Sand Calculator
Calculate exactly how much sand you need for paving, concrete, bricklaying, or sandpits. Get results in cubic metres, tonnes, and bags.
Calculate Your Sand
Recommended depth: 30-50mm for paving bedding
Total Volume
Volume: Length × Width × Depth (converted to metres). For circles: π × radius² × depth. For triangles: ½ × base × height × depth.
Weight: Volume × sand density. Most sand types have a density of approximately 1.5 t/m³, with paving sand slightly heavier at 1.6 t/m³.
Bags: Weight in tonnes × 50 (standard 20kg bags). We round up to ensure you have enough sand.
Bulka Bags: Volume ÷ 1.0 (standard 1m³ bulka bag). Rounded up for ordering purposes.
How to Calculate Sand for Your Project
Calculating the correct amount of sand is essential for any construction, paving, or landscaping project in Australia. Whether you're laying pavers, mixing concrete, building a sandpit, or doing brickwork, our sand calculator provides accurate measurements instantly.
Understanding Sand Measurements
In Australia, sand is sold by the cubic metre (m³) or tonne. Since sand is relatively dense, suppliers often price by weight. Our calculator provides both volume and weight conversions, making it easy to compare prices and order accurately.
Choosing the Right Sand Depth
For standard paving work, lay your bedding sand at 30mm uncompacted—this will settle to around 20-25mm once you've compacted it and set your pavers. When working with uneven surfaces or when you need more room to adjust paver levels, increase the bedding layer to 50mm. For sandpits, drainage layers, and other non-paving applications, you'll typically want 75mm or more depending on the specific requirements of your project.
Types of Sand Available in Australia
Washed sand at 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre is the most versatile option, thoroughly cleaned to remove silt and clay which makes it ideal for concrete mixing, rendering, and general construction work. Brickies sand, also at 1.5 t/m³, deliberately retains some clay content because this improves the workability of mortar—bricklayers specifically request this type for laying bricks and blocks. Plastering sand at 1.5 t/m³ is finely graded and washed to produce the smooth finish required for internal and external render work.
Paving sand is slightly heavier at 1.6 t/m³ due to its coarser, more angular particle shape. This angularity is deliberate—it helps the sand compact firmly and lock together to create a stable bedding layer under pavers. White sand and yellow sand, both at 1.5 t/m³, serve decorative purposes in gardens and pathways, with colour being the main differentiator. For children's play areas, sandpit sand at 1.5 t/m³ is washed, tested, and certified safe, meeting Australian safety standards for play equipment.
Tips for Using Sand
When laying pavers, screed your sand level using metal rails as guides and a straight edge to create a perfectly flat surface before you begin setting stones. Always compact your paving sand before laying pavers, not after—compacting afterwards can crack pavers and create an uneven surface. Try to keep your sand dry during the project, as wet sand is significantly heavier and much harder to screed smoothly. Order approximately 10% more than your calculations suggest to account for compaction, wastage, and those inevitable small spillages during the job. When mixing concrete, always use clean washed sand free of organic matter, as contamination weakens the final product.
Sand for Different Applications
Matching the right sand to your application makes a significant difference to your results. For paving projects, use coarse paving sand to create the bedding layer, then switch to fine kiln-dried jointing sand to fill the gaps between pavers. Concrete requires washed sand mixed with cement and aggregate in the correct proportions for your strength requirements. Bricklaying calls for brickies sand mixed with cement to create mortar with good workability that sticks properly to bricks. For sandpits, never compromise on quality—only use certified play sand that has been washed and tested to ensure it's safe for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
For paving bedding, calculate sand by measuring length × width × depth. Standard bedding depth is 30-50mm. For a 20m² paved area at 30mm depth: 20 × 0.03 = 0.6 cubic metres. Our calculator provides instant results including tonnage for ordering.
In Australia, paving sand bedding should be 20-30mm deep after compaction. Lay sand at 30-40mm uncompacted, then screed level before laying pavers. For jointing sand between pavers, use fine kiln-dried sand swept into joints.
Washed sand has been cleaned to remove clay and silt, making it ideal for concrete and paving. Brickies sand contains some clay content which makes mortar more workable for bricklaying. Both weigh approximately 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre.
Sand weighs approximately 1.5-1.6 tonnes per cubic metre depending on moisture content and type. Dry sand is lighter than wet sand. Our calculator uses 1.5 t/m³ for most sand types, which is the industry standard for dry, loose sand.
For sandpits, use washed play sand at 200-300mm depth. Calculate length × width × depth in metres. A 2m × 2m sandpit at 300mm deep needs: 2 × 2 × 0.3 = 1.2 cubic metres. Use only certified play sand that's been washed and tested for safety.