Sand Calculator
How much sand you need for a sandbox, paver bed, above-ground pool base, lawn leveling or trench, in cubic yards, tons and 50 lb bags, for rectangles and circles.
Cubic yards = length × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324; tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.35 for dry sand. A 10 × 10 ft area 2 in deep needs 0.62 cu yd (0.83 tons), or 34 bags of 50 lb. A 24 ft above-ground pool needs a 26 ft pad: about 3.3 cu yd at 2 in.
Sand for an above-ground pool base (2 in deep)
| Pool | Sand pad | Cu yd | Tons | 50 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft round | 14 ft pad | 0.95 | 1.28 | 52 |
| 15 ft round | 17 ft pad | 1.40 | 1.89 | 76 |
| 18 ft round | 20 ft pad | 1.94 | 2.62 | 105 |
| 21 ft round | 23 ft pad | 2.56 | 3.46 | 139 |
| 24 ft round | 26 ft pad | 3.28 | 4.42 | 177 |
| 27 ft round | 29 ft pad | 4.08 | 5.50 | 221 |
| 30 ft round | 32 ft pad | 4.96 | 6.70 | 269 |
Sand depth by project
| Project | Depth | Per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | 12 in | 3.70 cu yd |
| Above-ground pool base | 2 in | 0.62 cu yd |
| Paver bedding layer | 1 in | 0.31 cu yd |
| Leveling a lawn | 0.25 in | 0.08 cu yd |
| Pipe or trench bedding | 6 in | 1.85 cu yd |
| Horse arena footing | 3 in | 0.93 cu yd |
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much sand I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. For a circle, use 3.1416 × radius² as the area. Multiply cubic yards by about 1.35 for tons of dry sand.
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
About 2,600–2,800 lb (1.3–1.4 tons) dry and 3,000–3,300 lb damp, which is how bulk sand is usually delivered.
How much sand do I need for an above-ground pool?
A 2 in layer over a pad 2 ft wider than the pool. For a 24 ft round pool that is about 2.0 cu yd, roughly 2.8 tons or 80 bags of 50 lb.
How many bags of sand are in a yard?
About 54 bags of 50 lb (0.5 cu ft each).
What sand goes under pavers?
Coarse concrete sand (ASTM C33) screeded 1 in thick over the compacted base. Fine play sand and mason sand hold water and shift.
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Volume = area × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27. Dry sand weighs about 100 lb per cu ft (1.35 tons per cu yd); coarse concrete and fill sand about 1.4; damp sand about 1.6. Bagged play sand is sold as 50 lb, about 0.5 cu ft. Pool pad guidance follows common above-ground pool installation instructions; check yours.