Sand calculator for Illinois
Calculate mason or washed sand in cubic yards and tons, then check the depth for your project.
Enter your project dimensions
Each cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb, or 1.35 tons. When wet, it can reach 3,200 lb, so rain makes a pile harder to move without changing the amount ordered. Enter area and depth to get yard and ton estimates for the two sand types. Depth varies by use, from a 1-inch paver setting bed to a 6-inch sandbox.
Sand calculations
- Use feet to measure the space. For round pools, fire pits, and similar areas, enter the diameter and select circle mode.
- Follow the required project depth instead of estimating. The section below gives the depths.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. To find dry-sand tons, multiply yards by 1.35.
Recommended depths by project
- For pavers, use a screeded 1 inch layer of coarse sand and stop there. More depth can lead to paver movement. See the Paver Sand Calculator for the complete layer layout.
- Fill sandboxes with 6 inches of washed sand. A 8 x 8 box needs about 1.2 yards, or 1.6 tons.
- Place 2 inches of mason sand beneath an above-ground pool. Screed it level and keep stones off the liner.
- Blend a quarter to a half inch of sand into the soil for lawn leveling. A solid sand layer over prairie clay can keep roots from growing through it.
- For standard mortar and concrete mixes, plan on a ton of sand for 7 to 8 bags of cement and use the specified mix ratio.
Sand coverage and weight
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | ≈ 240 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | ≈ 120 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | ≈ 80 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | ≈ 40 sq ft |
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paver bedding layer | 20 x 15 ft patio | 1" | 0.9 yd³ | 1.3 tons |
| Kids' sandbox | 8 x 8 ft | 6" | 1.2 yd³ | 1.6 tons |
| Above-ground pool base | 15 ft round | 2" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.5 tons |
| Volleyball court refresh | 30 x 60 ft | 2" | 11.1 yd³ | 15 tons |
| Lawn leveling blend | ≈ 500 sq ft | 0.5" | 0.8 yd³ | 1 tons |
Choosing mason sand or washed sand
Use finely screened mason sand where an even, smooth texture is needed, including mortar, paver joints, and pool bases. Washed sand has clay and silt rinsed out and works well for bedding, sandboxes, and mixes. Both weigh the same by the yard, so either selection gives the same calculator total. For pool bases, mason sand provides a smooth surface for screeding.
Comparing bag quantities
A 50 lb bag provides about half a cubic foot, meaning a cubic yard is 54 bags. Spread at 1 inch, a bag covers roughly 6 square feet. A 300-square-foot bedding area needs 25 bags from a store shelf or one skid-free tipped ton from us, delivered free. Cover sand with a tarp at the site. Wet material is difficult to screed and can weigh a fifth more per shovel.
Sand for mortar and concrete
For site mixing, use a 3:2:1 concrete proportion of stone, sand, and cement. It takes about a ton of sand for each 7-8 bags of cement. A 100-block wall needs roughly a third of a ton of mason sand for mortar. Choose washed sand for concrete and mason sand for mortar. Before making structural pours over a yard or two, compare ready-mix pricing with the DIY calculation.
Common sand quantity questions
How much sand is needed?
What does a yard of sand weigh?
How many 50 lb sand bags make a yard?
How much sand goes in a sandbox?
Which sand belongs under an above-ground pool?
Which sand works for paver beds and joints?
Is sand priced by ton or by yard?
Other calculators
Mason and washed sand delivery
Order mason or washed sand by the ton with free delivery across Illinois.
