Sand Calculator
Selects the default density. Override below if needed.
Leave blank to use the material default. Enter your supplier's spec.
Add 10% for most projects; 15% for sandboxes and pool bases.
Enter Your Dimensions
Fill in the length, width, and depth of your project area to see how much sand you need — volume in cubic yards, weight in tons, bag counts, and optional cost estimate.
How to Use the Sand Calculator
Choose Your Input Mode
Select 'Length / Width / Depth' for new projects where you have raw measurements, 'Area + Depth' if you already know the square footage, or 'Volume Only' if your plans specify a cubic yardage directly. Then pick Rectangular or Circular shape as needed.
Enter Dimensions and Select Material
Type in your length, width (or diameter), and depth. Each field has its own unit selector — mix inches, feet, and yards as needed. Then choose your material type (Play Sand, Mason Sand, Fill Sand, etc.) or use a project preset like Sandbox or Paver Base to auto-fill the recommended depth and material.
Set Your Overage Buffer
Use the overage slider to add extra material for settling and waste. The default is 10%, which works for most projects. Increase to 15% for sandboxes and pool bases where deep fill is needed, or reduce to 5% for thin paver bedding layers where measurements are precise.
Review Results and Export
Check the volume in cubic yards (for bulk delivery orders), tons (for pricing), and bag counts for hardware store purchases. Enable the cost estimate checkbox and enter your price per ton or per cubic yard to see total material cost. Export to CSV to share with your contractor or supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tons of sand do I need for a 10x10 sandbox at 6 inches deep?
A 10x10 sandbox with 6 inches of sand (0.5 feet) has a volume of 10 × 10 × 0.5 = 50 cubic feet, which equals about 1.85 cubic yards. Using play sand at 2,500 lbs per cubic yard, that is approximately 4,630 lbs or 2.3 short tons. Adding the recommended 10% overage buffer brings it to about 2.5 tons, or roughly 100 bags of 50 lb play sand. Always round up to the nearest bag and buy slightly more than you think you need — the excess can be stored for top-ups as the sand settles.
What is the difference between play sand and fill sand?
Play sand is finely washed and graded specifically for sandboxes and recreational use. It is free of silica dust and sharp particles, making it safe for children. Fill sand is a coarser, less processed material used for structural fills, leveling ground, and backfilling around foundations. Fill sand is denser (around 2,700 lbs/cu yd vs. 2,500 for play sand) and significantly cheaper per ton. Never use fill sand in a children's sandbox — it may contain sharp particles and is not cleaned to safe-play standards. Mason sand falls in between: fine and smooth like play sand, but used for masonry work, tuck-pointing, and as bedding sand under paving stones.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Sand weight varies by type and moisture level. Standard dry sand weighs approximately 2,600–2,800 lbs per cubic yard (about 1.3–1.4 short tons). Wet sand is considerably heavier, ranging from 3,100 to 3,300 lbs per cubic yard due to water filling the spaces between grains. Play sand typically weighs about 2,500 lbs per cubic yard, while denser concrete sand can reach 2,750 lbs. Gravel averages around 2,800–3,100 lbs per cubic yard depending on stone size. These figures are why it is important to select the correct material type in the calculator — using the wrong density can result in ordering 10–20% too little or too much material.
How deep should paver base sand be?
The bedding sand layer directly under pavers should be 1 inch (25 mm) of concrete sand or coarse sand. This thin layer provides a screed surface for leveling individual pavers and allows slight adjustment. However, before the bedding sand, a compacted gravel base of 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) for residential use or 8–12 inches for driveways and heavy traffic areas is required. The sand calculator handles the bedding sand layer calculation; use a separate calculation for the gravel base. Avoid using play sand or fine mason sand under pavers — these compact poorly and can cause pavers to shift and settle unevenly over time.
Why should I add an overage buffer to my sand order?
Sand measurements in the field are rarely perfectly accurate, and several real-world factors increase actual consumption beyond the geometric calculation. First, sand compacts 10–20% when tamped or vibrated, meaning the installed volume is less than the loose-delivered volume — you need more to achieve the target depth after compaction. Second, irregular subgrades (uneven soil beneath the sand) consume extra material. Third, some sand is always lost to spillage at the edges of the project area, mixing with soil at the bottom, or lost during spreading. The industry standard is to order 10% more than calculated for most projects. For deep fills (sandboxes, pool bases), 15% is safer.
How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard of sand contains approximately 27 cubic feet of material. A standard 50 lb bag of play sand contains roughly 0.5 cubic feet, so you would need about 54 bags to fill one cubic yard. However, weight varies by material: 50 lb bags of denser concrete sand contain slightly less volume per bag. A practical rule of thumb is 50–60 bags of 50 lb sand per cubic yard depending on material type. For most small projects under 1 cubic yard (a typical sandbox or patio section), buying bags is cost-effective. For projects over 2–3 cubic yards, ordering bulk sand delivered by truck is significantly cheaper per cubic yard.