CalcMyMaterial

Sand Calculator

Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards. The 1-inch sand bed under a 10 × 12 ft paver patio takes 10 cubic feet, which is 20 bags of 50 lb.

Updated October 15, 2026 · How we calculate

1. Measure the area

For an L-shape or an odd yard, split it into rectangles, circles and triangles. We add them up.

2. How deep?

Common depths

Source: ICPI Tech Spec 2 (rev. Feb 2020)

3. Which sand?

Sand (dry, loose)

Bedding sand under pavers, play sand, and fill. Weighs about 2,400 to 2,960 lb per cubic yard.

Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors

4. Extras(optional)

Add extra for waste and settling

Your local price

$

Prices vary a lot by area. Check with your supplier or the store shelf, then type it here.

Worked example

The bedding sand under a 10 × 12 ft paver patio, 1 inch deep:

  1. Area: 10 × 12 = 120 square feet
  2. Depth in feet: 1 ÷ 12 = 0.0833 ft
  3. Volume: 120 × 0.0833 = 10 cubic feet
  4. Cubic yards: 10 ÷ 27 = 0.37 cu yd
  5. Weight: 0.37 × 2,400 to 2,960 lb ÷ 2,000 = 0.44 to 0.55 tons
  6. Bags: 10 ÷ 0.5 = 20 50 lb bags (0.5 cu ft)

Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors

How to choose and how deep

Sand under pavers

Pavers sit on a layer of sand about 1 inch thick, spread over the compacted stone base and left loose until the pavers go down. Our paver calculator works out the sand and the base together.

Source: ICPI Tech Spec 2 (rev. Feb 2020)

Weight

Dry, loose sand weighs 2,400 to 2,960 lb per cubic yard. Damp sand from an open pile weighs more, so a supplier selling by the ton may load more weight for the same volume.

Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors

Bags

Play sand and all-purpose sand come in 50 lb bags of about 0.5 cubic feet: 54 bags to the cubic yard.

Source: Quikrete play sand (0.5 cu ft, 50 lb)

Quick reference

SandLb per cubic yardTons per cubic yardSource
Sand (dry, loose)2,400 to 2,9601.2 to 1.48Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors

Questions people ask

How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?

Dry, loose sand weighs 2,400 to 2,960 pounds per cubic yard, or 1.2 to 1.48 tons. Wet sand weighs more.

Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors

How many 50 lb bags of sand make a cubic yard?

A 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so a cubic yard (27 cubic feet) takes 54 bags.

Source: Quikrete play sand (0.5 cu ft, 50 lb)

How much sand goes under pavers?

A bedding layer screeded to about 1 inch, left uncompacted until the pavers are set.

Source: ICPI Tech Spec 2 (rev. Feb 2020)