Free sand calculator — cubic yards, weight and cost
Work out how much sand to order for a paver bedding course, a sandbox, pipe bedding or general fill. Add as many areas as you need and get cubic yards, tons and bags.
How deep should sand be?
For a paver bedding course, one inch is the rule — and it genuinely is a rule, not a preference. Bedding sand any deeper than an inch will rut and wave under load no matter how well you screed it. The structural work is done by the compacted stone base underneath; the sand only levels.
For a sandbox, six to twelve inches gives kids something to actually dig in. For pipe bedding, follow the spec, but four to six inches under and over the pipe is typical.
Use the right sand. Concrete or bedding sand is coarse and angular and stays put. Play sand is fine and rounded and will not hold a paver. Mason sand sits between them. Substituting one for another is a common and visible mistake.
Coverage at a glance
How far one cubic yard goes, and what 1,000 square feet takes, at each common depth:
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | 1,000 sq ft needs |
|---|---|---|
| 1" | 324 sq ft | 3.1 cu yd |
| 2" | 162 sq ft | 6.2 cu yd |
| 3" | 108 sq ft | 9.3 cu yd |
| 4" | 81 sq ft | 12.3 cu yd |
Weight and delivery
Sand runs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard dry, and wet sand is dramatically heavier — it holds water readily. Do not judge a load by eye after rain.
Before you order, check access. Bulk material is tipped, not carried — the truck needs room to back in and raise its bed, and most suppliers will not tip on a surface they might damage. Ask about the delivery fee and the minimum order separately, because both change the maths on small jobs.
Turn it into a quote
Hit Copy order and the whole breakdown goes to your clipboard, ready to paste into an estimate. Add your labour, price it with the profit margin calculator, and send it with the estimate generator.
Related: cubic yard calculator, gravel, topsoil, mulch and concrete calculators, plus state-by-state rate data for what landscapers and contractors earn.
FAQ
How much sand do I need for pavers?
One inch of bedding sand, no more. At 1 inch deep, one cubic yard covers 324 square feet. So a 300 square foot patio needs a little under one cubic yard of bedding sand over its compacted stone base.
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
Roughly 2,700 pounds dry, about 1.35 tons. Wet sand can be 20 to 30% heavier because sand holds water well, so a rained-on pile is genuinely much heavier than the same pile was yesterday.
How many bags of sand in a cubic yard?
About 54 if you are using 50 pound bags, which hold roughly half a cubic foot each. Bulk becomes the obvious choice well before you reach that number.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
Coarse concrete or bedding sand, sometimes sold as C33 or paver sand. Its angular grains lock under compaction. Do not use play sand or beach sand — the rounded grains shift under load and your pavers will move.
Can I use sand as a base instead of gravel?
No. Sand does not bear load — it displaces. Sand is a levelling layer over a compacted aggregate base, never a substitute for one. Pavers laid on sand alone will settle unevenly within a season.