Calculate the volume and weight of sand needed for levelling, filling, and construction.
This sand calculator estimates how much sand you need to fill or cover an area to a set depth, and converts it to cubic yards, cubic metres, tonnes/tons and bags. It works for bedding sand under pavers (paving slabs), sandpits (sandboxes), block paving joints and general fill – in metric or imperial.
| Sand type (UK / US) | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Sharp / concrete sand | Concrete, screed, paver bedding |
| Building / mason (soft) sand | Bricklaying & rendering mortar |
| Kiln-dried sand | Brushing into block-paving joints |
| Play sand | Sandpits / sandboxes |
A patio base 4 m × 3 m with 30 mm of bedding sand = 12 m² × 0.03 m = 0.36 m³. Sand weighs about 1.6 tonnes per m³ (1.35 US tons per cubic yard), so that's roughly 0.58 tonnes – one bulk bag covers it comfortably.
A 1 inch (25 mm) layer of levelling sand is standard. For 100 sq ft, that’s about 0.31 cubic yards.
Dry sand weighs approximately 1.35 tons per cubic yard or 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre.
Sharp/coarse sand for concrete and paving. Fine/play sand for sandboxes. Horticultural sand for soil improvement.
Sand weighs roughly 1.5–1.6 tonnes per cubic metre depending on type and moisture. The calculator converts your volume to weight.
No — use sharp (grit) sand for concrete and screed, as soft building sand makes a weaker mix. Keep building sand for bricklaying and rendering mortar instead.
