Ordering the right amount of sand is harder than it looks, because you buy it by weight but plan by area and depth. This calculator converts your project dimensions into sand volume, sand weight, and even sand cost when you enter a price.
Homeowners laying a paver base, filling a sandbox, topping a lawn, or setting a play area use it constantly. Contractors rely on it for concrete work, bedding layers, and backfill estimates before placing delivery orders.
Volume, Weight, and a Worked Example
The core formula is volume equals area multiplied by depth. A patio slab measuring 15 feet by 10 feet with a 4 inch base needs 15 x 10 x 4 / 12, which equals 50 cubic feet or about 1.85 cubic yards.
Weight follows from volume because dry sand runs about 100 lbs per cubic foot. Those 50 cubic feet therefore weigh roughly 5,000 lbs, or 2.5 tons. Circular projects work the same way using the circle area found from pi x radius squared before multiplying by depth.
How to Use the Calculator
Pick the Imperial (in, ft, yd, lbs, tons) or Metric (cm, m, kg, tonnes) system, then select Rectangular or Circular for your project shape. Enter length and width, or the radius, plus a depth in inches, and press Calculate Sand.
The tool reports sand volume, sand weight, and sand cost when you supply a price per ton. Remember that shallow depths in inches need converting; a 3 inch layer over 100 square feet is 25 cubic feet. Order about 10 percent extra to cover compaction and spillage, since sand settles well below its loose measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a cubic foot of sand weigh?
Dry sand weighs roughly 100 lbs per cubic foot, which equals about 2,700 lbs per cubic yard. Moisture raises the number, so wet sand can tip the scale well above 120 lbs per cubic foot.
How do I convert to cubic yards?
Divide cubic feet by 27, since one cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet. A 50 cubic foot order becomes 50 / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards, the quantity suppliers will quote you for delivery.
How much sand covers 100 square feet?
At a 3 inch depth, 100 square feet needs 25 cubic feet, about 0.93 cubic yards, weighing near 2,500 lbs. Double the depth to 6 inches and those figures double to 50 cubic feet and 5,000 lbs.
Should I order extra sand for compaction?
Yes, add roughly 10 percent because sand compacts and settles after spreading and watering. A project needing 50 cubic feet loose should account for that shrinkage, so ordering about 55 cubic feet worth protects your coverage depth.
How deep should a paver sand base be?
Most paver installations use a 1 inch layer of bedding sand over a compacted gravel base. For a 12 by 12 foot patio, that means about 12 cubic feet, or roughly 0.44 cubic yards of sand.