How much does sand cost?

Delivered in Florida, mason sand starts from $32.65/ton and fill sand starts from $22.24/ton on a full truck (about 21 tons). For a small load, 2 tons from $408.40 delivered (mason sand). Delivery is included, with no separate fee; the minimum order is 1 ton, and smaller loads cost more per ton. Calculate above, then enter your ZIP for your exact quote.

How many cubic feet are in a ton of sand?

A ton of dry sand is about 22 cubic feet, or 0.81 cubic yards. Wet sand is denser — closer to 0.7 cubic yards per ton.

What is the difference between mason sand and concrete sand?

Mason sand is fine and used for mortar, stucco, paver joints and play areas. Concrete sand is coarser and used in concrete mixes and the paver setting bed. They are not interchangeable.

How much sand for a 10 × 10 sandbox?

A 10 ft × 10 ft sandbox at 6 inches deep needs about 1.9 cubic yards or 2.5 tons. At 12 inches deep, 3.7 cubic yards.

Can I use beach sand in concrete?

Not without washing it first. Beach sand contains salt and organic matter that weaken concrete. Use washed concrete sand for any structural mix.

How deep should a sandbox be?

8–12 inches of play sand over a drainage layer. Less than 6 inches looks shallow within weeks because sand settles 20%+ in the first month.

How many tons fit in a dump truck?

A full load is about 21 tons of stone or sand. Bigger orders go out in more than one load, and the calculator shows the truck count with your result. Delivery is in the price, so a full load is the cheapest per ton.

Do I need to be home for delivery?

Best if someone is there to show the driver the spot. Not required: ask for a photo of the drop. Dumped from the street or driveway. A backyard works if the entrance is wide enough. Off the public road, you take responsibility for any damage. It comes in one pile and isn’t spread. Delivery in 2–3 business days, on a weekday you choose.

Sand calculator · tons

Sand Calculator

How much sand do you need? Pick the sand, measure each area and get the tons.

1 · Material

2 · Two quick choices: depth, then size

2a · Pick a depth

2b · Then measure your areas

Length × width in feet. Add as many areas as you need; we add them up.

LengthftWidthft

Recommended order

1 ton

of Mason Sand

≈ 0.8 yd³ · covers 100 sq ft at 2″ · 1 dump truck

100 sq ft × 2 in ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.62 yd³ × 1.3 t/yd³ = 0.8 tons. Plus 15% for compaction and spreading, rounded up to a whole ton.

3 · Get your delivered quote

One ton of mason sand

≈ 0.77 yd³ (21 cu ft)
covers 125 sq ft at 2″
a yd³ weighs about 2,600 lb
a full truck is about 21 tons

Convert tons ↔ cubic yards →

About this material: Mason Sand →

How much does a ton of sand cover?

Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × the material’s density. The calculator then adds the buffer for compaction and spreading and rounds up. Tons use our catalog densities: mason sand 1.3 t/yd³; concrete sand 1.35 t/yd³; fill sand 1.3 t/yd³; play sand 1.3 t/yd³; beach sand 1.3 t/yd³.

Swipe the table sideways →

Material	Depth	Used for	Coverage	Per 100 sq ft
Mason Sand	2″	Base under an above-ground pool. (typical)	125 sq ft per ton	0.8 tons
Mason Sand	4″	Deeper leveling.	62 sq ft per ton	1.6 tons
Mason Sand	12″	Sandboxes.	21 sq ft per ton	4.81 tons
Concrete Sand	1″	Bedding layer under pavers, over a compacted base. (typical)	240 sq ft per ton	0.42 tons
Concrete Sand	2″	Leveling under slabs.	120 sq ft per ton	0.83 tons
Concrete Sand	4″	Bedding around pipe.	60 sq ft per ton	1.67 tons
Fill Sand	6″	One compacted 6″ lift.	42 sq ft per ton	2.41 tons
Fill Sand	12″	Most low spots. (typical)	21 sq ft per ton	4.81 tons
Fill Sand	2 ft	Pool or deep backfill, in 6–8″ lifts.	10 sq ft per ton	9.63 tons
Play Sand	8″	Shallow sandbox for toddlers.	31 sq ft per ton	3.21 tons
Play Sand	12″	Most sandboxes. (typical)	21 sq ft per ton	4.81 tons
Play Sand	18″	Deep play pit.	14 sq ft per ton	7.22 tons
Beach Sand	4″	Thin decorative layer.	62 sq ft per ton	1.6 tons
Beach Sand	6″	Backyard beach or fire-pit area. (typical)	42 sq ft per ton	2.41 tons
Beach Sand	12″	Volleyball courts need 12″ or more.	21 sq ft per ton	4.81 tons

Before the buffer. Updated November 2026

How much sand for common projects

Swipe the table sideways →

Project	Depth	Area	Estimate
Paver patio 400 sq ft	1″	400 sq ft	~1.3 cubic yards
Sandbox 6 ft × 6 ft	8″	36 sq ft	~1 cubic yard
Volleyball court 30 ft × 60 ft	8″	1,800 sq ft	~45 cubic yards
Pipe bedding trench 50 ft × 2 ft	6″	100 sq ft	~2 cubic yards
Low-spot fill 500 sq ft	4″	500 sq ft	~6.2 cubic yards

Before the buffer. Measure your own areas above for an order quantity.

Which sand: mason, concrete, fill, play or beach?

Delivered by dump truck. “From” prices are per ton on a full truck, delivery included; the second line is the smallest load.

Dump truck delivering a load of mason sand

Mason Sand →Fine sand for pool bases, mortar and sandboxes.From $32.65/ton on a full truck2 tons from $408.40 delivered

Dump truck delivering a load of concrete sand

Concrete Sand →Coarse sand for paver bedding and concrete.From $35.20/ton on a full truck2 tons from $414.30 delivered

Fill Sand →Bulk sand for low spots and backfill.From $22.24/ton on a full truck2 tons from $540.12 delivered

Play Sand →Soft sand for sandboxes and play areas.From $33.92/ton on a full truck2 tons from $411.34 delivered

Beach Sand →Light sand for backyard beaches and volleyball courts.From $31.70/ton on a full truck2 tons from $406.20 delivered

Sand mistakes to avoid

Wrong sand for the job

Mason sand is too fine for concrete; concrete sand is too coarse for mortar. Using the wrong grade leads to weak joints, lumpy beds, or stucco that cracks. Check the use case before ordering.

Paver bedding too thick

A paver setting bed should be 1 inch — not 2 or 3. Thicker beds let pavers shift, twist, and sink unevenly. Order for 1 inch over the entire paver footprint.

Forgetting the settling buffer for sandboxes

Play sand settles 20–25% in the first month. A sandbox that looked full on install will look half-empty by week four. Order 20% extra and top off at the start.

Untreated sand in concrete mixes

Beach sand or unwashed sand carries salt and organic matter that weakens concrete. Use washed concrete sand for any structural mix.

Ignoring drainage

Sand on top of impermeable clay traps water. Under pavers, install a 4-inch crushed stone base for drainage before the 1-inch sand setting bed. Skipping the base causes heaving.

Sand calculator questions

About 1 cubic yard of concrete sand per 300 sq ft of pavers at the standard 1-inch setting bed depth. For a 400 sq ft patio, plan on 1.3 cubic yards or roughly 1.8 tons.

Need another material? All calculators →

Know how much sand you need? Get your delivered quote.

We’ll quote your 1 ton of mason sand, delivery included.