Sand vs gravel base
Sand volume uses length × width × depth. Paver bedding sand is often about 1 inch deep over a compacted gravel base. A 10×10 area at 1 inch is 8.3 cu ft (~0.31 cu yd). Add waste for screeding and corner cuts.
Play sand, masonry sand, and concrete sand are not interchangeable. Use the product specified by your paver manufacturer or mix design. Pair this tool with the paver calculator for full patio takeoffs.
Worked example
A 12 × 10 ft patio with a 1" sand bed needs 120 × (1/12) = 10 cu ft ≈ 0.37 cu yd before waste. With 10% extra, budget about 0.41 cu yd.
Common mistakes
- Using fine play sand where coarse bedding sand is specified.
- Skipping compaction of the gravel base so sand waves under traffic.
- Forgetting edge restraints that keep sand from migrating.
Assumptions and limits
The sand calculator results are planning estimates for rectangular or cylindrical shapes with uniform depth. Real sites have slopes, voids, and product variation. Always confirm coverage with the manufacturer label and local building practices before you buy large quantities.
Unit toggles switch input labels between US imperial and metric. Shareable URLs store your inputs in the query string for convenience, while the canonical tag stays on the clean page URL so search engines do not index every parameter combination.
Shopping checklist
- Write down the calculator outputs (volume, bags, or piece counts) and round up for waste.
- Call your supplier for density, dye lot, or delivery minimums when ordering bulk material.
- Check access for trucks, wheelbarrows, and staging space before delivery day.
- Photograph existing conditions so you can revisit dimensions if a helper measures differently.
Keep bedding sand dry while screeding; wet sand changes volume and makes consistent depth harder to hold.
FAQ
How much sand under pavers?
A common setting bed is about 1 inch of coarse concrete/bedding sand over a compacted gravel base. Confirm with your paver manufacturer.
Related guides
Sources
- ICPI – Segmental pavement basics Used for: Paver bedding sand depth context (~1 inch typical setting bed). Checked .
Estimates only—confirm bag yields on the product label and check local building codes before you pour or order. Not affiliated with QUIKRETE, Sakrete, Sonoco, or any manufacturer named in the sources. Found an error? Tell me.
Calculator version 1.0 · Changelog