Hardscape
Sand Calculator
Enter the area and depth. A one-inch leveling course under pavers is common; check your project's spec for the right depth.
At a glance
- Usual depth
- 1 in
- Weight
- 1.35 tons per cu yd
- Answer in
- cubic yards
100 sq ft at 1 in deep needs:
0.31 cubic yardsof sand
- ≈ 0.4 tons
Sand runs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard. For a paver base you typically want a compacted gravel sub-base under the sand. See the gravel calculator for that layer.
Need it delivered? Cedar Creek Landscape Supply sells sand by the yard across the Triangle.
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The base matters more than the surface
Most failed patios and driveways are base failures, not material failures. Get the compacted depth right for Triangle clay and the top layer will outlast the person who laid it.
How this is worked out
No hidden fudge factor. This is the whole calculation.
- Length times width gives the area in square feet.
- Area times the depth in feet, which is your inches divided by 12, gives cubic feet.
- Cubic feet divided by 27 gives cubic yards, because a yard is 3 feet cubed.
- Tonnage is the cubic yards times 1.35, which is roughly what a yard of this weighs.
Common questions
- How much sand do I need?
- Multiply your area's length by its width for square feet, then by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12), and divide by 27 for cubic yards. This calculator does it for you. Enter length, width, and depth.
- How many tons is a cubic yard of sand?
- Sand weighs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard.