Sand calculator
Work out how much sand you need in cubic yards and tons, with separate figures for concrete sand, mason sand, play sand and paver sand.
Sand calculator
Use your supplier's density
You need
- Volume
- Weight
- Area
| Order by | Exact | Order, rounded up for anything sold in whole bags |
|---|
Enter your measurements to see what to order.
One cubic yard of sand weighs about 1.3 US tons and covers about 162 square feet at 2 in.
How to work out how much sand you need
- Measure the area in feet and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth in inches and multiply it by the area to get a volume.
- Multiply the volume by the bulk density, 1538 kg per cubic metre for sand, to get a weight.
- Divide the weight by your supplier's ton or cubic yard to get what to order, and round up. Suppliers do not sell part bags.
- Add 10 percent. Covers settlement, uneven ground and the material lost around the edges. A second delivery for half a yard costs more than the extra you did not use.
How many tons in a cubic yard of sand?
About 1.3 US tons, at 1538 kg per cubic metre. Because published densities run from 1474 to 1602, the honest answer is a range: between 1.24 and 1.35 tons per cubic yard depending on grading and how wet the load is.
How many cubic yards in a ton of sand?
About 0.77 cubic yards. One tonne is about 0.65 cubic metres.
How much does sand weigh?
Between 1474 and 1602 kg per cubic metre, a spread of 9 percent. Dry. Damp sand weighs materially more, and no supplier states a moisture condition alongside its figure. The calculator above uses 1538, and you can replace it with your own supplier's figure.
4 published figures from 4 suppliers, read 2026-09-20.
| Supplier | Published figure | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| TCC Materials (Tech-Mix brand), Mendota Heights, MNUS | Bulk Density, Aerated: 92 - 95 lb/ft3 (ASTM C-29); Bulk Density, compacted: 98 - 100 lb/ft3 (ASTM C-29); Moisture Content < 0.1% (ASTM C-566); 50 lb. bag contains approximately 0.5 cu. ft. | Dry (stated moisture content < 0.1%) |
| Asphalt Materials, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN)international | 2600 lbs (1.3 tons) per cubic yard | Unstated |
| Ottr Landscape Supply (Ottr Supply), Boston, MAinternational | ~2,700 lbs/yd3 (~1.35 tons) | Unstated |
| JK Enterprise Landscape Supply (lumberjake.com)international | Approximately 1.5 tons per cubic yard (= 3,000 lb/yd3) | Unstated |
What you can order sand in
| Pack | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|
| cubic yard | US, CA | 0.765 m3 |
| US ton | US, CA | 907 kg |
| 0.5 cu ft bag | US, CA | 0.014 m3 |
Sand and sharp sand
In the UK trade the same material is sold as sharp sand, ordered in tonnes and bulk bags, so the sharp sand calculator works in those units and at those depths.