Sand Calculator
Enter area and depth to get cubic yards, tons, and bags of sand — for bedding, sandboxes, mortar, concrete, and paver bases.
Area & depth
Works for bedding sand, sandbox fill, pool base, volleyball courts, and mortar sand. Density varies by moisture content.
You'll need
Order bulk by the yard for large jobs; bags make sense under ~0.5 yd³.
How to calculate sand
Volume is area × (depth ÷ 12) in cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply by ~1.35 for tons of dry sand. Order bulk by the yard for anything over about half a yard — it's far cheaper than bags.
Measure sandboxes, courts, and beds from a scan
ProBuildCalc turns your iPhone's LiDAR scanner into a job-site measuring kit — walk the space and it captures the square footage, material takeoff, and a blueprint automatically. No tape measure, no graph paper.
Sand calculator FAQ
- How do I calculate how much sand I need?
- Multiply area (length × width) by the depth in feet (divide inches by 12) for cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 10×10 ft sandbox at 2 inches deep needs about 1.85 cu ft, well under one cubic yard.
- How many bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
- A 50 lb bag holds roughly 0.5 cubic feet of sand. There are 27 cubic feet in a yard, so it takes about 54 bags of 50 lb sand to make one cubic yard.
- What is the difference between mason sand and play sand?
- Mason sand is finer and more consistent — used for mortar, bedding pavers, and pool bases. Play sand is washed and screened for safety. Concrete sand is coarser and used in mortar and base mixes. Choose the type for your specific use.
- How much does a yard of sand weigh?
- Dry sand weighs roughly 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard. Wet or concrete sand is heavier, around 3,000 lb per yard. Weight varies by type and moisture content.
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See also: estimating guides · ProBuildCalc by trade