Free tool
Sand Calculator
Measure the area, pick a depth, and this works out the cubic yards. Bulk sand is sold by the cubic yard, so this is the number you order with.
Getting the depth right
- Paver bedding sand goes down 1 inch, screeded flat and never compacted before the pavers go on. Thicker bedding is the main reason patios go wavy.
- The base under the bedding sand is a separate calculation. That is compacted gravel, and it is usually 4 to 6 inches.
- Sandboxes want a washed natural sand, not concrete sand.
The maths behind it
Length times width gives square feet. Multiply that by the depth in inches, then divide by 324. The answer is cubic yards. One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, or 100 square feet at about 3¼ inches deep.
The 324 comes from a cubic yard being 27 cubic feet, and 27 times 12 inches is 324. Nothing else is going on, which is why you can check this calculator against a tape measure and a phone.
Materials this suits
Common questions
How much sand do I need under pavers?
One inch, no more. A 10 by 12 foot patio needs about 0.4 cubic yards of bedding sand at that depth. The compacted gravel base underneath is the layer that carries the load.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
A coarse, angular sand such as concrete sand or shale sand. Fine sand and beach sand hold water and shift, which is what makes pavers sink unevenly.
How much sand for a sandbox?
A 5 by 5 foot sandbox filled 6 inches deep takes about 0.5 cubic yards. Use a washed natural sandbox sand rather than a construction sand.
How much does a yard of sand cover?
One cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, or about 54 square feet at 6 inches deep.