{
  "id": "sand",
  "version": "a2d5327c49f4",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Sand Calculator",
  "question": "How much sand do I need?",
  "summary": "Computes the sand to fill a rectangular or round area to a depth, in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres, its weight in tons, the number of 0.5 ft³ bags, and the cost.",
  "category": "construction",
  "subcategory": "materials",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sand-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sand-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Volume = length × width × depth (or π × diameter² ÷ 4 × depth) × (1 + extra ÷ 100); cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27; bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up; tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard.",
  "assumptions": [
    "A bag holds 0.5 ft³ by default (Sakrete Multi-Purpose Sand and Natural Play Sand: 6 ft² at 1 in deep).",
    "One cubic yard weighs 1.35 US tons by default (100 lb per cubic foot, a 50 lb bag per 0.5 ft³). Engineering ToolBox lists dry sand at 97 lb/ft³ and wet sand at 119 lb/ft³.",
    "No extra by default; add some for spills, an uneven base or sand that packs down."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "shape": {
        "title": "Area shape",
        "description": "Whether the area to fill is a rectangle or a circle.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "rect",
          "circle"
        ]
      },
      "l": {
        "title": "Length",
        "description": "The length of the area to fill.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10000
      },
      "w": {
        "title": "Width",
        "description": "The width of the area to fill.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10000
      },
      "d": {
        "title": "Diameter",
        "description": "The diameter of a round area, such as a sandbox or a pool base.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10000
      },
      "depth": {
        "title": "Depth",
        "description": "How deep the sand layer is.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "extra": {
        "title": "Extra",
        "description": "Sand to add, in percent, for spills, an uneven base or packing down. 0 means none.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "percent",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "wt": {
        "title": "Weight per cubic yard (tons)",
        "description": "How many US tons one cubic yard of your sand weighs: about 1.3 dry and 1.6 wet.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10
      },
      "bag": {
        "title": "Bag size (cubic feet)",
        "description": "How much sand one bag holds, in cubic feet. A 50 lb bag of all-purpose or play sand holds 0.5 ft³.",
        "type": "number",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "price": {
        "title": "Price per bag",
        "description": "What one bag of sand costs. Leave empty to skip the cost.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "cubicYards": {
      "label": "Cubic yards",
      "description": "The sand to order in bulk, in cubic yards (27 cubic feet each).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "cubicFeet": {
      "label": "Cubic feet",
      "description": "The sand to order, in cubic feet.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "cubicMeters": {
      "label": "Cubic metres",
      "description": "The sand to order, in cubic metres.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "bags": {
      "label": "Bags",
      "description": "Cubic feet ÷ the bag size, rounded up to a whole bag.",
      "format": "integer"
    },
    "tons": {
      "label": "Weight (US tons)",
      "description": "Cubic yards × the weight per cubic yard, in tons of 2,000 lb.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "tonnes": {
      "label": "Weight (tonnes)",
      "description": "The same weight in metric tonnes of 1,000 kg.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "cost": {
      "label": "Cost of the bags",
      "description": "Bags × the price per bag.",
      "format": "money"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "shape": "rect",
      "l": 3.048,
      "w": 3.048,
      "d": 2.4384,
      "depth": 0.0508,
      "extra": 0,
      "wt": 1.35,
      "bag": 0.5
    },
    "outputs": {
      "cubicYards": 0.6172839506172839,
      "cubicFeet": 16.666666666666668,
      "cubicMeters": 0.4719474432,
      "bags": 34,
      "tons": 0.8333333333333334,
      "tonnes": 0.7559872833333333
    },
    "text": "You need 0.62 yd³ of sand (16.67 ft³), or 34 bags, about 0.83 tons."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "shape": "rect",
        "l": 0.9144000000000001,
        "w": 0.6096,
        "depth": 0.0254,
        "extra": 0,
        "wt": 1.35,
        "bag": 0.5
      },
      "expect": {
        "cubicFeet": 0.5,
        "bags": 1,
        "cubicYards": 0.018518518518518517
      },
      "source": "Sakrete Multi-Purpose Sand (a bag yields 6 ft² at 1 in deep), https://www.sakrete.com/product/multi-purpose-sand/; hand calculation in content.mdx: 3 × 2 × 1/12 = 0.5 ft³ = 1 bag"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "shape": "rect",
        "l": 3.048,
        "w": 3.048,
        "depth": 0.0508,
        "extra": 0,
        "wt": 1.35,
        "bag": 0.5,
        "price": 6
      },
      "expect": {
        "cubicFeet": 16.666666666666668,
        "cubicYards": 0.6172839506172839,
        "bags": 34,
        "tons": 0.8333333333333334,
        "cost": 204
      },
      "source": "Sakrete Natural Play Sand (0.5 ft³ per bag), https://www.sakrete.com/product/natural-play-sand/; NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C (1 yd³ = 27 ft³); hand calculation in content.mdx: 100 × 2/12 = 16.67 ft³ = 0.617 yd³; 33.3 bags rounded up to 34"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "shape": "rect",
        "l": 4,
        "w": 2.5,
        "depth": 0.05,
        "extra": 10,
        "wt": 1.35,
        "bag": 0.5
      },
      "expect": {
        "cubicMeters": 0.55,
        "cubicYards": 0.7193728406229157,
        "bags": 39
      },
      "source": "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C (1 yd³ = 0.764554857984 m³; 1 ft = 0.3048 m); hand calculation in content.mdx: 4 × 2.5 × 0.05 × 1.1 = 0.55 m³ = 0.719 yd³ = 19.42 ft³ = 38.85 bags, rounded up to 39"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "shape": "circle",
        "d": 2.4384,
        "depth": 0.30479999999999996,
        "extra": 0,
        "wt": 1.35,
        "bag": 0.5
      },
      "expect": {
        "cubicFeet": 50.26548245743669,
        "bags": 101
      },
      "source": "Cylinder volume π × d² ÷ 4 × depth (OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e, §9.6, https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra-2e/pages/9-6-solve-geometry-applications-volume-and-surface-area); hand calculation in content.mdx: π × 64 ÷ 4 × 1 = 50.27 ft³ = 100.5 bags, rounded up to 101"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "Sakrete, Multi-Purpose Sand (60 lb bag; yield 6 ft² at 1 in deep). https://www.sakrete.com/product/multi-purpose-sand/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)",
    "Sakrete, Natural Play Sand (50 lb and 60 lb bags; yields 0.5 ft³ per bag, 6 ft² at 1 in deep). https://www.sakrete.com/product/natural-play-sand/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)",
    "Engineering ToolBox, Dirt and Mud - Densities (sand, dry 97 lb/ft³; sand, wet 119 lb/ft³). https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/dirt-mud-densities-d_1727.html (retrieved 2026-10-02)",
    "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement: 1 yd³ = 27 ft³; 1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 short ton = 2,000 lb; 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg. https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c (retrieved 2026-10-01)",
    "OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e, §9.6 Solve Geometry Applications: Volume and Surface Area (cylinder volume). https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra-2e/pages/9-6-solve-geometry-applications-volume-and-surface-area (retrieved 2026-10-02)"
  ],
  "related": [
    "gravel",
    "paver",
    "dirt",
    "cubic-yards"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}