Sand Calculator
A 120 square foot patio with a 1 inch sand bed needs about 10.5 cubic feet of sand, or 21 fifty-pound bags. Enter the area, depth, sand density, and bag weight to estimate cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and bags. Use it for paver bedding, sandbox fills, and other small sand jobs.
Quick answer
Sand volume is area multiplied by depth, with depth converted from inches to feet.
What this tells you
- •Sand volume is area multiplied by depth, with depth converted from inches to feet.
- •Tons are estimated from sand density. A common dry-sand planning value is 100 lb per cubic foot.
- •Bag count is the total weight divided by bag weight, rounded up to a whole bag.
How to Use
- 1Enter the area to cover in square feet.
- 2Enter the sand depth in inches.
- 3Keep the default density of 100 lb per cubic foot unless your supplier gives a different number.
- 4Set the bag weight you plan to buy, such as 50 or 60 lb.
- 5Add a waste allowance if needed, then calculate to see cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and bags.
How It Works
Formula
Cubic Feet = Area x Depth(ft)
Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet / 27
Weight(lb) = Cubic Feet with waste x Density
Weight(tons) = Weight(lb) / 2000
Bags = ceil(Weight(lb) / Bag Weight)The calculator converts depth to feet, computes the raw volume, applies any waste allowance, and then converts that volume to weight from the density you choose. The default density of 100 lb per cubic foot is a common dry-sand estimate, but wet, compacted, or specialty sands can weigh more.
Calculation note: values are processed in the order shown above, using the current input units.
Worked Examples
Paver patio bedding sand
A 1-inch sand bed over 120 square feet is 10 cubic feet before waste. Adding 5% brings the order to 10.5 cubic feet, which weighs about 1,050 lb at the default density.
Sandbox fill
A 6 by 6 foot sandbox at 6 inches deep needs 18 cubic feet before waste. With a 10% cushion for leveling and settling, the total comes to 19.8 cubic feet.
Sand Coverage per 100 Square Feet
Approximate sand volume, tonnage, and 50 lb bag count at common depths using a planning density of 100 lb per cubic foot.
| Depth | Volume | Tons | 50 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 8.3 cu ft | 0.42 tons | 17 |
| 2 inches | 16.7 cu ft | 0.83 tons | 34 |
| 3 inches | 25.0 cu ft | 1.25 tons | 50 |
| 6 inches | 50.0 cu ft | 2.50 tons | 100 |
These values use dry loose sand at 100 lb per cubic foot. Wet or compacted sand can run about 10 to 20% heavier.
Common mistakes
- Using square yards or square meters when the input expects square feet
- Keeping the default density when the supplier quotes a different weight per cubic foot
- Ordering bags by volume and bulk sand by weight without comparing both outputs
- Rounding bag counts down instead of up
Embed this calculator on your site
Drop this single line where you want the calculator to appear. It is responsive, mobile-friendly, resizes automatically, and is free to use with attribution.
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