Use this paver sand calculator to estimate bedding sand volume, bags and cost for a patio or walkway in feet and inches or metric units.
Enter the volume printed on the bag. Bag weight alone is not a volume.
Area: 120.00 sq ft. Includes 10% extra.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
- Measure the paved area. Split an irregular patio into rectangles and add their volumes.
- Enter the bedding depth specified for your paving system.
- Choose an extra allowance and enter the bag volume from the packaging.
- Use the bulk volume or rounded-up bag count to order.
Paver sand formulas
- Area = length × width.
- Cubic feet = area in square feet × depth in inches ÷ 12.
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27.
- Cubic metres = area in square metres × depth in centimetres ÷ 100.
- Order volume = calculated volume × (1 + extra percentage ÷ 100).
- Bags = order volume ÷ volume per bag, rounded up.
- Bag cost = rounded bag count × price per bag.
Worked example: a 12 by 10 foot patio
At 1 inch deep, a 120 square foot patio needs 10 cubic feet of bedding sand. A 10% allowance brings the order to 11 cubic feet, or 0.407 cubic yards. With 0.5 cubic foot bags, buy 22 bags. At $6 per bag, the estimated bag cost is $132, excluding tax and delivery.
Bedding sand and joint sand are different
This tool estimates the continuous bedding layer below the pavers. Polymeric or jointing sand goes between pavers; use the joint-sand manufacturer’s coverage chart because joint width, depth and paver size affect coverage. Gravel base, pavers and joint sand are not included here.
What depth should I enter?
For conventional interlocking concrete pavers, CMHA describes a nominal 1 inch uncompacted bedding layer. Follow the specification for your product and site. Extra allowance covers handling and ordering losses; it does not specify a thicker installed layer.
Source: CMHA: Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements. For a bagged product example, QUIKRETE’s patio paver sand calculator uses 0.5 cubic foot bags. Always check your own product label.
Common questions
How much does one 0.5 cubic foot bag cover?
At 1 inch deep, it covers 6 square feet before extra allowance: 0.5 × 12 ÷ 1 = 6. Thicker layers cover less area.
Can I enter bags in litres?
Yes. Select Metres & cm and enter the litres per bag. One cubic metre equals 1,000 litres.
Does this estimate sand weight?
No. Moisture and material density change weight. Use the bag’s volume or ask the supplier to convert the bulk volume into a delivery weight.
Last checked: (worked example and form display).