How much sand do I need?

Measure the area, multiply by the depth in feet, and convert to weight — sand is sold by the ton in bulk and by the 50-pound bag at retail, so volume alone will not let you order. Most sand runs about 100 pounds per cubic foot, or roughly 1.35 tons per cubic yard. Depth is where the job type matters more than the arithmetic. Paver bedding is exactly one inch, screeded flat and never compacted before the pavers go down; a thicker bed is the classic cause of a patio rutting, because sand does not compact the way base rock does. A sandbox wants six to twelve inches. Mortar sand is measured against the number of masonry units rather than an area at all. Sand type is not interchangeable. Bedding under pavers needs coarse concrete sand meeting ASTM C33 — play sand and mason sand are too fine, hold water, and let the units shift. Past about ten bags, bulk delivery is cheaper than bagged even after the delivery fee.