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.
What are you working on?
Choose the shape that best matches your area.
Enter your measurements
Use feet or metres. We’ll do the math.
How deep do you want it?
Common depths shown for each material.
Choose your material
Select a material to see product-specific recommendations.
Sand compacts under whatever goes on top of it. We add 10 percent so the finished layer is the depth you measured for.
Also need fabric?
Landscape fabric goes under the rock, and it is measured differently
Fabric is sold by the linear foot off a roll, so the amount depends on the roll width and the overlap at the seams. The fabric calculator lays out the strips and gives you the length to order.
Quantity Help
Area and depth in, cubic yards out — settling allowance included.
Complete Pricing
Product, service, delivery and tax, before you order.
Delivered or Loaded
We bring it to you, or load your open pickup at the yard.
We Make It Right
If something goes wrong with the part we handle, we fix it.
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
Shale Sand
Fine washed shale for paver bedding and precise levelling
Bedding beneath patio pavers · Bedding beneath walkway pavers
Coarse Washed Concrete Sand
Washed sand for concrete, pavers, pools, and bedding
Mixing concrete · Bedding beneath patio stones and concrete pavers
Bedding Sand
Screened sand for burying utility pipes, laying under pavers, and as a base under concrete slabs. Not washed, not fine.
Bedding around pipes and utility lines · Covering and protecting buried pipe
Natural Sandbox Sand
Natural bank sand for sandboxes and outdoor play areas
Home sandboxes · Children’s digging and creative play areas
Navvy Jack
Prepared sand and gravel blend for small concrete pours
Setting fence posts · Setting deck posts
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.