Building & DIY

Sand Calculator (Volume, Tons, and Bags)

Estimate how much sand a job needs from length, width, and depth. You get cubic yards and metres, US and metric tons, and the count of 50 lb and 25 kg bags.

How to use
  1. Enter the length, width, and depth of the area.
  2. Pick the sand type to set its density.
  3. Check the tonnage and the bag counts.
Depth (in)
Sand needed

volume of fill required

Weight (US tons)
Cubic feet
50 lb bags
Estimated cost
Estimates only, allow for waste and confirm against local building codes and supplier specs.
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How it's calculated

volume = L × W × depth; weight = density × volume(ft³); tons = weight ÷ 2000

L, W, depth = bed dimensions, density = pounds per ft³ of the material, 2000 = pounds per US ton. cu yd = volume ÷ 27 ft³ (m³ ÷ 0.7646).

Common questions

Does the sand type change the weight?

Yes. Play sand, mason sand, and compacted sand have different densities, so the same volume weighs a different number of tons.

How many 50 lb bags are in a ton?

Forty bags make a US ton of 2,000 pounds, which the calculator uses when it shows bag counts.