is sold by the ton or by the cubic yard, and small amounts are sold in bags, so the calculator gives all three.
Use it for a bedding layer under pavers, a sandbox, a volleyball court, a pool base or fill.
Features
- Tons and cubic yards of sand from a rectangle, a round area, or an area and depth
- The number of 50 lb bags for the same weight
- A tons to yards converter and a yards to tons converter
- Two sand weights from named sources, loose and compacted
- A field for your supplier's own tons per cubic yard
- Weight in pounds and metric tonnes, and the area covered
- A cost from your own price per ton or per cubic yard
- A live 3D preview, a PDF of the estimate and a WhatsApp share button
What you can use it for
- The bedding layer under pavers
- A sandbox or a play area
- The base under an above-ground pool
- A volleyball court or a horseshoe pit
- Fill around pipes or for leveling
How sand is calculated
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27.
Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard. Bags = pounds ÷ 50, rounded up.
Worked example: a 10 ft by 10 ft area, 2 inches deep
- Area: 10 × 10 = 100 square feet.
- Depth in feet: 2 in ÷ 12 = 0.167 ft.
- Volume: 100 × 0.167 = 16.67 cubic feet, which is 0.62 cubic yards.
- Weight at 1.4 tons per cubic yard: 0.62 × 1.4 = 0.86 tons, which is 1,728 pounds.
- 50 lb bags: 1,728 ÷ 50 = 34.6, so 35 bags.
These are the numbers the calculator shows when the page opens.
How much a cubic yard of sand weighs
The calculator has two built-in weights, each from a named source. Sand holds water, and wet sand weighs more than either figure.
| Sand | Pounds per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loose | 2,800 | 1.40 | 0.71 | Minnesota Stormwater Manual |
| Sand or sandy gravel, compacted in place | 3,400 | 1.70 | 0.59 | Washington State DOT Design Manual |
The Minnesota Stormwater Manual, published by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, lists 1 cubic yard of sand as 1.4 tons in its material conversions for winter maintenance, and notes that weights vary with moisture content. The Washington State Department of Transportation Design Manual (M 22-01, September 2024, Exhibit 620-1) gives 1.70 tons per cubic yard for compacted gravel base that is nearly all sand, as a dry weight.
What one ton of loose sand covers
At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton of sand is 0.71 cubic yards, which is 19.3 cubic feet.
| Depth | Area covered by 1 ton |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 231.4 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 115.7 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 77.1 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 57.9 sq ft |
What the calculator includes
- The bag count is the weight divided by 50 pounds. If your bags are a different size, divide the pounds in the result by the weight of your bag.
- The extra allowance starts at 0%. Add your own allowance for spillage or uneven ground.
- Each dimension can be up to 10,000 in its unit, an area, volume or weight up to 1,000,000, and your own figure up to 5 tons per cubic yard.
Is it private?
Yes. The calculation and the PDF are made in your browser. The numbers you type are not sent to our server and are not saved.
Tips for an accurate estimate
- Choose loose or compacted to match how the sand will sit in the job.
- Ask whether the supplier sells by the ton or by the yard, and read the matching result.
- Keep sand covered; wet sand weighs more and changes the tonnage on a scale.
- Measure the depth in several places and use the average.
- Order a little extra for screeding and for filling low spots.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
- How much sand do I need?
- Multiply the length, width and depth in feet and divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A 10 ft by 10 ft area that is 2 inches deep needs 0.62 cubic yards, which is 0.86 tons of loose sand at 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
- The Minnesota Stormwater Manual lists 1 cubic yard of sand as 1.4 tons, which is 2,800 pounds. The Washington State DOT Design Manual gives 1.70 tons for sandy material compacted in place. Wet sand weighs more.
- How many cubic yards are in a ton of sand?
- About 0.71 cubic yards for loose sand at 1.4 tons per cubic yard, and about 0.59 cubic yards for sandy material compacted in place at 1.70 tons per cubic yard.
- How many 50 lb bags of sand do I need?
- Divide the weight in pounds by 50 and round up. The 10 ft by 10 ft by 2 inch example weighs 1,728 pounds, so it takes 35 bags.
- How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
- By weight, a cubic yard of loose sand at 2,800 pounds is 56 bags of 50 pounds. The real number depends on how heavy and how wet your sand is.
- How much area does a ton of sand cover?
- At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton of loose sand covers 231.4 square feet at 1 inch deep and 115.7 square feet at 2 inches deep.
Sources
Every figure this calculator uses comes from the published sources below. The formulas are on this page, so any result can be checked by hand.
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Stormwater Manual. Loose sand: 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- Washington State Department of Transportation, Design Manual M 22-01, Exhibits 620-1 and 620-2. Dry weights in tons per cubic yard of gravel, crushed stone, ballast, sand and hot mix asphalt.