Sand calculator
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of sand, about 0.43 tons at 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard. The calculator uses 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard, the middle of Missouri DOT's 2,630–2,960 lb per cubic yard.
0 uses the published 2,795 lb/yd³
Optional; 0 leaves cost out
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of sand, about 0.43 tons at 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard.
- Cubic yards
- 0.31
- Cubic feet
- 8.3
- Tons
- 0.43
- Pounds
- 863
- Tons at the published range, same condition
- 0.38–0.46
- Tons for a compacted layer this thick (3,005 lb/yd³, Missouri DOT)
- 0.46
- Rounded up to the next half yard
- 0.5 yd³
How it is calculated
- Area = 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft.
- Volume = 100 sq ft × 1 in ÷ 12 = 8.33 cu ft.
- Cubic yards = 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.309 yd³.
- Weight = 0.309 yd³ × 2,795 lb/yd³ = 863 lb; ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 0.43 tons.
How to calculate sand in cubic yards and tons
The worked numbers use the calculator's defaults: a 10 ft by 10 ft area 1 inch deep, the calculator's default depth for sand.
Step 1: area in square feet
Rectangle: length × width
Circle: π × diameter² ÷ 4
Triangle: base × height ÷ 2
Example 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
Split an irregular area into rectangles, circles and triangles and add their areas.
Step 2: cubic feet from area and depth
Cubic feet = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 12
Example 100 × 1 ÷ 12 = 8.33 cu ft
Step 3: cubic yards from cubic feet
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
Example 8.33 ÷ 27 = 0.309 cubic yards
Step 4: tons from cubic yards
Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000
Example Sand at 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard, the middle of Missouri DOT's 2,630–2,960 lb per cubic yard: 0.309 × 2,795 ÷ 2,000 = 0.43 tons
Step 5: a finished, compacted layer
Tons = compacted cubic yards × pounds per compacted cubic yard ÷ 2,000
Example 0.309 × 3,005 lb per compacted cubic yard, the middle of Missouri DOT's 2,830–3,180 lb per cubic yard ÷ 2,000 = 0.46 tons
Sand for common areas
| Area, sq ft | 1 inch deep | 9 inches deep |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.15 yd³ · 0.22 t | 1.39 yd³ · 1.94 t |
| 100 | 0.31 yd³ · 0.43 t | 2.78 yd³ · 3.88 t |
| 200 | 0.62 yd³ · 0.86 t | 5.56 yd³ · 7.76 t |
| 500 | 1.54 yd³ · 2.16 t | 13.89 yd³ · 19.41 t |
| 1,000 | 3.09 yd³ · 4.31 t | 27.78 yd³ · 38.82 t |
How much does a yard of sand cover?
One cubic yard of sand covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep; one ton at 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard covers 232 sq ft at the same depth.
| Depth, in | 1 cubic yard covers, sq ft | 1 ton covers, sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 324 | 232 |
| 2 | 162 | 116 |
| 3 | 108 | 77 |
| 4 | 81 | 58 |
| 6 | 54 | 39 |
| 8 | 41 | 29 |
| 12 | 27 | 19 |
- 1 cubic yard
- 1 ton
Recommended sand depth by use
Published depths for sand run from 1 inch to 9 inches, depending on the use; each row names its document.
| Use | Depth, in | 1 cubic yard covers, sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding sand | 1 | 324 | Oklahoma State University, Facilities Management, Landscape Services |
| Paver bedding layer, coarse sand | 1 | 324 | Unilock |
| Playground loose-fill sand, minimum compressed depth | 9 | 36 | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
Sand weight per cubic yard
Published weights of a cubic yard of sand run from 2,430 to 3,510 lb across 8 values from 4 documents, measured in different conditions. The calculators use 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard, the middle of Missouri DOT's 2,630–2,960 lb per cubic yard, because Missouri DOT marks its range as loose; the higher values are compacted or wet sand. One ton of sand is about 0.72 cubic yards.
| Pounds per cubic yard | 2,795 |
|---|---|
| Published as | “Sand, loose”, 2,630–2,960 lb/yd³, Missouri DOT; condition: loose. |
| Published range, same condition, lb | 2,430–2,970 |
| All published values, any condition, lb | 2,430–3,510 |
| Tons per cubic yard | 1.4 |
| Cubic yards per ton | 0.72 |
Every published value with its source, and tables of weight by volume and yards by tons: Sand weight.
Sand bags in a cubic yard
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Bags for the example |
|---|---|---|
| 50 lb | about 56 | 18 |
| 60 lb | about 47 | 15 |
| 70 lb | about 40 | 13 |
Sand compared with other gravel and stone
| Material | Condition | Pounds per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusher run | compacted | 3,770 | 0.53 |
| Pea gravel | not stated | 2,840 | 0.7 |
| Sand | loose | 2,795 | 0.72 |
| River rock | not stated | 2,650 | 0.75 |
| Rock | loose | 2,570 | 0.78 |
| Gravel | loose | 2,565 | 0.78 |
Sand questions
How much sand do I need?
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 1 inch deep needs 0.31 cubic yards of sand, about 0.43 tons at 2,795 lb per loose cubic yard. One cubic yard of sand covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, so divide the area in square feet by 324 for the cubic yards at that depth.
Why the sand you need can differ from the result
The weight of sand changes with the source, the moisture and how tightly it is packed, so published values differ (here from 2,430 to 3,510 lb per cubic yard across all conditions). Before ordering, ask the supplier for the weight per yard of their own material and enter it as your own density under More options.
For a finished, compacted layer the result also gives the tons at 3,005 lb per compacted cubic yard, the middle of Missouri DOT's 2,830–3,180 lb per cubic yard.