Sand calculator for Nebraska
Find mason or washed sand amounts in tons and cubic yards, plus job-specific depth guidance.
Enter your project dimensions
For each cubic yard, dry sand is about 2,700 lb, equal to 1.35 tons. After rain, wet sand may reach 3,200 lb, making the pile harder to handle even though the order quantity has not changed. Enter the area and depth to calculate yards and tons for the two sand types offered. Depth needs close attention, from a 1-inch paver setting bed to a 6-inch sandbox fill.
Working out sand amounts
- Start with the area measured in feet. For round pools or fire pits, enter the diameter and let circle mode do the calculation.
- Set the depth for the work at hand instead of estimating. See the following section for the listed depths.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Multiply yards by 1.35 to find dry-sand tons.
Recommended depth for each job
- For paver bedding, use 1 inch of coarse sand and screed it evenly. More depth can lead to unstable pavers. The Paver Sand Calculator explains the full base setup.
- Sandboxes need 6 inches of washed sand. For an 8 x 8 box, allow about 1.2 yards and 1.6 tons.
- For an above-ground pool base, use 2 inches of mason sand. Screed it level and keep stones off the liner.
- Lawn leveling uses a quarter to a half inch of sand worked into the soil. A separate sand layer over clay can keep roots from growing through it.
- For ordinary mortar and concrete mixes, use a ton of sand for 7 to 8 bags of cement, then 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
Mason sand is more finely screened, making it suited to mortar, paver joints, pool bases, and work needing an even, smooth grain. Washed sand has its clay and silt removed and works well for bedding, sandboxes, and mixes. Since both have the same weight by the yard, the calculator result stays the same. Mason sand gives a clean surface for screeding beneath pools, particularly where Nebraska's freeze-thaw movement makes a level base important.
Comparing bulk sand with bags
A 50 lb bag provides about half a cubic foot, while 54 bags make a cubic yard. Spread at 1 inch deep, a bag covers roughly 6 square feet. A 300-square-foot bedding area therefore needs 25 bags off the shelf or one skid-free tipped ton with free delivery. Cover the pile with a tarp at the site, since wet sand screeds poorly and may weigh a fifth more with each shovel.
Sand for mortar and concrete
Making a batch on site? In a standard 3:2:1 concrete blend of stone, sand and cement, plan on about a ton of sand for each 7 to 8 bags of cement. Mortar for a 100 block wall uses roughly a third of a ton of mason sand. Use washed sand for concrete and mason sand for mortar. Because batch plants control proportions more closely than a wheelbarrow, compare ready-mix pricing with the DIY total before spending a weekend on structural pours larger than a yard or two.
Common questions about sand amounts
How much sand is required?
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 should I use for paver beds and joints?
Do suppliers sell sand by ton or yard?
More calculators
Mason and washed sand
Mason and washed sand available by the ton in Nebraska.
