Sand Calculator
Sand is bought in small, precisely defined layers, and this calculator is built around that. Choose what the sand is for — a screeded bedding layer under pavers, a leveling fill, a sandbox or another outdoor use — enter the area and the depth that layer calls for, and the tool returns area, cubic feet, cubic yards, an estimated tonnage and bag counts for common bag sizes, with a waste allowance folded into the order quantity. Each use case carries its own depth range, because a bedding layer measured in single inches and a sandbox measured in feet are entirely different orders even though the arithmetic is the same. If a depth sits outside the range for the selected use, the page says so before you order. The result also accepts your supplier price so a volume can be converted into a cost estimate. It is intended for patio builders, DIYers and anyone who needs sand quantities without guessing how many bags that actually is.
Calculator input
Project areas
Use one or more areas. The engine adds them before calculating volume.
What this calculator calculates
- Area in square feet for the surface the sand covers
- Volume in cubic feet and cubic yards at the chosen layer depth
- Estimated tons from the sand density you use or the default
- Order quantity with waste included and rounded up for purchase
- Bag counts for common sand bag sizes, with bag or bulk advice
- Cost estimate built from the price you enter per unit
Projects this calculator covers
- Paver beddingA thin screeded layer under patio or path pavers, planned separately from the compactable base below it.
- Leveling and fillingCorrecting uneven ground before a surface goes down, with depth driven by how much correction the site needs.
- Sandbox and play areasA much deeper fill, where the same engine gives cubic yards and bag counts in feet of depth rather than inches.
- Pipe bedding and utility backfillMeasured lengths and widths of trench where sand is specified around the installation.
How the calculation works
Choose the use case and depth, then the engine estimates volume, tonnage, bags and an order volume rounded for purchasing.
Formula: Area × depth ÷ 12 = cubic feet; convert to cubic yards, then apply waste and the configured sand density.
Worked example
12 × 20 ft paver bedding at 1 in
Bedding depth is shown as a planning assumption, not a structural base thickness.
Reading the results
- Bedding sand is not base. The depth you enter here is the layer directly under the unit being laid. Base thickness belongs to the paver base calculation; mixing the two is the fastest way to misorder material.
- Cubic yards versus tons for sand. Sand is dense and often sold by weight. The tonnage figure uses the density on the page — replace it with the supplier value when their product differs.
- Exact volume versus order quantity. Screeding wastes material at edges and corners. The order figure includes your waste allowance and rounds up to a quarter cubic yard for purchasing.
- Bags for thin layers. A 1 in bedding layer over a patio is a small volume that bags can cover; the same area at 6 in crosses into bulk territory. The advice line reflects that.
Assumptions
Central engine assumptions can be inspected in the methodology view. User-entered prices never get replaced with invented market prices.
Practical planning guidance
- Select the use case before entering depth, so the guidance range matches a bedding layer or a sandbox rather than a generic number.
- Check the installation system for the bedding thickness it expects; the default is a planning value, not a specification.
- Confirm the sand type the job calls for — graded, coarse, play sand and masonry sand are not interchangeable.
- Screen and level the area before ordering, because a depth measured over rough ground ends up deeper in the hollows.
- Keep bedding sand separate from base material on the order sheet; they are different products with different quantities.
Common mistakes
- Using base material in place of bedding sand, or bedding sand where the system calls for a compacted base.
- Applying a deep leveling layer instead of correcting the base underneath it.
- Carrying a paver patio depth over to a sandbox job and under-ordering by a factor of six.
- Ignoring that sand is often sold by weight while the calculation starts in volume.
- Ordering exactly the calculated volume when screeding and edges will always consume a little more.
Important limitations
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need for paver bedding?
Lay the patio area at the screeded thickness your system specifies — often around an inch. Enter area and depth and the calculator returns cubic feet, cubic yards and an order quantity with waste.
How much sand is in a cubic yard?
Twenty-seven cubic feet. The calculator converts that into bag counts for common bag sizes so you can decide whether bags or a bulk load make sense.
Is sand sold by the cubic yard or by the ton?
Both. The page shows volume and weight together, using the density you enter or the default, so either kind of quote can be checked against the same calculation.
Should bedding sand and paver base be calculated together?
No. They have different depths, densities and compaction behaviour. The paver base page handles the compactable layer; this page handles the thin sand layer above it.
Can I use this for a sandbox?
Yes. The sandbox preset provides a separate planning depth range in feet rather than inches, and the same volume, bag and cost outputs follow from it.
Does the result include waste?
Yes, a waste allowance is applied before the order quantity is rounded up. Raise it for lots of edges, curves or a site where material is lost over the sides.
Planning guides
Related calculators
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Enter your dimensions, then calculate. Results stay tied to the tested engine.