YardMath

Sand calculator

Form 16 · Materials estimateFigures checked 2026-09-04
US customary
Quantity · Amount
  1. 01Area to cover20 × 10 ft200 sq ft
  2. 02Sand needed at 1 in deep17.5 cu ft including 5 % extra0.65 cu yd
  3. 03Weight1.35 tons per cu yd0.88 tons
  4. 04Bulk sand$45 per cu yd0.65 cu yd$29
  5. 050.5 cu ft (50 lb) bags0.5 cu ft per bag at $635 bags$193
Total, bulk$29
  • Fits in one level full-size pickup load (about 2 cu yd) — check your truck's payload for heavy material.
Bag size
Buy as
Bulk is priced per cubic yard
Total, bulk0.65 cu yd of sand$29
Where these figures come from
  • Density 1.35 tons per cu yd for dry sand (rule of thumb; damp sand is heavier).
  • Bag: 50 lb ≈ 0.5 cu ft, the common US bag.
  • Prices are typical US retail and bulk figures at the date on this sheet.

Type the area and the depth. A paver bedding layer is one inch of coarse sand; a sandbox is usually 6–12 inches; a lawn leveling top-dressing is a quarter to half an inch. The sheet gives cubic yards, tons, bags and cost.

Worked examples

Paver bedding for a 12 × 16 ft patio, 1 in
0.62 cu yd — sand needed at 1 in deep, about $28 in bulk.
Sandbox 6 × 6 ft, 8 in deep
0.93 cu yd — sand needed at 8 in deep, about $42 in bulk.
Level a 20 × 30 ft lawn at ½ in
0.97 cu yd — sand needed at 0.5 in deep, about $44 in bulk.

How it is worked out

Area (length × width × number of areas) × depth in feet = cubic feet; add the settling allowance; divide by 27 for cubic yards. Weight = cubic yards × the density you see in the material fields. Bags = cubic feet ÷ the bag's cubic feet, rounded up. Cost = the bulk quantity × your bulk price, or bags × your bag price, whichever you marked.

The figures behind it

  • Density 1.35 tons per cu yd for dry sand (rule of thumb; damp sand is heavier).
  • Bag: 50 lb ≈ 0.5 cu ft, the common US bag.
  • Prices are typical US retail and bulk figures at the date on this sheet.

Every figure here is an estimate. Materials vary with moisture, compaction and product; order a little extra and confirm quantities with your supplier.

Questions people ask

How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
About 54: a 50 lb bag is roughly 0.5 cu ft and a cubic yard is 27 cu ft.
Which sand for pavers?
Coarse, sharp concrete sand for the one-inch bedding layer; fine polymeric sand only for the joints on top. Play sand is too fine and round for bedding.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
About 1.35 tons dry, 2,700 lb; damp sand can reach 3,000 lb. The weight line uses the density you can edit.

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