Sand Calculator
Work out tons and yards of sand for paver bedding, fill, play areas or mixing. Prices start from the USGS national average for construction sand and adjust to your state.
Sand Calculator — ConcreteNear.com
| Cubic yards (loose) | 1.36 yd³ |
| Area covered | 200 ft² |
| Truckloads | 1 |
| 0.5 ft³ bags (small jobs) | 74 |
Cost estimate U.S. average prices
| Concrete sand at the pit/quarry 1.9 ton × $13.15 | $25.00 |
| Delivery (1 load) 1.5 hr × $106.69 × 1.25 | $200.04 |
| Estimated total | $225.04 |
- Damp sand weighs more per yard — ask whether your yard sells by weight or volume.
| Inputs | |
| Material | Concrete sand (~1.4 t/yd³) |
| Length | 20 ft |
| Width | 10 ft |
| Depth | 2 in |
| Density override (0 = typical for the material) | 0 tons/yd³ |
| Compaction / settling allowance | 10% |
| Truck payload | 14 tons |
| Delivery round trip | 1.5 hr |
Planning estimate only — confirm with your supplier or contractor.
Prices used — edit any price to match your local quote
| Item | Unit price | Basis & source |
|---|---|---|
| Sand & gravel at the pit per ton | derived from source USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Sand and Gravel (Construction) — average unit value $14.50 per metric ton, 2025 (2025 (published Feb 2026)) — $14.50 × 0.9072 = $13.15 per short ton, before delivery. Washed concrete/mason sand usually costs more. | |
| Truck operating cost per hr | public source ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2026 Update, Table 9 — average marginal cost per hour, 2025 (fuel, truck payments, repairs, insurance, tires, tolls, driver wages and benefits) (2025 data, published Jul 2026) — For-hire fleet cost before overhead and profit. Local dump and lowboy rates are usually higher; use the overhead % to adjust. | |
| Hauler overhead & profit per % | starting estimate Starting estimate added on top of the ATRI operating cost. |
How to use this calculator
- Pick the type of sand.
- Enter the area and depth (1 in for paver bedding).
- Adjust density if your supplier gives one.
- Read tons, yards and loads.
Formulas
Loose yd³ = length × width × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × (1 + compaction %)Tons = yd³ × density (~1.3–1.4 tons per yd³)
Questions
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
Usually around 1.3–1.4 tons dry; wet sand weighs more.
How much sand for pavers?
About 1 in of bedding sand: a 200 ft² patio needs about 0.62 yd³ (under a ton) plus a little for joints.
Concrete sand or mason sand?
Concrete sand is coarser and better for bedding and mixing concrete; mason sand is finer for mortar and play areas.
Sources & assumptions
Prices checked 2026-11-10. State pricing multiplies national figures by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (goods for materials, services for labor and services). RPPs compare general consumer price levels (U.S. = 100). They are not construction-specific; we use RPP Goods for materials and RPP Services: Other (excludes rents) for labor and services.
- Sand & gravel at the pit — USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Sand and Gravel (Construction) — average unit value $14.50 per metric ton, 2025 (2025 (published Feb 2026)). $14.50 × 0.9072 = $13.15 per short ton, before delivery. Washed concrete/mason sand usually costs more.
- Truck operating cost — ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2026 Update, Table 9 — average marginal cost per hour, 2025 (fuel, truck payments, repairs, insurance, tires, tolls, driver wages and benefits) (2025 data, published Jul 2026). For-hire fleet cost before overhead and profit. Local dump and lowboy rates are usually higher; use the overhead % to adjust.
Starting estimates No public price series was found for: Hauler overhead & profit. These defaults are editable placeholders — replace them with a local quote.
Results are planning estimates, not quotes or engineering advice. Codes, specifications and your supplier's numbers govern.
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