Sand calculator for Delaware
Figure mason or washed sand by ton and cubic yard, with project-specific depth guidance.
Enter your project dimensions
One cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,700 lb, or 1.35 tons. Once wet, it can reach 3,200 lb, making the pile harder to move after rain although your order amount stays the same. This calculator works out yards and tons from your area and depth for mason and washed sand. Getting the depth right is especially important, from a 1-inch paver bed to a 6-inch sandbox.
Sand calculation steps
- Use feet to enter your area. For round pools or fire pits, enter the diameter, then select circle mode.
- Choose the depth specified for your project. The section below provides the depth list.
- For cubic yards, take cubic feet ÷ 27. To get dry-sand tons, use yards × 1.35.
Recommended sand depths by project
- Paver bedding: Keep coarse sand at 1 inch after screeding. A thicker bed can let pavers shift later. See the Paver Sand Calculator for the full paver base layout.
- Sandboxes need 6 inches of washed sand. For an 8 x 8 box, allow 1.2 yards or 1.6 tons.
- For an above-ground pool, place 2 inches of mason sand beneath the liner. Screed it perfectly level and keep all stones away from the liner.
- For lawn leveling, blend soil with sand at a quarter-inch to a half-inch depth. On clay, straight sand can create a layer that roots will not cross.
- For standard mortar or concrete, allow a ton of sand with each 7 to 8 bags of cement. Use the mix proportion specified for the job.
Sand weight and coverage
| 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 or washed sand
Mason sand has a fine, uniform screen and works well in mortar, paver joints, pool bases, and other applications needing a smooth grain. Washed sand has clay and silt rinsed out, making it useful for bedding, sandboxes, and general mixing. Both have the same yard weight, so either selection produces the same calculator result. For pool bases, mason sand provides the smooth surface needed under the liner.
Comparing bags with bulk sand
A 50 lb bag provides about half a cubic foot, and a cubic yard comes to 54 bags. Laid 1 inch deep, each bag covers roughly 6 square feet. A 300-square-foot bedding project needs 25 bags from the store or one tipped ton in bulk, delivered free. Cover on-site sand with a tarp, since saturated sand does not screed well and weighs a fifth more with each shovel.
Sand for mortar and concrete
For on-site mixing, a 3:2:1 concrete proportion of stone, sand, and cement uses about a ton of sand with every 7-8 bags of cement. Mortar for a 100-block wall uses roughly a third of a ton of mason sand. Choose washed sand for concrete and mason sand for mortar. A batch plant measures more consistently than wheelbarrow mixing, so check ready-mix pricing against your DIY estimate before taking on structural pours larger than a yard or two.
Common sand quantity questions
How much sand is required?
What is the weight of a yard of sand?
How many 50 lb bags make one yard of sand?
How much sand belongs in a sandbox?
Which sand should go beneath an above-ground pool?
Which sand works for paver beds and joints?
Do you sell sand by ton or by yard?
Other calculators
Mason and washed sand delivery
Order mason or washed sand by the ton with free delivery across Delaware.
