Sand weight chart
Typical figures. Grain size, shape and especially water change the weight, so use your supplier’s number if they give one.
| Sand | About lb per cubic foot | About lb per cubic yard | About tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry sand (general, mason, play) | 100 | 2,700 | 1.35 |
| Damp sand | 105–115 | 2,850–3,100 | 1.4–1.55 |
| Wet sand | about 120 | about 3,200 | about 1.6 |
The calculator uses 2,700 lb per yard for dry sand and 3,200 for wet. If you buy straight from a wash plant or after rain, the sand will be on the wet side.
Why water makes such a difference
Dry sand has small air gaps between the grains. Water fills those gaps, adding weight without adding much volume. That is also why damp sand packs firm under your feet: a little water holds the grains together. Fully saturated sand loses that grip and flows.
For buying, this matters most when sand is sold by the ton: a ton of wet sand is less sand than a ton of dry.
Converting yards of sand to tons
tons = cubic yards × 2,700 ÷ 2,000 = cubic yards × 1.35 (dry sand)
| Cubic yards | Dry sand, tons | Wet sand, tons |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.68 | 0.8 |
| 1 | 1.35 | 1.6 |
| 2 | 2.7 | 3.2 |
| 5 | 6.75 | 8.0 |
| 10 | 13.5 | 16.0 |
| 14 | 18.9 | 22.4 |
And the other way, cubic yards = tons ÷ 1.35 for dry sand. Ten tons of dry sand is about 7.4 cubic yards.
How much sand is in a bag?
Bagged sand is sold by weight. At about 100 lb per cubic foot dry:
| Bag | About cubic feet | Bags per cubic yard | Bags per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 lb | 0.5 | 54 | 40 |
| 60 lb | 0.6 | 45 | 34 |
| 70 lb | 0.7 | 39 | 29 |
| 100 lb | 1.0 | 27 | 20 |
Play sand, all-purpose sand and many mortar sands come in 50 lb bags. If the sand in the bag is damp, each bag holds slightly less volume, so round up.
What a load of sand weighs
Because sand is heavy, a truck may reach its weight limit before its body is full:
- Pickup truck. A cubic yard of dry sand is about 2,700 lb, more than many half-ton pickups are rated to carry. Check the payload sticker in the door jamb.
- Single-axle dump truck. 5 yards of dry sand is about 6.75 tons; wet, about 8 tons.
- Tandem dump truck. 10 yards of dry sand is about 13.5 tons; 14 yards about 18.9 tons. Haulers often carry fewer yards of sand than of lighter materials.
The dump truck load calculator shows the weight of a full load for each truck size.
Sand vs dirt weight
Dry sand (about 1.35 tons per yard) is usually heavier than typical fill dirt (about 1.1 tons per yard), because sand grains are dense and pack tightly with little organic matter. Wet clay can catch up. See how much a yard of dirt weighs for the dirt chart.
These are typical weights for planning and comparing quotes. Weigh-ticket figures from the supplier are what you will actually be charged for when sand is sold by the ton.
Questions people ask
- How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
- About 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) when dry. Damp sand is commonly around 2,900 to 3,000 lb, and wet sand can be about 3,200 lb or more per cubic yard.
- How much does a cubic foot of sand weigh?
- About 100 lb when dry, and up to about 120 lb or more when wet.
- How much sand is in a 50 lb bag?
- About half a cubic foot of dry sand. Bags are sold by weight, so a bag of damp sand holds a little less volume.
- How many 50 lb bags of sand make a cubic yard?
- About 54 bags of dry sand. For 60 lb bags it is about 45, and for 70 lb bags about 39.
- How much does a ton of sand cover?
- A ton of dry sand is about 20 cubic feet, so it covers about 240 square feet at 1 inch deep, 120 at 2 inches and 60 at 4 inches.