A cubic yard of dry sand weighs about 2,700 pounds, or roughly 1.35 tons. Wet sand weighs more, about 3,000 to 3,400 pounds per cubic yard (1.5 to 1.7 tons), because water fills the spaces between the grains. Dry loose sand is commonly quoted at about 90 to 110 pounds per cubic foot, which is 2,430 to 2,970 pounds per cubic yard, and 100 pounds per cubic foot (2,700 per yard) is the usual planning figure. The exact weight depends on the type of sand, how wet it is and how tightly it is packed, so confirm with your supplier before you order by the ton.
To find the volume first, use the Sand Calculator, which converts your area and depth into cubic yards, tons and bags. It uses 1.35 tons per yard for dry sand and 1.60 for damp to wet sand.
How much does sand weigh? Quick answer
| Sand condition | Per cubic foot | Per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry, loose | 90 to 110 lb (about 100 typical) | 2,430 to 2,970 lb (about 2,700 typical) | 1.2 to 1.5 (about 1.35 typical) |
| Damp (about 5% moisture) | about 105 lb | about 2,835 lb | about 1.4 |
| Moist (about 10% moisture) | about 110 lb | about 2,970 lb | about 1.5 |
| Wet | about 110 to 125 lb | about 3,000 to 3,400 lb | about 1.5 to 1.7 |
| Saturated | about 120 to 135 lb | about 3,200 to 3,500+ lb | about 1.6 to 1.75+ |
One US ton is 2,000 pounds. In metric terms, dry sand at 100 lb per cubic foot is about 1,602 kilograms per cubic meter.
How much does each type of sand weigh?
| Sand type | Typical dry weight per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Play sand | about 2,500 to 2,700 lb |
| Washed sand | about 2,600 to 2,900 lb |
| Concrete sand | about 2,700 to 2,900 lb |
| Masonry sand | about 2,600 to 3,000 lb |
| Fill sand | about 2,700 to 3,100 lb |
Supplier guides give slightly different ranges for each type, so treat these as ballparks. Play sand is usually at the lighter end and fill sand at the heavier end.
Why wet sand is heavier
Dry sand is mostly grains and air. When water fills the air spaces, the same volume holds more weight. One reference that starts from 100 lb per cubic foot puts sand at about 5 percent moisture near 105 lb per cubic foot (2,835 lb per cubic yard) and at about 10 percent near 110 lb (2,970 lb). Sand that sat in the rain, or sand delivered straight from a wet pit, can be well above the dry figure, so ask your supplier how wet it is.
Sand weight by volume
| Volume | Dry (2,700 lb/yd³) | Damp to wet (3,200 lb/yd³) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cubic yards | 1,350 lb (0.68 tons) | 1,600 lb (0.80 tons) |
| 1 cubic yard | 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) | 3,200 lb (1.60 tons) |
| 2 cubic yards | 5,400 lb (2.70 tons) | 6,400 lb (3.20 tons) |
| 5 cubic yards | 13,500 lb (6.75 tons) | 16,000 lb (8.00 tons) |
| 10 cubic yards | 27,000 lb (13.50 tons) | 32,000 lb (16.00 tons) |
These match the planning values in the Sand Calculator. Going the other way, one ton of dry sand is about 20 cubic feet, or 0.74 cubic yards.
Bags of sand and wheelbarrows
- 50 lb bags: a 50 lb bag of sand yields about 0.5 cubic feet, so a cubic yard of dry sand is about 54 bags (2,700 ÷ 50), and damp to wet sand is about 64 bags (3,200 ÷ 50). The weight printed on your bag is what counts.
- Wheelbarrows: a standard wheelbarrow holds about 3 cubic feet, so a yard is about 9 loads, and each load of dry sand is roughly 300 lb.
Worked examples
- A 4 × 4 ft sandbox filled 12 inches deep: 16 ft³, or 0.59 cubic yards. At 100 lb per cubic foot that is 1,600 lb of dry sand, about 32 bags of 50 lb.
- Paver bedding sand for a 200 sq ft patio, 1 inch deep: 16.7 ft³, or 0.62 cubic yards. That is about 1,667 lb, or 0.83 tons.
- A 20 × 10 ft play area filled 12 inches deep: 200 ft³, or 7.41 cubic yards. That is about 20,000 lb, or 10 tons, of dry sand.
- Loading a pickup: one cubic yard of dry sand is about 2,700 lb and wet sand about 3,200 lb, so compare that with your vehicle’s payload rating (printed on the door-jamb label) before you load.
For the area-to-volume math, see the Sand Calculator, and for bedding sand depth see paver base depth.
Ordering sand for delivery? Sand is heavy enough that a dump truck usually reaches its weight limit before the bed is full. In our worked example, a tandem with 14 tons of payload carries about 10 cubic yards of dry sand but only about 9 of wet sand. See how many cubic yards in a dump truck to plan the number of loads.
Common questions
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
About 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) when dry, and about 3,000 to 3,400 lb (1.5 to 1.7 tons) when wet.
How much does a cubic foot of sand weigh?
About 100 lb when dry, with a typical range of 90 to 110 lb, and more when it is wet.
How many tons is a cubic yard of sand?
About 1.35 tons dry, up to about 1.7 tons wet.
How many 50 lb bags make a cubic yard?
About 54 bags of dry sand, using about 0.5 cubic feet per bag.
Does wet sand weigh more than dry sand?
Yes. Water adds weight to the same volume. One supplier guide puts damp sand about 5 to 10 percent heavier than bone-dry sand and wet sand about 15 to 25 percent heavier.
Is there a difference between a ton and a yard of sand?
Yes. A yard is a volume (27 cubic feet) and a ton is a weight (2,000 lb). A yard of dry sand is about 1.35 tons, so a ton of sand is about 0.74 cubic yards.
Bottom line
Plan on about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard of dry sand and about 3,200 lb (1.6 tons) for wet sand. To turn an area and depth into yards, tons and bags, use the Sand Calculator. For other materials, see how much does a yard of gravel weigh, topsoil, mulch and concrete.
Weights are planning figures. Confirm the weight, moisture and sand type with your supplier before ordering by the ton or hauling a load.
Sources
We did not find a university extension page on the weight of sand. These are engineering and supplier references, and their figures agree closely.
- Engineering ToolBox: Dirt and mud densities
- GaugeYard: How Much Does a Yard of Sand Weigh? (100 lb/ft³ baseline, moisture)
- Civil Sir: Sand weight per yard (bags and wheelbarrows)
- HelloGravel: How Much Does a Yard of Sand Weigh? (sand types)
- MyGravelMonkey: How Much Does a Yard of Sand Weigh? (sand types, moisture)
- SandCalculators: Sand Weight and Density Converter