Paver Sand Calculator — Bedding Sand for Pavers
Find the bedding (leveling) sand under your pavers. Enter the area and the sand depth, and this calculator gives you cubic yards, tons, and 50 lb bags. (For the joints between pavers, use the polymeric sand calculator.)
How to use this calculator
- Enter the paver area length and width in feet.
- Keep the bedding sand to about 1 inch — thicker layers rut and settle unevenly.
- Use coarse, sharp concrete sand for bedding (not play sand), screeded level over a compacted gravel base.
- Buy bagged for small patios; order bulk by the cubic yard above roughly one yard (≈54 bags).
The formula
Bedding sand is a thin, even layer under the pavers.
Volume (cubic feet) = area × depth (in) ÷ 12. Cubic yards = ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × 1.4. Bags = cubic feet ÷ 0.5 (a 50 lb bag holds ≈0.5 cu ft).
Worked example
A 12 ft × 10 ft patio with 1 in of bedding sand.
Area = 120 sq ftVolume = 120 × (1 ÷ 12) = 10 cu ftBags = 10 ÷ 0.5 = 20 bags
A 120 sq ft patio needs about 10 cu ft of bedding sand — 20 bags, or ~0.37 cu yd in bulk.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need under pavers?
Plan a 1 inch bedding layer. For a 120 sq ft patio that is about 10 cubic feet, or roughly 20 fifty-pound bags. Keep it thin and even — thick sand beds cause settling.
What kind of sand goes under pavers?
Use coarse, washed concrete sand (ASTM C33) for the bedding layer. Do not use fine play sand or mason sand, which holds water and shifts under load.
Is bedding sand the same as joint sand?
No. Bedding sand levels the pavers; joint sand (often polymeric) fills the gaps between them afterward. Use the polymeric sand calculator for the joints.