Sand Calculator
Calculate sand volume for paver bedding, playgrounds, and leveling - in cubic yards or bags.
Sand needed
0.652 cubic yards
16 cu ft before waste
- Bags needed
- 36
- Cubic feet
- 17.6
- Estimated bulk cost
- $29.33
- Coverage area
- 192 sq ft
Polymeric joint sand is sold by bag coverage, not the same as bedding sand volume.
How this calculator works
Sand volume uses area Ă— depth, the same as gravel and topsoil.
Paver sand bedding is often 1 inch over a compacted base. Playground sand depth depends on fall-height guidelines.
cubic yards = area Ă— (depth inches Ă· 12) Ă· 27
- About 1" bedding sand under pavers
- ~0.5–1" polymeric sand for joints (separate calc)
- Play areas often need several inches of loose sand
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need for pavers?
A common bedding layer is 1 inch. For 200 sq ft of patio, that’s about 16.7 cubic feet or 0.62 cubic yards before waste.
How many bags of sand in a yard?
A 50 lb bag of all-purpose sand is roughly 0.5 cubic feet. You’d need around 54 bags per cubic yard - bulk is usually smarter at that scale.
What’s the difference between paver sand and play sand?
Play sand is finer and washed for safety. Paver/bedding sand is graded for compaction under hardscape. Use the product specified for your project.
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