Sand Calculator

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your area length and width in feet. Set depth in inches: 1 inch for paver leveling, 6 to 8 inches for a sandbox, and 9 to 12 inches for volleyball courts and playground fall-protection areas. Select your sand type to get the correct weight calculation. The result shows cubic yards for bulk delivery and the equivalent in tons. A 10% settling allowance is included in every result. For sandbox projects, measure the interior dimensions of the frame. For paver base work, calculate each rectangular section separately and add the cubic yard totals. Under half a cubic yard, 50-pound bags are usually more practical than scheduling a bulk delivery with its minimum order requirement.

How to Calculate How Much Sand You Need

Formula: Cubic Yards = (Length × Width × Depth in inches / 12) / 27.

Convert depth from inches to feet, find cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards.

Example: a 4×4 sandbox at 8 inches deep. Step 1: 8 / 12 = 0.667 ft. Step 2: 4 × 4 × 0.667 = 10.67 cubic feet. Step 3: 10.67 / 27 = 0.40 cubic yards. With 10% settling allowance: 0.44 cubic yards to order.

Bag count: one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. A 50-pound bag of play sand covers about 0.5 cubic feet. So 1 raw cubic yard requires 54 bags. The cubic yards shown in the result are rounded up to the nearest whole yard for bulk ordering, so dividing the displayed bags by the displayed yards may give a ratio slightly below 54. The bag count is calculated from exact cubic footage before rounding.

Quick reference (all counts include 10% settling allowance): 4×4 sandbox at 6 in = 0.30 yd³ (0.33 with waste) = 18 bags. 10×10 patio base at 1 in = 0.31 yd³ (0.34 with waste) = 19 bags. 20×20 patio base at 1 in = 1.23 yd³ (1.36 with waste): order bulk.

Sand Tips

Order 10 percent extra for settling. Sand shifts and compacts after installation, especially in high-traffic areas and after the first rain. A level layer on day one will develop low spots within the first month. The calculator includes a 10% overage in every result.

For paver leveling, keep the bedding layer to 1 inch. Industry paver installation guidelines commonly specify a 1-inch bedding sand layer over a compacted aggregate base. Thicker sand beds allow pavers to flex and settle unevenly, which is the most common cause of paver failure. The compacted aggregate base does the structural work; the sand provides only fine leveling.

Use polymeric sand for paver joints. Regular joint sand can wash out over time, especially in exposed areas or with poor drainage, creating gaps where weeds take root. Polymeric sand contains binders that harden when wet, locking pavers in place. It costs more per bag but lasts years without reapplication.

For sandboxes and play areas, use washed play sand labeled for children's play. Choose low-dust products and review the bag's safety information, especially for silica dust warnings. Construction sand, masonry sand, and fill sand are not appropriate for child play areas.

What to Buy

For sandboxes and play areas: washed play sand in 50-pound bags is the safe and practical choice. Look for play-grade or ASTM-tested sand. Bags run $5 to $8 each at hardware and garden stores. For a 4×8 sandbox at 6 inches, you need about 36 bags of 50-pound play sand including the 10% settling allowance.

For paver leveling: ask a masonry or landscape supply yard for concrete sand or coarse washed sand. Specify "bedding sand" and they will know exactly what you need. Bulk pricing runs $20 to $35 per cubic yard. For small patios under 0.5 cubic yards, hardware store bags work.

For paver joints: polymeric sand sold in 40 to 50-pound bags. Popular brands include Alliance Gator, Techniseal, and Sakrete. One bag typically covers 25 to 50 square feet at standard joint width. Buy one extra bag; unused polymeric sand stores dry for years.

For fill sand and grading: order bulk from a local quarry or landscape supplier. Fill sand runs $15 to $25 per cubic yard.

Frequently Asked Questions