Sand Calculator
Enter the area and depth to estimate how much sand you need for paver bedding, sandboxes, or fill. Get cubic yards and tons.
Results
- Volume needed
- 0.37 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 0.41 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 10 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 0.28 m³
- Estimated weight
- 0.55 tons
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Enter the area and depth to estimate how much sand you need for paver bedding, sandboxes, or fill. Get cubic yards and tons.
How to use the sand calculator
- Enter the shape.
- Enter the length in ft.
- Enter the width in ft.
- Enter the depth in in.
- Enter the waste factor in %.
- Optionally add a price to estimate the total project cost.
- Read your quantities instantly — no sign-up, and you can print the estimate to take to the supplier.
Worked example
Inputs
- Shape
- Rectangle / Square
- Length
- 12 ft
- Width
- 10 ft
- Depth
- 1 in
- Waste factor
- 10 %
Results
- Volume needed
- 0.37 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 0.41 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 10 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 0.28 m³
- Estimated weight
- 0.55 tons
Using the example values above, the sand calculator returns 0.37 cu yd (volume needed). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
How much extra should I order?
Always order a little extra. A 5% waste factor suits simple, square projects; 10% is right for most jobs; bump it to 15–20% for irregular shapes, diagonal patterns, or uneven ground. Running short almost always costs more than the leftover material.
Formula
Volume (cu ft) = area × depth ÷ 12. Cubic yards = cu ft ÷ 27. Waste-adjusted = volume × (1 + waste%).
Frequently asked questions
- How thick should paver sand be?
- Use a 1 inch bedding layer of sand over a compacted gravel base.
- How much does sand weigh?
- Dry sand weighs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
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