What are the main types of sand?

The types you will see at a supplier are fill sand, mason sand, play sand, concrete sand, utility or bedding sand, and specialty sands for things like arenas, volleyball courts and filters. Names vary by region.

What is the difference between mason sand and concrete sand?

Mason sand is finer and smoother, made for mortar. Concrete sand is coarser, with a range of grain sizes, made for mixing concrete and often used as a bedding layer.

What sand is best for drainage?

Coarser, washed sands with little silt or clay drain best. Very fine or dirty sand can hold water and clog.

Do all types of sand weigh the same?

Roughly. Most dry sands weigh around 2,700 lb per cubic yard, about 1.35 tons. Moisture changes the weight more than the type of sand does.

What sand should I use under an above-ground pool?

Many installers use a fine, clean sand such as mason sand for a smooth base. Follow the pool maker's instructions for the type and depth.

Types of Sand: Fill, Mason, Play, Concrete and More

Sand is sorted by grain size, shape and how clean it is. Pick the wrong one and a sandbox turns muddy or a base will not drain. Here are the common types sold by landscape and building suppliers.

The common types of sand

Type	Grain	Clean?	Typical uses
Fill sand	Coarse to mixed, may hold some silt or small stones	Often unwashed	Filling and leveling, bedding pipes, under slabs, pool bases
Mason sand	Fine, smooth	Washed	Mortar, sandboxes, volleyball courts, smooth beds
Play sand	Fine, smooth	Washed and screened	Sandboxes and sand tables
Concrete sand	Coarser, mixed sizes	Washed	Concrete mixes, bedding layers
Utility or bedding sand	Mixed	Varies	Around pipes and conduits in trenches
Specialty sands	Graded to a spec	Washed	Arenas, volleyball, filters, golf bunkers

Names are not standardized from one supplier to the next. One yard’s “fill sand” might be another’s “all-purpose sand”. Ask to see the pile, or ask what it is graded for.

What makes sands different

Grain size. Fine sand feels soft and packs smooth. Coarse sand feels gritty and drains faster.
Grain shape. Rounded grains (like beach and river sand) roll past each other and shift underfoot. Angular grains lock together and hold firmer.
Gradation. A sand with a range of sizes packs denser than one where every grain is the same size.
Cleanliness. Washed sand has had the silt and clay rinsed out. Unwashed sand can hold water, stain and get muddy.

Fill sand

The workhorse: cheaper, often unwashed sand for bulk filling and leveling where drainage helps. It is commonly used to bed pipes, fill under concrete slabs as specified, and form the base for above-ground pools. It washes off slopes more readily than clay fill, so it is less suited to building up grade beside a house. Compare it with fill dirt on the what is fill dirt page.

Mason sand

Fine, washed and smooth, graded for mortar. Its softness also makes it a common choice for big sandboxes and backyard volleyball courts where bags would be expensive. See the mason sand calculator.

Play sand

Fine sand washed and screened for children’s play, usually sold in 50 lb bags. The play sand calculator gives bags by sandbox size.

Concrete sand

Coarser than mason sand, with a spread of grain sizes that helps concrete pack and gain strength. Because it drains and compacts well, it is also used as a bedding layer for various projects. Mix proportions for concrete come from the cement maker or the mix design.

Specialty sands

Arena sand for horse riding arenas is chosen for cushion and grip. See the arena sand calculator.
Volleyball court sand is typically fine and washed so it does not compact hard or hurt bare feet.
Filter and bunker sands are graded to tight specs by their industries.

Weight of different sands

Most dry sands weigh about 100 lb per cubic foot, or 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard. Water makes a bigger difference than type: damp sand can weigh 10 to 20 percent more. The sand weight calculator converts yards to tons.

Choosing the right sand

Job	Usually chosen
Sandbox	Play sand, or washed mason sand for large boxes
Mortar for brick or block	Mason sand, or pre-mixed mortar
Concrete	Concrete sand, as part of the mix design
Base for an above-ground pool	Fine, clean sand per the pool maker
Pipe bedding in a trench	Bedding or fill sand per the code or spec
Filling and leveling	Fill sand or fill dirt
Horse arena	Washed arena sand
Volleyball court	Fine, washed court sand or mason sand

For anything structural or covered by a code, such as concrete, mortar, septic systems or utility trenches, the spec or the inspector decides the sand. Use this page as a guide to the vocabulary, then confirm with your supplier.

Illustration of four heaps of sand in different colors and grain sizes with a trowel and a sieve

Questions people ask

What are the main types of sand?: The types you will see at a supplier are fill sand, mason sand, play sand, concrete sand, utility or bedding sand, and specialty sands for things like arenas, volleyball courts and filters. Names vary by region.
What is the difference between mason sand and concrete sand?: Mason sand is finer and smoother, made for mortar. Concrete sand is coarser, with a range of grain sizes, made for mixing concrete and often used as a bedding layer.
What sand is best for drainage?: Coarser, washed sands with little silt or clay drain best. Very fine or dirty sand can hold water and clog.
Do all types of sand weigh the same?: Roughly. Most dry sands weigh around 2,700 lb per cubic yard, about 1.35 tons. Moisture changes the weight more than the type of sand does.
What sand should I use under an above-ground pool?: Many installers use a fine, clean sand such as mason sand for a smooth base. Follow the pool maker's instructions for the type and depth.

Types of sand and what each is for