Sand calculator · v1.0
Sand Calculator
Calculate general sand, concrete sand, masonry sand, paver bedding sand or fill sand from your project dimensions. See cubic yards, approximate tons, rounded orders, bag equivalents and optional material cost without hiding the density assumption.
✓No signup
✓Cubic yards + tons
✓Editable density
✓Irregular areas
Step 1
Project details
Choose the closest sand type, measure the area, check the project preview and enter the finished sand depth. Density and ordering allowance remain visible and editable.
Project measurement
Ordering & pricing
Advanced assumptions
How to calculate how much sand you need
Measure the project area, multiply by the sand depth to get volume, then convert the volume to cubic yards. If your supplier sells by weight, multiply cubic yards by the selected sand density in US tons per cubic yard. JobsiteMeasure keeps volume and weight separate because sand density can change materially with moisture and grading.
Area (ft²) × depth (in) ÷ 12 = volume (ft³)
Volume (ft³) ÷ 27 = cubic yards
Cubic yards × material density (US tons / yd³) = approximate US tons
Sand cubic yards vs tons
Cubic yards measure volume; tons measure weight. There is no exact universal conversion because moisture content, particle grading, compaction and the specific sand source all change bulk density. The calculator therefore uses an editable planning density rather than a fixed hidden conversion.
| Material preset | Planning density | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| General sand | 1.35 US tons / yd³ | General landscape and construction quantity planning |
| Concrete sand | 1.40 US tons / yd³ | Coarser washed sand used in concrete and construction applications |
| Masonry sand | 1.35 US tons / yd³ | Mortar, masonry and fine construction work |
| Paver bedding sand | 1.35 US tons / yd³ | Bedding-layer volume below pavers |
| Fill sand | 1.30 US tons / yd³ | General fill and grading applications |
Supplier conversion wins: if the supplier states a tons-per-cubic-yard figure for the exact product and moisture condition, enter that value in Advanced assumptions.
How much area does one cubic yard of sand cover?
Coverage depends on layer depth. These values are pure geometry before any ordering allowance:
| Sand depth | Approximate coverage from 1 yd³ |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² |
Paver sand calculator: bedding sand vs jointing sand
For a paver bedding layer, area × finished bedding depth is the appropriate quantity calculation, so you can select Paver bedding sand above. Use the bedding thickness required by the paver system or project specification rather than assuming one universal depth.
Polymeric and other jointing sands are different: coverage depends on paver size, joint width, joint depth and manufacturer formulation. For jointing sand, use the product manufacturer’s coverage table instead of treating the entire paved area as a solid sand layer.
Sand calculator example
A 20 ft × 10 ft area at 2 in deep has a geometric volume of about 1.23 yd³. With a 10% ordering allowance the adjusted volume is about 1.36 yd³. If the supplier sells in 0.5 yd³ increments, the practical volume order rounds up to 1.5 yd³. At a planning density of 1.35 US tons per yd³, the adjusted quantity weighs about 1.83 US tons and rounds to a 1.9-ton order when using 0.1-ton increments.
Sand calculator FAQs
How much sand do I need?
Enter the project area and finished depth above. The calculator returns geometric cubic yards, an optional ordering allowance, a rounded bulk-volume order and approximate tonnage using the selected density.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of sand?
It depends on density. At 1.35 US tons per cubic yard, one US ton is about 0.74 yd³. Wet or differently graded sand can vary substantially, so supplier data should replace the planning conversion when available.
Can I use this as a paver sand calculator?
Yes for the bedding layer: choose Paver bedding sand and enter the actual bedding depth. Do not use the solid-layer calculation for polymeric or jointing sand; use the manufacturer’s joint-coverage guidance instead.
Can I calculate concrete or masonry sand?
Yes. Select Concrete sand or Masonry sand to load the planning density, then overwrite that density if your supplier provides a product-specific conversion.
Does wet sand weigh more?
Usually yes because water adds mass and can change the bulk condition. That is why the ton estimate is explicitly density-dependent and should be checked against supplier information.