Sand Calculator
Wet sand weighs 20% more than dry for the same volume.
Work out Sand. Wet sand weighs 20% more than dry for the same volume. Rounds up to whole units, as you have to buy them.
Varies a great deal with moisture and grade — check the supplier's figure
Sand required
1.05 m³
1.68 tonnes · 1.37 cubic yards
Sand density varies more than most people expect: dry sand runs around 1,600 kg/m³ and wet sand closer to 1,900, a 20% difference in what a cubic metre weighs. Since bulk sand is sold by weight and used by volume, buying by the tonne without knowing the moisture content can leave you noticeably short. Sharp sand for concrete and building sand for mortar are also not interchangeable.
How the Sand Calculator works
Sand quantity by volume and weight for an area and depth. Density is an input because it varies far more than people expect, and bulk sand is sold by weight while it is used by volume.
Also known as: how much sand do i need · sand tonnes from cubic metres · building sand quantity calculator · how many bulk bags of sand
Density varies far more than people expect
Dry sand runs around 1,600 kg per cubic metre and wet sand closer to 1,900 — a 20% difference in what the same volume weighs. Since bulk sand is sold by weight and used by volume, that gap is a real quantity error rather than a rounding one.
Bulking is the related effect and it runs the other way. Damp sand occupies more volume than dry sand of the same weight, because water films hold the grains apart — sometimes 20 to 30% more. It is why sand for concrete should be measured by weight where accuracy matters.
Both are reasons the density is an input here. A single assumed figure would be wrong for most deliveries, and it would be wrong silently — the arithmetic looks fine and the pile in the driveway is the wrong size.
Sharp, building, and why they are not interchangeable
Sharp sand is coarse and angular, used in concrete and screeds where the grains need to interlock. Building sand — also called soft sand — is fine and rounded, used in mortar where workability matters more than mechanical bond.
Substituting one for the other produces something that does neither job. Mortar made with sharp sand is harsh and difficult to work; concrete made with building sand is weak because the fine rounded grains do not lock together.
Play sand is a third category — washed and graded to remove silt and sharp fragments, which is why it costs more and why it is unsuitable for construction. Beach sand is worse again: the salt corrodes reinforcement and interferes with cement hydration.
Ordering and storing it
A bulk bag is nominally around 0.6 cubic metres or roughly a tonne, and the figure varies by supplier and moisture content. Whether a bag is sold by volume or by weight is worth establishing before comparing prices between suppliers.
Loose delivered sand is usually cheaper per tonne and needs somewhere to go and something to move it with. The saving disappears quickly if it has to be barrowed a long way or if rain washes part of it away.
Store it covered and off the ground. Uncovered sand takes up rain, which changes both its bulking and its moisture content — and both feed directly into every mix made from it, changing the water that should be added.
Where to go next
The Sand question rarely arrives on its own. These are the ones that usually come with it:
- Concrete Slab Calculator — Dry materials occupy 54% more than the wet mix.
- Paver Calculator — Bedding sand is screeded, never used to fix levels.
- Driveway Gravel Calculator — The sub-base carries the load, not the gravel.
- Ring Size Calculator — Finger measurement to US, UK, EU and Japanese sizes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic metre of sand weigh?
Around 1,600 kg dry and closer to 1,900 kg wet. That 20% difference is why buying by the tonne without knowing the moisture content can leave you short.
What is the difference between sharp sand and building sand?
Sharp sand is coarse and angular, used for concrete and screeds. Building sand is fine and soft, used for mortar. They are not interchangeable — mortar made with sharp sand is harsh and hard to work.
How do I convert cubic metres to tonnes?
Multiply by the density in kilograms per cubic metre and divide by a thousand. It cannot be done without the density, which is why suppliers quote it.
How much sand is in a bulk bag?
Conventionally around 0.6 cubic metres, though this varies by supplier and bags are often sold by weight rather than volume. Check which before comparing prices.
Should I allow for settlement?
Yes, particularly for anything that will be compacted. Sand consolidates noticeably under compaction, so ordering only the loose volume leaves the finished level short.
Can I use beach sand?
No, for construction. Salt content corrodes reinforcement and interferes with cement hydration, and the rounded grains bond poorly compared with quarried sharp sand.
What is bulking in sand?
Damp sand occupies more volume than dry sand of the same weight, because water films hold the grains apart — sometimes 20 to 30% more. It is why sand for concrete should be measured by weight where accuracy matters.
How do I estimate sand for mortar?
Mortar is roughly 1 part cement to 4 or 5 of building sand by volume, and a cubic metre of mortar takes about a cubic metre of sand because the cement fills the voids.
Is play sand different?
Yes — it is washed and graded to remove silt and sharp fragments, which is why it costs more. It is unsuitable for construction because the grading is wrong for bonding.
How should sand be stored on site?
Covered and off the ground. Uncovered sand takes up rain, which changes its bulking and its moisture content, and both affect the mixes made from it.
Can I mix different sands?
Not usefully. Sharp and building sand serve different purposes, and blending them produces a mortar or concrete that does neither job well. Use the grade the mix specifies.
How much does a bulk bag actually hold?
Nominally around 0.6 cubic metres or roughly a tonne, and it varies by supplier and by moisture content. If the quantity matters, ask whether the bag is sold by volume or by weight.
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Related calculators
Concrete Slab Calculator
Dry materials occupy 54% more than the wet mix.
OpenPaver Calculator
Bedding sand is screeded, never used to fix levels.
OpenDriveway Gravel Calculator
The sub-base carries the load, not the gravel.
OpenRing Size Calculator
Finger measurement to US, UK, EU and Japanese sizes.
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