How the calculator works
Enter the length and width (or diameter, or area) and the depth of sand.
- Volume: area in square feet × depth in inches ÷ 12 = cubic feet.
- Cubic yards: cubic feet ÷ 27.
- Compaction allowance: 10% by default. Sand packs down when it is wetted and screeded or tamped.
- Tons: cubic yards × 1.35 for dry sand, or 1.6 for damp sand from the pile.
- Bags: cubic feet ÷ 0.5, rounded up. A 0.5 cu ft bag of dry sand weighs about 50 pounds.
Sand is sold by the ton in bulk, so enter the price per ton to see the cost before delivery.
Sandbox sand chart
Sand to fill common sandbox sizes, level, with no allowance. Bags are 0.5 cubic feet (about 50 pounds); tons are for dry sand.
| Sandbox | 6 in deep | 9 in deep | 12 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 ft | 8 cu ft · 16 bags · 0.4 t | 12 cu ft · 24 bags · 0.6 t | 16 cu ft · 32 bags · 0.8 t |
| 5 × 5 ft | 12.5 cu ft · 25 bags · 0.63 t | 18.8 cu ft · 38 bags · 0.94 t | 25 cu ft · 50 bags · 1.25 t |
| 6 × 6 ft | 18 cu ft · 36 bags · 0.9 t | 27 cu ft · 54 bags · 1.35 t | 36 cu ft · 72 bags · 1.8 t |
| 8 × 8 ft | 32 cu ft · 64 bags · 1.6 t | 48 cu ft · 96 bags · 2.4 t | 64 cu ft · 128 bags · 3.2 t |
Paver sand chart (1 inch bedding layer)
| Patio | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Tons (dry) | 0.5 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 8.3 cu ft | 0.31 yd³ | 0.42 t | 17 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 12 cu ft | 0.44 yd³ | 0.6 t | 24 |
| 12 × 16 ft | 16 cu ft | 0.59 yd³ | 0.8 t | 32 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 26.7 cu ft | 0.99 yd³ | 1.33 t | 54 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 33.3 cu ft | 1.23 yd³ | 1.67 t | 67 |
Example: bedding sand for a 12 × 16 ft paver patio
The base is compacted gravel, and the pavers will sit on a 1-inch layer of concrete sand.
- Area: 12 × 16 = 192 square feet.
- Volume: 192 × 1 ÷ 12 = 16 cubic feet.
- Allowance: 10% more is 17.6 cubic feet, or 0.65 cubic yards.
- Weight: 0.65 × 1.35 = about 0.88 tons of dry sand.
- Bags: 17.6 ÷ 0.5 = 36 bags of 50 pounds. At this size, compare the bag price with a half-ton bulk delivery.
Tips
- Screed, do not compact, bedding sand. Level it with a straight board over two pipes, then lay the pavers and compact the whole surface.
- Keep sand dry until you use it. Cover the pile with a tarp; wet sand is heavy, clumps and screeds unevenly.
- Line and cover a sandbox. A permeable fabric under the sand keeps soil out, and a lid keeps cats and leaves out.
- Buy the right grade. Play sand for children, concrete sand for paver bedding, polymeric sand for the joints.
- Weigh damp loads. Bulk sand is usually damp, so a ton of it is less volume than a ton of dry bagged sand.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
A 4 × 4 ft sandbox filled 6 inches deep takes 8 cubic feet of sand, which is 16 bags of 50 pounds. A 5 × 5 ft box 6 inches deep takes 12.5 cubic feet (25 bags), and a 6 × 6 ft box 12 inches deep takes 36 cubic feet, about 1.8 tons.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
About 1.35 tons (2,700 pounds) when dry, and around 1.6 tons or more when damp, as most sand is when it comes from the supplier's pile. A cubic foot of dry sand weighs about 100 pounds.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
Pavers sit on a 1-inch screeded bed of coarse concrete sand over a compacted gravel base. At 1 inch deep, a 12 × 12 ft patio takes 12 cubic feet of sand, about 0.6 tons or 24 bags of 0.5 cubic feet. Add a little for joints and spills.
How many bags of sand are in a ton?
About 40 bags of 50 pounds, since a US ton is 2,000 pounds. A cubic yard of dry sand is about 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet.
What kind of sand should I use?
Use washed play sand in sandboxes. Coarse concrete sand is the usual bedding sand under pavers, and polymeric sand fills the joints between them. Fine masonry sand is for mortar. Fill sand is cheap and used for raising grade, not for play or bedding.
How deep should sand be in a sandbox?
6 to 12 inches is typical. Small children are happy with 6 inches, while 9 to 12 inches allows real digging and castle building. Leave a few inches below the rim so the sand stays in the box.
Last updated October 20, 2026.