Sand Calculator
One cubic yard of sand weighs about 1.35 tons and covers roughly 324 square feet at a 1-inch paver bedding depth.
Sand is sold loose by the yard or ton and bagged in 50 lb sacks. Bedding sand for pavers goes down at 1 inch; sandboxes and volleyball courts need far more.
Sand calculator
Area 1
You need
0cubic yards
- Area covered
- 0 sq ft
- Cubic feet
- 0
- Weight
- 0 tons
- 50 lb bag (0.5 cu ft)s
- 0 bags
- Estimated cost
- $0
Density of 2,700 lb/yd³ represents dry washed masonry sand. Wet sand weighs more per yard. Estimates only — confirm with your supplier before ordering.
Sand coverage per cubic yard
| Depth | Coverage per cubic yard | Yards per 500 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1" | 324 sq ft | 1.54 yd³ |
| 2" | 162 sq ft | 3.09 yd³ |
| 3" | 108 sq ft | 4.63 yd³ |
| 4" | 81 sq ft | 6.17 yd³ |
| 6" | 54 sq ft | 9.26 yd³ |
Sand questions people actually ask
- How much sand do I need under pavers?
- One inch of coarse bedding sand over a compacted gravel base. One cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at that depth. Do not use play sand — it will not lock.
- How many 50 lb bags of sand in a cubic yard?
- A 50 lb bag holds roughly half a cubic foot, so a cubic yard takes about 54 bags.
- How much does a yard of sand weigh?
- Dry masonry sand runs about 2,700 pounds per cubic yard. Wet sand can be 15 to 20 percent heavier.
Gear for a sand job
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Related calculators
- Gravel CalculatorOne cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.4 tons and covers roughly 81 square feet at 4 inches deep — the standard depth for a driveway layer.
- Paver CalculatorA 12 × 12 inch paver covers exactly 1 square foot, so a 200 square foot patio needs 200 pavers plus about 10 percent for cuts.
- Topsoil CalculatorOne cubic yard of screened topsoil covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep and weighs roughly 1.1 tons.
- River Rock CalculatorOne ton of river rock covers about 70 to 80 square feet at 3 inches deep, depending on stone size.
How this number is calculated
Density of 2,700 lb/yd³ represents dry washed masonry sand. Wet sand weighs more per yard. Volume is area × depth, converted to cubic yards by dividing cubic feet by 27. See all our assumptions.