Paver bedding sand is 1 inch, screeded. Deeper beds rut under load.
Bedding a patio? You also need base stone, joint sand and edging.
Use our Paver Calculator →Sand & Levelling Tools
Screed Board & 1 in Screed Rails
Square-Point Shovel
Contractor Wheelbarrow (6 cu ft)
4 ft Level and Line Level
Tools worth having for this job. We don’t currently earn commission on these — they’re suggestions, not sponsored links.
How to Calculate Sand
Sand is quoted by the ton in bulk and by the cubic foot in bags, but you measure the job in square feet and inches. One divisor does the conversion.
Then multiply by the density to get tons. Most sands land between 1.3 and 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so 1.35 is a safe working figure — that is about 2,700 lb per cubic yard, or 100 lb per cubic foot.
| Depth | Sq Ft per Cubic Yard | Sq Ft per Ton | Tons per 100 Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 240 sq ft | 0.42 |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 120 sq ft | 0.83 |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 80 sq ft | 1.25 |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 60 sq ft | 1.67 |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 40 sq ft | 2.50 |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft | 20 sq ft | 5.00 |
Per-ton figures assume 1.35 tons per cubic yard. The number worth remembering is that one ton of sand covers about 240 square feet at 1 inch deep — everything else scales from there. Halve the depth and the coverage doubles.
Suppliers usually sell bulk sand by weight but quote coverage by volume, so confirm which unit a price refers to before you order. A cubic yard is not a ton, and the two differ by 35%.
Working out an odd shape? Break it into rectangles and circles with our square footage calculator first.
On this page
Which Sand Do You Actually Need?
The names are regional and the bags are unhelpful, but the differences between these are real and picking wrong causes actual failures — not just a rougher finish.
| Sand Type | Grain | Weight per Cu Yd | Use It For | Do Not Use It For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete / bedding sand (ASTM C33) | Coarse, angular, washed | 2,700 lb (1.35 t) | Paver bedding, concrete mix, pipe bedding | Mortar joints, sandboxes |
| Mason sand | Fine, uniform, washed | 2,700 lb (1.35 t) | Mortar, stucco, pool bases, volleyball courts | Under pavers — too fine, stays soft |
| Play sand | Fine, rounded, washed and screened | 2,600 lb (1.30 t) | Sandboxes and play areas | Anything structural or load bearing |
| Washed river sand | Rounded, medium | 2,600 lb (1.30 t) | Drainage, decorative, filtration | Concrete — rounded grains bond poorly |
| Fill sand / bank run | Mixed, unwashed, some silt | 2,800 lb (1.40 t) | Backfill, raising grade, trench fill | Anything under a finished surface |
| All-purpose bagged sand | Medium, washed | 2,700 lb (1.35 t) | Small mixes, general levelling | Large volumes — bags are 3–5× bulk cost |
The distinction that matters most is angular versus rounded. Concrete sand has sharp, irregular grains that key into each other and resist movement under load. Play sand and river sand are rounded — comfortable to walk on, easy to sweep, and completely unable to hold a paver flat. That is why concrete sand goes under pavers and play sand does not.
The second distinction is washed versus unwashed. Washed sand has the silt and clay rinsed out. Fill sand keeps them, which is why it compacts and holds water — good for backfill, bad under anything that has to stay level. Silt content is also what turns fill sand into mud after rain.
Density differences between types are small — roughly 5% across the whole table. Moisture matters far more. A cubic yard of soaking-wet sand can weigh 10 to 15% more than the same sand dry, which is worth knowing when a load is priced by the ton and it has been raining for a week.
How Deep Should the Sand Be?
Depth is where sand jobs go wrong, and almost always in the same direction: too deep. Sand is a bedding and levelling material, not a base. It has no cohesion and no load-bearing capacity, so a thick layer of it will always move.
| Application | Depth | Sand Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding | 1 in exactly | Concrete sand (C33) | Never thicker. Depth belongs in the base. |
| Above-ground pool base | 2 in | Mason sand | Over level, compacted ground |
| Levelling under a shed | 2–3 in | Concrete sand | Over 4 in of compacted gravel, not on bare soil |
| Pipe or conduit bedding | 4–6 in below, 6 in cover | Concrete sand | Check local code — some require specific gradation |
| Sandbox | 6–12 in | Play sand | 8 in is comfortable for digging |
| Volleyball, recreational | 12 in | Washed masonry or beach sand | Over a drainage layer |
| Volleyball, competition | 16–18 in | Washed, screened, salt-free | Governing bodies specify 40 cm minimum |
| Horse arena footing | 2–4 in | Washed, angular | Over a compacted, crowned base |
| Backfilling a trench | As needed | Fill sand | Compact in 6–8 in lifts |
The one-inch rule for pavers
If you take one thing from this page: bedding sand under pavers is one inch, screeded flat, and never more. Sand behaves like a fluid under load. One inch has nowhere to move to. Two or three inches migrates sideways under wheels and feet, and the pavers above it settle in exactly the pattern of the traffic.
Every wavy, sunken DIY patio you have seen was bedded on too much sand, almost always because someone used the sand to level out an uneven base instead of fixing the base. Depth and load capacity come from compacted crushed stone underneath — our paver calculator works out both layers, and the gravel calculator covers base stone grades.
How to screed sand flat
- Compact whatever is underneath first. Sand cannot fix a soft or uneven base, and screeding over one just hides the problem for a season.
- Set the slope before the sand. Any outdoor surface needs at least 1/8 in of fall per foot. Build it into the base, not the sand.
- Lay screed rails — 1 in EMT conduit works and costs almost nothing — parallel, a little less than a board's length apart, bedded to the finished slope.
- Pull a straight board across the rails in a sawing motion, dragging the excess back toward you.
- Lift the rails and fill the grooves by hand, smoothing with a trowel.
- Do not compact the sand and do not walk on it. Work forward off the surface you have already laid.
- Screed only as far ahead as you will lay that session. Rain on an open screed bed means starting the screed again.
Weight, Bags and Whether to Buy Bulk
Sand is heavy, and that governs almost every practical decision about buying and moving it. One cubic yard weighs about 2,700 lb — more than the payload of most half-ton pickups. Half a yard per trip is the honest limit for a light truck.
| Bag Size | Volume | Bags per Cubic Yard | Typical Price | Cost per Cu Yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 lb | 0.5 cu ft | 54 bags | $4–$7 | $216–$378 |
| 60 lb | 0.6 cu ft | 45 bags | $5–$8 | $225–$360 |
| 100 lb | 1.0 cu ft | 27 bags | $8–$13 | $216–$351 |
| Bulk delivered | 1 cu yd | — | — | $25–$60 + delivery |
The gap is not subtle. Bagged sand costs four to eight times bulk per cubic yard. Bulk delivery fees of $50 to $150 close some of that, which puts the breakpoint at roughly one cubic yard, or about 54 bags. Below a yard, buy bags. Above it, order loose and put a tarp down.
Quick weight reference
- 1 cubic foot of sand: about 100 lb.
- 1 cubic yard: about 2,700 lb, or 1.35 tons.
- 1 ton: about 0.74 cubic yards, or 20 cubic feet.
- A 50 lb bag: 0.5 cubic feet, covering 6 sq ft at 1 inch deep.
- A 6 cu ft wheelbarrow of sand: about 600 lb — fill it half full or you will not lift the handles.
Wet sand is heavier and does not screed. If a load arrives soaked, spread and turn it in the sun for a day before trying to bed anything on it, or you will trap that water under the finished surface.
When Sand Is the Wrong Material
Sand gets used out of habit in three places where something else does the job better. Each of these is worth the substitution.
Under a concrete slab
Use compacted crushed stone, not sand. A sand layer under a slab holds water against the concrete and offers nothing structurally. Building codes and the concrete industry both point at 4 inches of compacted #57 washed stone or crusher run instead, which drains freely and gives a stable, uniform bearing surface. Our concrete calculator and gravel calculator cover both halves of that pour.
As a paver base
A patio built on 4 inches of sand instead of compacted stone will rut within a season. Sand is not a base at any thickness — it is a 1-inch levelling course over a base that carries the actual load. This is the single most expensive mistake on this page, because fixing it means lifting every paver.
Setting fence or deck posts
Sand backfill around a post drains well but gives almost no lateral resistance, so the post racks under wind load. Compacted angular gravel is the sound no-concrete option; concrete is the standard one. Our post hole calculator and fence post concrete calculator handle the volumes.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Using mason or play sand under pavers. Too fine and too round; it stays soft and the pavers wander.
- Using a sand bed to level an uneven base. Fix the base. Sand is not a levelling compound.
- Buying fill sand for a finished surface. The silt in it holds water and turns to mud.
- Ordering tons when you calculated yards. Multiply by 1.35 first — the two differ by more than a third.
- Overloading a truck or a wheelbarrow. A cubic yard is 2,700 lb. Half loads, more trips.
- Buying bags for a bulk job. 54 bags make a cubic yard at four to eight times the delivered price.
- Leaving a screeded sand bed open overnight. One rain and you screed it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much sand do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.35 for tons. A 200 sq ft area at 1 inch deep is 0.62 cubic yards, or 0.83 tons — roughly 34 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
About 2,700 lb, or 1.35 tons, which works out to roughly 100 lb per cubic foot. Fill sand runs slightly heavier at about 2,800 lb, and dry play sand slightly lighter at about 2,600 lb. Wet sand can be 10 to 15% heavier than the same sand dry.
How much area does a ton of sand cover?
About 240 square feet at 1 inch deep, 120 sq ft at 2 inches, 80 sq ft at 3 inches, and 60 sq ft at 4 inches. One ton is roughly 0.74 cubic yards, or 20 cubic feet, at 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
How many 50 lb bags of sand are in a cubic yard?
54 bags. A 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cubic feet and there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. At $4 to $7 a bag that is $216 to $378 per cubic yard, against $25 to $60 for bulk — which is why anything over about a yard should be delivered loose.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
Concrete sand, ASTM C33 — coarse, washed and angular so the grains lock together. Do not use mason sand, which is too fine and stays soft under load, or play sand, which is fine and rounded. Some contractors substitute #8 or #9 washed chip stone in open-graded permeable builds.
How thick should the sand be under pavers?
Exactly 1 inch, screeded flat, over a compacted crushed stone base. Sand behaves like a fluid under load — one inch has nowhere to move to, but two or three inches migrates and the pavers settle in the pattern of the traffic. Never use extra sand to level an uneven base.
What is the difference between mason sand and concrete sand?
Grain size. Concrete sand is coarse and angular, graded to ASTM C33, and used in concrete mixes and paver bedding. Mason sand is finer and more uniform, made for mortar joints where it has to work into a narrow gap. Mason sand under pavers stays soft; concrete sand under mortar makes joints that are hard to tool.
Can I use play sand under pavers or in concrete?
No to both. Play sand is fine, rounded and washed clean of everything that gives sand grip — that is exactly what makes it pleasant in a sandbox and useless under load. In concrete, rounded grains bond poorly and the mix loses strength. Use concrete sand for both.
How much sand do I need for a sandbox?
At 8 inches deep, a 4 × 4 ft box needs 10.7 cubic feet, about 22 bags of 0.5 cu ft. A 5 × 5 ft box at the same depth needs 16.7 cubic feet, or 34 bags. Six inches is the practical minimum for digging; 12 inches is generous. Use sand sold specifically as play sand.
How much sand goes under an above-ground pool?
2 inches over level, compacted ground, using mason sand. A 24 ft round pool covers about 452 sq ft, so 2 inches is roughly 2.8 cubic yards or 3.8 tons. Many manufacturers now prefer a foam cove and pad over sand because sand washes out from under the liner over time — check your pool instructions.
Should I put sand under a concrete slab?
No — use 4 inches of compacted crushed stone instead. A sand layer holds water against the underside of the slab and contributes nothing structurally. Washed #57 stone or crusher run drains freely and gives uniform bearing. Sand under a slab is a habit, not a specification.
Does sand compact?
It consolidates, but it does not compact into a load-bearing layer the way crushed stone does. Sand grains have no fines to bind them and no interlock beyond friction, so under repeated load a thick sand layer simply flows to the side. Treat sand as a bedding material, never as a base.
Is bulk sand cheaper than bagged sand?
Substantially. Bulk sand runs $25 to $60 per cubic yard delivered; the same volume in 50 lb bags costs $216 to $378. Delivery fees of $50 to $150 put the breakpoint at roughly one cubic yard — about 54 bags. Below that, bags win on convenience; above it, bulk wins on everything.
How much sand fits in a pickup truck?
Weight is the limit, not volume. A cubic yard of sand is about 2,700 lb, well over the payload of most half-ton pickups. Half a cubic yard per trip is realistic for a half-ton truck and about one cubic yard for a three-quarter-ton. Overloading is hard on brakes and springs and is not worth the saved trip.
Estimates for planning only. Quantities are calculated from standard coverage and yield figures and include a waste allowance. Always confirm against the manufacturer figures on the product you buy, and check local requirements before ordering. See our full method and assumptions.