Sharp sand calculator
Work out how much sharp sand block paving bedding needs, at the 50mm depth suppliers specify.
Sharp 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 metre of sharp sand weighs about 1.65 tonnes and covers about 20 square metres at 50mm.
How to work out how much sharp sand you need
- Measure the area in metres and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth in mm and multiply it by the area to get a volume.
- Multiply the volume by the bulk density, 1650 kg per cubic metre for sharp sand, to get a weight.
- Divide the weight by your supplier's tonne or bulk bag 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 sharp sand?
About 1.39 US tons, at 1650 kg per cubic metre. Because published densities run from 1500 to 1800, the honest answer is a range: between 1.26 and 1.52 tons per cubic yard depending on grading and how wet the load is.
How many cubic yards in a ton of sharp sand?
About 0.72 cubic yards. One tonne is about 0.61 cubic metres.
How deep should sharp sand be laid?
| Use | Depth | What the supplier says |
|---|---|---|
| Block paving bedding | 50mm | Mainland Aggregates: sharp sand should be laid at 50mm depth for block paving bedding. |
How much does sharp sand weigh?
Between 1500 and 1800 kg per cubic metre, a spread of 20 percent. UK concreting sand. Merchants quote 1.5 to 1.8 tonnes per cubic metre. The calculator above uses 1650, and you can replace it with your own supplier's figure.
4 published figures from 3 suppliers, read 2026-09-20.
| Supplier | Published figure | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland AggregatesUK | Approx 1.8 tonnes per cubic metre; 850kg per bag; 1 x Bulk Bag will cover approx 10sqm at 50mm depth | bulk |
| Smith & Sons (Bletchington) Ltd, Gill Mill and Duns Tew quarries, OxfordshireUK | Approximately 1.6 Tonnes Per Cubic Metre; material code 0/4 [CP] Gf 85 to BS EN 12620 | bulk |
| North West AggregatesUK | Quantity: 1000kg (1 tonne) bulk bag; 1000kg of grit sand will typically cover 12m2 at a depth of 50mm | bulk (loose in bulk bag) |
| Smith & Sons (Bletchington) LtdUK | Approximately 1.6 Tonnes Per Cubic Metre; 0/2 [FP] Cat4 to BS EN 13139 (Fine Washed Sand) | bulk |
What you can order sharp sand in
| Pack | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|
| 850kg bulk bag | UK | 850 kg (suppliers state 700 to 1000 kg) |
| 25kg bag | UK | 25 kg |
| tonne | UK, AU | 1,000 kg |
Sharp sand and sand
In the US trade the same material is sold as sand, ordered in cubic yards and tons, so the sand calculator works in those units and at those depths.