Sand Calculator
Calculate how much sand you need — enter your area and depth to get the volume in cubic yards and cubic feet, the weight in tons, and the number of 50 lb bags, with cost.
How much sand do I need?
Sand is sold both in bags and in bulk by the cubic yard or ton. Work out the volume by multiplying the area in square feet by the depth in inches and dividing by 324 for cubic yards. The calculator above also converts that to tons — sand weighs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard — and to 50 lb bags.
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324 · tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.35
Sand weight & bags
| Amount | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard of sand | ≈ 1.35 tons (about 2,700 lb) |
| 1 cubic yard | ≈ 54 × 50 lb bags |
| 50 lb bag | ≈ 0.5 cubic feet |
| Paver bedding (1″) | ≈ 0.31 yd³ per 100 sq ft |
For paver bedding, use a 1-inch depth. For other materials, see the soil calculator, the mulch calculator, or the cubic yards calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. The calculator above also converts that to tons (sand weighs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard) and to 50 lb bags, so you can order bulk or bagged.
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
A cubic yard of dry sand weighs roughly 2,400–2,900 pounds — about 1.2 to 1.45 tons. Wet sand weighs more. The calculator uses about 1.35 tons per cubic yard as a working figure, which is typical for bulk landscape and masonry sand.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
A 50 lb bag of sand holds roughly 0.5 cubic feet, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes about 54 bags to make a yard. For anything more than about a dozen bags, bulk sand is usually cheaper — the calculator shows both.
How much sand do I need for pavers?
Paver bedding sand is usually laid about 1 inch thick, which is roughly 0.31 cubic yards (about 17 of the 50 lb bags) per 100 square feet. Add polymeric sand separately for the joints. Enter your area at a 1-inch depth above for the bedding amount.