How Much Sand for a 16×20 Area?
A 16 × 20 ft area (320 ft²) at 2″ deep needs 2.8 tons of sand — 1.98 yd³ net plus 5% waste. Order 3.00 t — yards sell sand by the ton or ½ ton; most have a 1-ton minimum.
16×20 at other depths
| Depth | Volume | Order (tons) | 50 lb bag (0.5 ft³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1″ | 0.99 yd³ | 1.4 tons | 56 |
| 2″ (this page) | 1.98 yd³ | 2.8 tons | 112 |
| 4″ | 3.95 yd³ | 5.6 tons | 224 |
Other area sizes
Order 3.00 t — yards sell sand by the ton or ½ ton; most have a 1-ton minimum.
- Area
- 320 ft²
- Volume (53.3 ft³)
- 1.98 yd³
- Net weight @ 1.35 t/yd³
- 5,333 lb · 2.67 t
- Waste / settling 5%
- + 0.13 t
- Order quantity
- 2.80 tons
- Truckloads
- 1 × tri-axle dump (≈20 t)
- Metric
- 1.51 m³ · 2.54 tonnes
- 50 lb bag (0.5 ft³)
- 112 bags
- Materials + delivery$25–$60 / ton · Sep 2026
- $160 – $265
- Installed (with labor)typ. $275
- $202 – $377
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Different size or depth?
Open the full sand calculator to change every input, pick a material and see truckloads.
How to calculate sand by hand
Tons = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × 1.35 t/yd³
Worked example
- Area: 20 ft × 10 ft = 200 ft².
- Volume: 200 ft² × (2 in ÷ 12) = 33.3 ft³ = 1.23 yd³.
- Weight: 1.23 yd³ × 1.35 t/yd³ = 1.67 tons.
- Waste 5%: 1.67 × 1.05 = 1.75 tons → order 1.75 tons.
- Bagged: 35 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³ = 70 × 50 lb bags.
- 1 ton of sand at 1″ deep
- ≈ 240 ft²
- 1 ton of sand at 2″ deep
- ≈ 120 ft²
- 1 yd³ of dry sand
- ≈ 2,700 lb · 1.35 t
- 50 lb bag
- ≈ 0.5 ft³
Questions crews ask
How many tons of sand do I need?
Length × width in feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 gives cubic yards; multiply by 1.35 for tons of dry sand (1.4 for coarse concrete sand). A 20 × 10 ft area at 2″ is 1.23 yd³ or about 1.7 tons.
How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
Dry loose sand is 2,600–2,800 lb per cubic yard — about 1.35 tons. Wet sand can reach 3,000–3,200 lb. Quarries sell by the ton, so a damp pile gives you fewer cubic feet per ton.
How much sand do I need under pavers?
A 1-inch bedding layer of coarse concrete sand over a compacted stone base. Never bed pavers deeper than 1½″ — thick sand shifts. For 200 ft² that is 0.6 yd³, about 0.9 tons.