Sand calculator for Texas
Tons and cubic yards of mason or washed sand, with the depth rules that differ job to job.
Enter your project dimensions
Dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb per cubic yard: 1.35 tons. Wet sand can hit 3,200 lb, which is why a pile feels heavier after rain even though you got exactly what you ordered. This sand calculator converts area and depth into yards and tons for the two sands we stock, and the depth guide below matters more here than on any other page, because sand jobs range from a strict 1-inch paver bed to a 6-inch sandbox.
The sand math
- Measure the area in feet. Circles (pools, fire pits) take a diameter; the circle mode handles the rest.
- Use the depth the job demands, not a guess. The next section lists them.
- Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Yards × 1.35 = tons of dry sand.
Depth by job, because sand jobs disagree
- Paver bedding: 1 inch of coarse sand, screeded, no more. Every extra inch is future paver wobble. The Paver Sand Calculator covers this stack in detail.
- Sandboxes: 6 inches of washed sand. An 8 x 8 box takes about 1.2 yards, 1.6 tons.
- Under an above-ground pool: 2 inches of mason sand, screeded dead flat, no stones against the liner.
- Lawn leveling: a quarter to a half inch of sand blended with soil. Straight sand over clay makes a layer roots refuse to cross.
- Mortar and concrete mixes: figure a ton of sand per 7–8 bags of cement for typical mixes, and follow your mix ratio.
Coverage and weight
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | ≈ 240 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | ≈ 120 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | ≈ 80 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | ≈ 40 sq ft |
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding layer | 20 x 15 ft patio | 1" | 0.9 yd³ | 1.3 tons |
| Kids' sandbox | 8 x 8 ft | 6" | 1.2 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| Above-ground pool base | 15 ft round | 2" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.5 tons |
| Volleyball court refresh | 30 x 60 ft | 2" | 11.1 yd³ | 15 tons |
| Lawn leveling blend | ≈ 500 sq ft | 0.5" | 0.8 yd³ | 1 tons |
Mason sand or washed sand?
Mason sand is screened finer and tighter: the choice for mortar, paver joints, pool bases and anywhere a smooth, consistent grain matters. Washed sand is rinsed free of clay and silt and is the general-purpose pick for bedding, sandboxes and mixes. They weigh the same per yard, so the calculator doesn't care which you choose; your trowel and your kids will. Screeding crews around here ask for mason sand under pools by habit, and they're right to.
Bag math, for comparison shopping
A 50 lb bag holds about half a cubic foot, so a cubic yard equals 54 bags. At 1 inch deep, one bag covers roughly 6 square feet. That's the whole argument for bulk: a modest 300-square-foot bedding job is 25 bags from a store shelf or one skid-free tipped ton from us, delivered free. Keep sand tarped on site; a soaked pile screeds badly and weighs a fifth more per shovel.
Sand for concrete and mortar work
Mixing on site? A standard 3:2:1 concrete mix (stone, sand, cement) consumes about a ton of sand for every 7-8 bags of cement, and mortar for a 100-block wall takes roughly a third of a ton of mason sand. Washed sand goes into concrete, mason sand into mortar. Batch plants hold tighter tolerances than a wheelbarrow ever will, so for structural pours past a yard or two, price ready-mix against the DIY math before committing your weekend.
Sand quantities people actually ask about
How much sand do I need?
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
How many 50 lb bags of sand equal a yard?
How much sand for a sandbox?
What kind of sand goes under an above-ground pool?
What sand is used for paver bedding and joints?
Is sand sold by the ton or the yard?
Related calculators
Two sands, one free truck.
Mason and washed sand by the ton, delivered free across Texas.