Sand Calculator
Work out how much sand to order. Enter the area length and width in feet and depth in inches, pick a sand condition (dry, damp, or wet), and get cubic yards, cubic feet, tons, and 50 lb bag counts with a waste factor.
Example: with Length (ft) 10 · Width (ft) 10 · Depth (inches) 2 · Sand condition Dry sand (100 lb/cu ft) · Waste factor (%) 10 → Sand needed: 0.68 cu yd.
- Weight0.92 tons (1,833 lb)
- Cubic feet18.3 cu ft
- 50 lb bags37 bags
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Dry sand runs about 100 lb per cubic foot, so a cubic yard weighs roughly 2,700 lb — 1.35 tons. Moisture adds weight fast.
Volume first, then weight
Sand is ordered two ways: by the cubic yard from bulk yards, and by the ton from quarries and haulers. Both start from the same volume — length × width × depth — so this calculator computes cubic feet, converts to yards at 27 cubic feet per yard, then applies a density to get weight. Dry sand runs about 100 lb per cubic foot; damp sand around 110; wet sand 120 or more, because water fills the voids between grains. A 10 × 10 area at 2 inches deep is 16.7 cubic feet, about 0.62 yards or 0.83 tons dry.
If the supplier quotes tons, tell them the moisture condition matters: the same 'one yard' order weighs 1.35 tons dry but over 1.6 tons wet, and truck scales bill what the load actually weighs.
Bags versus bulk
A 50 lb bag of dry sand is about half a cubic foot — it covers 3 square feet at 2 inches deep. Bags make sense for a sandbox top-up or a small paver repair; a project needing more than 20 or so bags is nearly always cheaper in bulk. The default 10% waste covers spillage, uneven subgrade, and the compaction that bedding sand undergoes when screeded and tamped.
How it’s calculated
Volume = length × width × (depth ÷ 12) in cubic feet, × (1 + waste%). Cubic yards = cu ft ÷ 27. Weight = cu ft × density, with density 100/110/120 lb per cu ft for dry/damp/wet sand. Tons = lb ÷ 2,000. Bags = weight ÷ 50 lb, rounded up.
Bulk densities are approximate — real sand varies with grain size, gradation, and moisture, so quarry tickets can differ ±10% from these estimates.
Sand density and weight per cubic yard
| Condition | Density (lb/cu ft) | Per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Dry sand | 100 | 1.35 tons |
| Damp sand | 110 | 1.49 tons |
| Wet sand | 120 | 1.62 tons |
| Wet packed sand | 130 | 1.76 tons |
Typical engineering reference densities for construction sand; computed as density × 27 ÷ 2,000, rounded.
Common mistakes
- Entering depth in feet instead of inches — a '2' meant as inches but read as feet orders 12× too much.
- Quoting a supplier in yards but paying by the ton without agreeing on moisture — wet sand weighs 20% more.
- Skipping the waste factor on bedding sand, which compacts 10–15% when screeded and tamped.
- Assuming a 50 lb bag is a cubic foot — it is roughly half that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for how much sand I need?
Cubic yards = length(ft) × width(ft) × depth(in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27, plus waste. For weight, multiply cubic feet by density: about 100 lb/cu ft dry, so tons = cu ft × 100 ÷ 2,000.
How many tons is a cubic yard of sand?
About 1.35 tons dry (2,700 lb) and up to 1.6–1.8 tons wet. Moisture sits in the voids between grains, adding weight without adding usable volume.
How much does a 50 lb bag of sand cover?
Roughly half a cubic foot — about 3 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 6 square feet at 1 inch. Twenty-seven 50 lb bags of dry sand make up around half a cubic yard.
Should I order sand by the yard or by the ton?
Either works if you and the supplier use the same density. Bulk yards usually sell by volume; quarries with truck scales sell by weight. This calculator shows both so you can compare quotes directly.