Sand Calculator

How it's calculated

The calculator first finds the volume of the area in cubic feet: length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in ÷ 12). That's converted to cubic yards by dividing by 27, since a cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft. A waste percentage is added on top to cover spillage and screeding loss, and the adjusted cubic yardage is multiplied by sand's density range — not a single figure, see below for why — to get a weight range in tons. Bag counts divide the adjusted cubic feet by each bag's yield; truckloads divide the adjusted cubic yards by the truck's capacity.

Worked example

A 10 ft × 10 ft paver base at 1 inch deep: volume = 10 × 10 × (1 ÷ 12) = 8.33 cubic feet. In cubic yards, that's 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.31 yd³. Adding a 10% waste factor: 0.31 × 1.10 = 0.34 yd³ — the amount to order. At sand's 1.30–1.45 tons/yd³ range, that's 0.34 × 1.30 = 0.44 tons to 0.34 × 1.45 = 0.49 tons — a range from the start, not a point figure rounded into one, since sand's weight is measured per load rather than published as a constant. In 0.5 cu ft bags, the adjusted 9.17 cu ft (8.33 × 1.10) needs 19 bags. Your own supplier's tons-per-cubic-yard figure, once you have it, will be more precise than either end of this range.

How deep should it be?

Depth for sand is almost always shallow, and the right number depends on what the sand is bedding or filling rather than how much ground it covers. A 1" layer is standard bedding sand under pavers or flagstone — just enough to screed level and let the units settle in without shifting. Go much deeper than that under pavers and the base becomes unstable instead of more supportive. A 2" layer is typical for a sandbox or a play area, deep enough for digging without needing a full excavation underneath. Deeper fills (6" or more) come up for volleyball courts or drainage layers, but those are specialty jobs worth confirming with a contractor rather than reading off a preset. Whatever the depth, sand should be screeded flat and compacted lightly where it's bedding a hard surface — an uneven screed is the most common reason pavers rock or settle unevenly later. Paver bedding sand specifically has its own technical spec, separate from the general guidance above: the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association's current guide spec, PAV-GSP-011-21 "Pavers on Aggregate Base" — the direct successor to ICPI's original Construction Specification, now hosted at cmha.org since ICPI's 2021 merger into CMHA — calls for screeding bedding sand to a nominal 1 inch (25 mm) thickness over the compacted base, allowing for the base's own surface tolerance. That's narrower than the 1 to 1½ inch (25-40 mm) range stated in ICPI's original specification text, and worth disclosing rather than resolving silently: it's a real difference between an older and a current version of the same organization's own guidance, not a typo either page made. This page's paver-bedding preset defaults to 1 inch either way, since both versions agree there. Bedding sand and joint sand are graded differently and aren't interchangeable: bedding sand conforms to ASTM C33, the same grading standard used for concrete sand, while joint sand — swept into the gaps between pavers after they're laid, to lock them together — conforms to the finer ASTM C144 grading instead. Neither is mason sand: CMHA's spec states plainly not to use mason sand, or any sand conforming to ASTM C144, as bedding sand, and not to use limestone screenings, stone dust, or any sand that doesn't meet ASTM C33's grading for the bedding layer. The reason is the No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve specifically — ASTM C33 already limits how much material passes it, and CMHA's own spec tightens that further, to 0-1% passing, because material that fine lubricates the larger sand particles around it and stops the bedding layer from locking pavers in place the way coarser, angular sand does. The single most common over-ordering mistake on a paver job is using bedding sand to fix a problem it can't fix: CMHA's spec states directly not to use bedding sand to fill depressions in the base surface, since the base's own elevations — not the sand layer — determine the finished paver grade, and a depression filled with extra sand instead of compacted base material reflects straight through to the finished surface as a low spot. Fix a low base with more base material, compacted properly, before bedding sand goes down; ordering extra bedding sand to compensate just moves the problem up one layer instead of fixing it.

Common mistakes

• –Using bedding sand to fill a low spot or depression in the base instead of fixing the base itself. CMHA's construction guide spec states this directly: the base's own elevations determine the finished paver surface, and a depression filled with sand instead of compacted base material reflects straight through as a low spot. Fix the base with more base material, compacted, before bedding sand goes down.
• –Using mason sand, stone dust, or waste screenings as paver bedding sand. CMHA's spec requires ASTM C33 grading for bedding sand specifically because those alternatives carry excessive material passing the No. 200 sieve, which lubricates the larger grains and stops the bedding layer from locking pavers in place.
• –Using play sand where paver base (bedding) sand is needed, or vice versa — the two are graded differently and aren't interchangeable under a hard surface.
• –Screeding unevenly. A bedding layer that's thicker in some spots than others is the single biggest cause of pavers rocking or settling unevenly after installation.
• –Not accounting for compaction. Sand settles once it's walked on or vibrated into place, so a loose 1" screed can end up thinner than intended.
• –Skipping edge restraints. Sand bedding migrates outward under pressure without a hard edge to contain it, especially on paver patios and walkways.
• –Ordering bagged sand once a job runs past roughly a ton — bagged material typically costs 2-3x more per ton than a bulk delivery.

Where the density figure comes from

Sand's unit weight is not a published constant — no agency or lab publishes a number, they publish a method for measuring one, because the true figure depends on a specific sample's moisture and compaction at the moment it's weighed. Caltrans California Test 212, "Method of Test for Unit Weight of Aggregate," is the procedure for determining a fine or coarse aggregate's compacted or loose weight per cubic foot, referencing AASHTO T 19 — "compacted or loose" is the tell: the same sand gives two different, both-correct answers depending on how it's measured, before moisture even enters into it. TxDOT Tex-404-A, "Determining Unit Mass (Weight) of Aggregates," describes the companion procedure for fine aggregate specifically — a 0.1 ft³ measure, with determinations repeated until two results agree within 1%, itself an acknowledgment that a single measurement isn't trusted on its own. Neither document states a number to use; both exist because no single number is authoritative. Given that, real suppliers are the right evidentiary source for a usable range: North Bay Materials lists the gravel/sand category at 1.30–1.40 tons/yd³, and Select Sand & Gravel lists sand at 1.30–1.45 tons/yd³ — both are stating what they actually load, not citing a lab constant. This page uses the fuller 1.30–1.45 range to cover both, and treats it as a floor rather than a ceiling: wet sand in particular can run well above either published range, since sand holds moisture more than gravel or crushed stone. No single number above is presented as the authoritative figure — the range is the finding, not a rounding compromise, and your own supplier's tons-per-cubic-yard number, once you have it, is more accurate than either end of it. See the methodology page for how this differs from every other density figure on this site. Sourced to:

• Caltrans California Test 212 — Method of Test for Unit Weight of Aggregate
• TxDOT Tex-404-A — Determining Unit Mass (Weight) of Aggregates
• North Bay Materials — Landscape Material Density Calculator
• Select Sand & Gravel — How Much Does a Yard of Crushed Stone Weigh?

Read more in our density methodology.

FAQ

Why doesn't this page give me one sand weight the way other materials do?

Because no single figure is authoritative in the first place, not just because sand varies a lot. Caltrans California Test 212 and TxDOT Tex-404-A are both test procedures for measuring a specific sample's unit weight, not published numbers to look up — the same sand gives a different answer whether it's measured loose or compacted, wet or dry. The 1.30–1.45 tons/yd³ range here comes from two real suppliers stating what they actually load, the right evidentiary source for a range — though still not a substitute for your own supplier's number once you have it.

What's the difference between bedding sand and joint sand?

Bedding sand goes down first, screeded under the pavers, and conforms to ASTM C33 grading. Joint sand is swept into the gaps between pavers afterward to lock them together, and conforms to the finer ASTM C144 grading instead. CMHA's construction guide spec (PAV-GSP-011-21) states plainly not to use mason sand, or ASTM C144 sand, as bedding sand — the two aren't interchangeable.

How thick should paver bedding sand be?

CMHA's current guide spec calls for a nominal 1 inch (25 mm), screeded over the compacted base. ICPI's original specification text stated a 1 to 1½ inch (25-40 mm) range instead — a real difference between an older and current version of the same organization's guidance, disclosed here rather than picked silently. This page's paver-bedding preset defaults to 1 inch, which both versions agree on.

Can I use extra bedding sand to fix a low spot in the base?

No — this is the most common over-ordering mistake on a paver job. CMHA's construction guide spec states directly not to use bedding sand to fill depressions in the base surface. The base's own elevations, not the sand layer, determine the finished paver grade, so a depression filled with sand instead of compacted base material reflects straight through as a low spot in the finished surface. Fix the base with more base material, compacted properly, first.

How much sand do I need for a paver patio?

For a standard 1" bedding layer, multiply the patio's length and width in feet, divide by 12 (to get the volume in cubic feet at 1"), then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 ft × 12 ft patio at 1" needs about 0.44 cubic yards before waste — use the calculator above to add your waste factor and get a weight range.

What's the difference between play sand and paver base sand?

Play sand is washed and screened for softness and low dust, since it's meant for hands and skin contact. Paver base (bedding) sand is coarser and angular so it compacts and locks pavers in place, and conforms to ASTM C33 grading specifically. Using play sand under pavers leaves a soft, shifting base that won't hold a hard surface stable.

Should I measure loose or compacted depth?

Compacted, and for bedding sand specifically, screeded flat to a nominal 1 inch per CMHA's current spec. Sand settles once walked on or lightly tamped, so a loose screed can end up thinner once pavers are set and the joints are swept in. Order based on the final depth you want and let the waste factor cover the settling.

Is it cheaper to buy sand in bags or bulk?

Bulk almost always wins past about a ton (roughly 27 bags at 0.5 cu ft each). Bagged sand carries packaging and handling costs that can put it at 2-3x the price per ton of a bulk delivery. Bags make sense for small paver repairs, sandbox top-offs, or projects without truck access.

How many truckloads of sand will I need?

Divide your adjusted cubic yardage by the truck's capacity — most standard dump trucks carry about 10-14 cubic yards. The calculator above uses 12 cubic yards as a default and rounds up, since a partial truckload still requires a full trip.