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Sand Calculator: Cubic Yards, Tons and Bags of Sand

Enter the size of the area and the depth of sand you need, for a sandbox, a leveling layer or under a pool. You get cubic yards, tons and the number of 50 lb (0.5 cu ft) bags.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Working shown
  • Printable result
  • Reviewed October 3, 2026

Your measurements

Shape of the area
ft
ft
ft

Straight across the middle of the circle.

sq ft

Parts of the area

Split an L-shape or odd area into rectangles and add them up.

Part 1
ft
ft
Part 2
ft
ft
in

Depth after spreading. 2 to 4 inches is typical for paths and beds.

Adjust assumptionswaste, sizes and densities you can change
%
tons

Changes with the material you pick. Use your supplier’s figure if you have it.

Add your pricesoptional, for a cost total

Use prices from your local store or quotes. We never fill in a national price as fact.

Your result

Enter the size of your area to see how much sand you need.

How to use the sand calculator

  1. Choose the shape. Rectangle, circle, several parts for L-shapes and curves, or type in the area if you already know it.
  2. Enter the size and depth. Length and width in feet; depth in inches. Feet and inches like 12' 6" work too.
  3. Read the result in cubic yards, tons and bags. Under Adjust assumptions you can change the weight per yard, extra and bag size.
  4. Add your supplier's price per ton, yard or bag to see the cost, including delivery.

The sand formula

Cubic feet = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12

Cubic yards = cubic feet × (1 + extra) ÷ 27

Tons = cubic yards × weight per cubic yard

Bags = cubic feet with extra ÷ bag size, rounded up

Worked example

A 10 × 10 ft area, 2 inches of sand

  1. 100 sq ft × (2 ÷ 12) = 16.7 cu ft; with 5% = 17.5 cu ft.
  2. 17.5 ÷ 27 = 0.65 cubic yards.
  3. At about 1.35 tons per yard: 0.88 tons, or 35 bags of 50 lb.

How far a cubic yard goes

DepthOne cubic yard covers0.5 cu ft bags per 10 sq ft
1 in324 sq ft1.7
2 in162 sq ft3.3
3 in108 sq ft5.0
4 in81 sq ft6.7
6 in54 sq ft10.0

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, or 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft.

Sand types at a glance

  • Play sand: washed and screened, soft for children.
  • Concrete sand: coarse, for concrete mixes and paver bedding.
  • Masonry sand: fine, for mortar.
  • Fill sand: unwashed, for filling and leveling under slabs or pools.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Wrong sand type. Play sand is too fine for concrete; masonry sand is too fine for paver bedding.
  • Buying by weight blindly. Wet sand weighs more for the same volume.
  • Too thick a bedding layer. Paver bedding should be about 1 inch, not more.
  • No edge restraint. Sand migrates without edging.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a yard of sand weigh?

Dry sand weighs about 1.3 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard; wet sand can approach 1.5 tons or more. We use 1.35 tons.

How many bags of sand are in a yard?

A typical 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cu ft, so a cubic yard is about 54 bags.

How much sand do I need for a sandbox?

Most sandboxes are filled 8 to 12 in deep. A 6 × 6 ft sandbox 10 in deep needs 30 cu ft, about 1.1 cubic yards or 60 bags.

What kind of sand should I buy?

Play sand for sandboxes, concrete sand (coarse) for concrete and paver bedding, masonry sand (fine) for mortar, and polymeric sand for paver joints.

Does sand compact?

Yes, by roughly 10 to 15% when wetted and tamped. Add extra under Adjust assumptions for bedding or leveling layers.

Next steps for this job