Sand Calculator
Calculate sand volume in cubic yards or meters and weight in tons from area and depth.
Covers play, masonry, and fill sand with a 10% waste buffer.
Sand and gravel quantity estimation is needed for concrete mixes, paving sub-bases, landscaping fill, playground areas, drainage layers, and leveling applications. The key challenge is converting between volume (how much space you need to fill) and weight (how materials are sold and delivered).
Volume formulas:
Volume (ft³) = Length × Width × Depth (all in feet)
Volume (yd³) = Volume (ft³) ÷ 27
Volume (m³) = Length(m) × Width(m) × Depth(m)
Weight conversion:
Weight (tons) = Volume (yd³) × Bulk Density (tons/yd³)
Bulk density reference table:
| Material | lbs/ft³ | tons/yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Dry sand | 100 | 1.35 |
| Wet sand | 120 | 1.62 |
| Gravel (1/4–3/4 in) | 105 | 1.42 |
| Crushed stone | 100 | 1.35 |
| Pea gravel | 95 | 1.28 |
| Decomposed granite | 110 | 1.49 |
Worked example: A sandbox: 8 ft × 6 ft, filled to 12 inches (1 ft) deep with dry sand:
- Volume: 8 × 6 × 1 = 48 ft³ = 48 ÷ 27 = 1.78 yd³
- Weight: 1.78 × 1.35 = 2.40 short tons = 4,800 lbs
- Delivered sand often runs somewhere around $35/ton, which would put this load near $84, though rates vary a lot by region, haul distance, and year. Price it against your own quote.
Compaction factor: Sand and gravel compact when placed. For fill applications, order 10–15% extra to account for settling. For sub-base material, compaction testing (Proctor test) may specify the required density.
Coverage by depth:
| Depth | 1 yd³ covers |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 ft² |
| 2 inches | 162 ft² |
| 3 inches | 108 ft² |
| 4 inches | 81 ft² |
Bagged vs. bulk delivery:
- Bagged: a cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb, so that is ~54 of the 50 lb bags or ~27 of the 100 lb bags. Convenient for small jobs, but 2–3× the cost of bulk.
- Bulk delivery minimum: typically 2–5 yd³; best for jobs over 3 yd³
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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