Sand Calculator

Calculate tons, cubic yards, truck loads, and cost for mason sand, concrete sand, play sand, and fill sand.

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Depth (inches)

Sand Type

Waste Factor (%)

Cost per Ton ($)

Mason Sand Needed (with 10% waste)

3.53 tons

2.72 cubic yards

Volume (net)	66.67 ft³
Cubic yards (net)	2.47 CY
With 10% waste	2.72 CY
Weight	3.53 tons
Truck loads (10 CY)	1 loads
Truck loads (14 CY)	1 loads
Estimated Cost	$106

info

Danny Reeves:Fill sand is the cheapest but don't use it under a slab — it doesn't compact right. Concrete sand (also called sharp sand or washed sand) is what you want for base material. Mason sand is the fine stuff for mortar and between pavers.

Methodology

Volume = length × width × (depth in inches ÷ 12). Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per cubic yard). Density varies by sand type: mason sand 1.3 t/CY, concrete sand 1.35 t/CY, play sand 1.4 t/CY, fill sand 1.5 t/CY. Default costs reflect 2026 national averages for bulk delivery. Always add 5–10% for waste, spillage, and settling. Truck load capacity based on standard 10 CY and 14 CY dump trucks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of sand goes under pavers?

Use concrete sand (also called coarse sand or washed sand) as a base layer under pavers, typically 1 inch thick after compaction. For the joints between pavers, use mason sand or polymeric sand. Never use play sand or fill sand under pavers — they don't compact well and will shift over time, causing your pavers to settle unevenly.

How many tons of sand fit in a dump truck?

A standard single-axle dump truck holds about 10 cubic yards, which translates to roughly 13–15 tons of sand depending on the type and moisture content. A tandem-axle truck holds about 14 cubic yards (18–21 tons). Most suppliers price delivery per load, so it's cheaper per ton to fill the truck. If you only need a few tons, ask about "small load" or pickup options.

What is the difference between mason sand and play sand?

Mason sand and play sand are both fine-grained, but mason sand is screened and washed for consistency — it's used in mortar, stucco, and between pavers. Play sand is washed and screened for safety (no sharp particles) and is more expensive per ton because of the extra processing. For construction purposes, mason sand is the right choice. Play sand is only necessary for sandboxes and recreational areas.

How deep should a sand base be?

For pavers: 1 inch of bedding sand over a compacted gravel base. For above-ground pools: 2–3 inches of mason sand, leveled and compacted. For a sand base under a concrete slab: 4 inches of compacted concrete sand or washed sand is standard. For French drains and pipe bedding: 4–6 inches below the pipe and 2–4 inches above. Always compact sand in lifts — don't dump the full depth and try to compact it all at once.

How the Sand Calculator works

Volume is length × width × depth, with depth entered in inches and divided by 12 to convert to feet. Cubic feet divided by 27 gives cubic yards. A waste factor — 10% by default — is applied to the volume before tonnage, since spill and subgrade absorption happen to the material as placed.

Tonnage is waste-adjusted cubic yards multiplied by the density of the sand grade you select: mason at 1.3 tons per cubic yard, concrete sand at 1.35, play sand at 1.4, and fill sand at 1.5. Sand is delivered and billed by the ton, so this is the number that appears on the ticket even though the job was designed by depth.

Cost is tonnage multiplied by your price per ton, defaulting to typical rates for each grade — $20 for fill, $25 for concrete sand, $30 for mason, $35 for play sand. Grade choice matters beyond price: mason sand is the fine, uniform grade that gives mortar its workability, while concrete sand is coarse and angular for mixes and paver bedding.

Worked example: a 20 ft by 10 ft area at 4 inches deep is 66.7 cubic feet, or 2.47 cubic yards. Adding 10% waste gives 2.72 cubic yards, which in mason sand at 1.3 tons per cubic yard is 3.53 tons. At $30 a ton that is about $106 of material.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tons of sand are in a cubic yard?

It depends on the grade. The calculator uses 1.3 tons per cubic yard for mason sand, 1.35 for concrete sand, 1.4 for play sand, and 1.5 for fill sand. Fill sand is the heaviest because it is the least uniform — the finer particles pack into the voids between coarse ones, leaving less air in the same volume.

What is the difference between mason sand and concrete sand?

Mason sand is finer and more uniformly graded, which is what gives mortar its workability and a smooth joint. Concrete sand is coarser and more angular, which is what you want for the aggregate interlock in a concrete mix, and it is also the standard bedding layer under pavers. Substituting one for the other changes how the mix behaves.

How deep should paver bedding sand be?

One inch of screeded bedding sand is the standard over a compacted base, and going much deeper invites rutting because thick sand layers do not compact uniformly under load. Enter 1 inch as the depth for bedding, and calculate the base aggregate below it separately with the stone calculator.

Why is there a waste factor on sand?

The default 10% covers spill during placement, loss at the edges of the work, and the material that consolidates into an uneven subgrade rather than building depth. Sand is cheap and a short delivery is expensive in lost crew time, so rounding up is the right error to make.