Sand calculator: how much sand do I need?
0.93 cubic yards
A 10 by 10 ft area at 3 inches deep needs 0.93 cubic yards of sand, which is 25 cubic feet. Sand is sold by the cubic yard in bulk, so a supplier would deliver 1 cubic yard.
25 cubic feet · for 10 × 10 ft at 3 in
Run your own numbers
Enter it the way you measured it: 4.5, 4 1/2,
3/8 or 10' 6".
0.93 cubic yards
25 cubic feet
A worked example
A 17 by 7 ft paver base at 1.5 inches deep needs 0.55 cubic yards. 14.9 cubic feet. Under about 1 cubic yard, bags usually beat a delivery fee.
What else it is called
Sand is sold as all-purpose sand, paver sand, mason sand and play sand. The volume you need does not change with the grade, so order by the cubic yard and pick the grade your job calls for.
Common sizes
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 ft | 0.4 | 0.59 | 0.79 | 1.19 |
| 10 × 10 ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 |
| 10 × 12 ft | 0.74 | 1.11 | 1.48 | 2.22 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 0.89 | 1.33 | 1.78 | 2.67 |
| 12 × 16 ft | 1.19 | 1.78 | 2.37 | 3.56 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 1.98 | 2.96 | 3.95 | 5.93 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 2.47 | 3.7 | 4.94 | 7.41 |
Cubic yards. Round up to what your supplier will deliver.
Where the numbers come from
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, exact by definition. Everything on this page is that arithmetic and nothing else.
Sand is also sold by the ton, and tons depend on the density of the specific sand and how wet it is. We do not print a ton figure we cannot source: ask your supplier for the tons per cubic yard.
Last checked September 26, 2026. How this site is made.