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Generator Hut

Sand Calculator

Sand volume and weight for bedding, levelling or fill.

Your measurements

1 in for paver bedding, 2–3 in for a sandbox or levelling course.

Dry concrete sand is about 1.35 tons per cubic yard. Wet sand is heavier.

A 50 lb bag of sand holds roughly half a cubic foot.

Sand required

0.37cu yd

0.37 cubic yards — or 20 bags

Area to cover12 ft × 10 ft
120 sq ft
Volume requiredat 1 in deep
10 cu ft
In cubic yards
0.37 cu yd
Approximate weightat 1.35 tons per cubic yard
0.5 ton
Bags
20 × 0.5 cu ft

Sand type matters more than quantity for most jobs. Coarse concrete sand is what goes under pavers; fine play sand and soft builder's sand will migrate and leave a wavy surface.

Bedding sand is screeded to a consistent depth and then left alone — it is not compacted before the pavers go down. Compacting it defeats the purpose of a bedding course.

Sand weight varies sharply with moisture. A yard that has been rained on can weigh 20% more than the dry figure, which matters if you are ordering by weight.

Enter the area and depth and it returns volume, weight and bags. Sand type matters more than quantity for most jobs, so the notes cover which sand belongs where — the commonest expensive mistake is using the wrong one under pavers.

Why use this tool?

Volume, weight and bags

All three units, because sand is sold by all three depending on where you buy it.

Depth presets in the hint

1 inch for paver bedding, 2–3 for a sandbox or levelling course.

Moisture-aware density

Dry concrete sand runs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard; wet sand is meaningfully heavier and the field is adjustable.

Says which sand to buy

Coarse concrete sand for bedding, not play sand or builder's sand. The distinction decides whether the surface stays flat.

How this sand calculator works

Area times depth gives cubic feet, divided by 27 for cubic yards, multiplied by density for tons and divided by bag size for a bag count. Straightforward arithmetic — the value is in the units and the caveats rather than the formula.

No waste allowance is applied. Sand is screeded and spread rather than cut, so nothing is lost, and the rounding up to whole bags already provides a small margin.

Density varies more with moisture than with grade. A cubic yard that has sat in the rain can weigh a fifth more than the same sand dry, which matters when you are ordering by weight and paying for water.

How to use it

  1. Step 1: Measure the area

    Length and width of the area to be covered.

  2. Step 2: Set the depth

    One inch for paver bedding. Two to three for a sandbox or a levelling course under a shed base.

  3. Step 3: Choose the right sand

    Coarse concrete sand for anything structural or under pavers. Play sand is washed and rounded and belongs only in a sandbox.

  4. Step 4: Order by volume where you can

    Volume is stable; weight moves with moisture. If the supplier quotes by weight, ask what moisture state the figure assumes.

Example usage

Bedding sand for a patio
A 12 by 10 patio at 1 inch is 10 cubic feet, 0.37 cubic yards, or about half a ton — 20 half-cubic-foot bags. Comfortably a bagged purchase.
Filling a sandbox
A 6 by 6 box at 8 inches deep is 24 cubic feet, or 48 bags of play sand. Bulky enough that bulk delivery starts to look reasonable if you have access.
A levelling course under a shed
An 8 by 10 base at 2 inches is 13.3 cubic feet, half a cubic yard, roughly 27 bags. Use coarse sand here, not play sand — it needs to hold its shape under load.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of sand goes under pavers?

Coarse concrete sand, sometimes sold as bedding sand or sharp sand. Fine play sand and soft builder's sand migrate under load and the paver surface becomes wavy within a year or two.

How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?

About 1.35 tons dry for concrete sand. Wet sand can be 20 per cent heavier, which is why ordering by volume is more predictable than ordering by weight.

How deep should bedding sand be?

About one inch, screeded flat. Thicker bedding is not better — a deep sand layer allows more movement and the pavers settle unevenly over time.

How many bags of sand in a cubic yard?

Around 54 at half a cubic foot per 50 lb bag. Past a cubic yard the bag route becomes both expensive and a lot of lifting.

Should I compact bedding sand?

No. The gravel base underneath is compacted; the sand bedding is screeded and left loose so the pavers can bed into it when the surface is finally compacted.

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