How do you calculate sand for a patio?
Decide how thick the layer of sand will be. Let's assume a depth of 1 inch (1/12 ft). Multiply the area by depth to find the volume of sand required: V = 161.5 ft^2 * 1/12 ft = 13.458 cu ft .
The recommended depth of sand for laying pavers is 1 inch. As one inch is 1/12 of a foot, divide the surface area, in square feet, by 12 to find the cubic feet of sand required. For example, a 60-square-foot patio requires 5 cubic feet of sand because 60/12 = 5.
Paver sand holds the pavers in place and allows you to adjust them. The final paver sand depth needs to be 1 inch and you need to account for sand filtering into the paver base and into the joints between the pavers. Make your calculations using a sand depth of 2 inches or 0.1667 feet.
One bag of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) of this product will cover between 20 to 30 square feet (1.86 to 2.8 m2) if the joints are about 1" to 2" (2.54 to 5.08 cm) wide and the stones are about 2" to 2-1/2" (5.08 cm to 6.35 cm) thick.
- Measure number of square feet in the area.
- # of square feet x depth in feet = # of cubic feet.
- # of cubic feet /divided by 27 = # of cubic yards.
- # of cubic yards x (unit weight in pounds / 2000) = # of tons needed.
- Determine the length and width of the cuboidal excavation. ...
- Calculate the area of the excavation by multiplying the length by the width. ...
- Establish the depth of the excavation. ...
- Multiply the area by the depth of the excavation to obtain its volume: 36 * 0.5 = 18 cu yd .
For making of a 10×10 or 100 square foot of patio base, you will need 8.33 cubic feet, 0.31 cubic yards, or 17 bags of 50- pound paver sand quantity with a recommended depth of 1 inch.
Paving slabs are bedded in a mortar mix with four parts sharp sand to one part cement.
For a rectangular pool that's 18 feet long by 9 feet wide, you will need at least 1 cubic yard or 54 bags of 50 lb (50- pounds) of sand for your 2 inches thick base. As one bag of 50lb of sand yields about 0.50 cubic feet, so, 54 bags of 50- Pound sand is equivalent to one cubic yard.
Multiply the number of bags needed per foot by the total length of the wall. For example, a wall 20 feet long that is 3 feet high needs 420 sandbags.
How do you calculate gravel and sand for a patio?
Multiply the length and width to find the area in square inches. Multiply the area by the gravel depth in inches to find the volume in cubic inches. Divide gravel cubic inches by 46,656 to find the amount of gravel in cubic yards. Multiply the area by the sand depth in inches to find the volume in cubic inches.
Before laying bedding sand or pavers, your gravel base needs to be flat and firm, without any bellies or rises of more than 1/8″. You accomplish this kind of precision by properly compacting your base and your pavers. If you fail to compact, you'll experience sunken or raised pavers.

Laying pavers on sand base follows the same steps as laying them on soil base, but you'll be adding a layer of coarse sand, road base, or polymeric sand first. Rake the sand to even it out and use a plate compactor to make your sand base solid so you have a firm, stable base.
A bed of sand and gravel is a great foundation for you to use for your paving slabs. As we touched on above, it's far easier to lay than mortar, and provides you with a solid reliable base, that drains well, and doesn't cost you too much when compared to mortar.
According to imperial or US customary measurement system, a cubic yard of sand will cover around 162 square feet for upto 2 inch depth, for 1 inch depth, it will cover around 324 square feet, for 3 inch depth, it will cover around 108 square feet and for 4 inch depth, it will cover around 80 square feet.
The approximate density of sand is 1600 kg/m3 (100 lb/ft3).
Amount for Sand Base with SAND COVE | Amount for Sand Base with FOAM COVE | |
---|---|---|
12' Round | 1.00 | 1.00 |
15' Round | 1.50 | 1.50 |
18' Round | 2.00 | 2.00 |
21' Round | 2.50 | 2.50 |
A 50-pound bag of polymeric sand will cover 75-100 square feet when used for tiny gaps. When filling broad gaps ranging from 1/4″ to 3/8″ wide, a 50lb bag will generally cover 30-60 square feet.
Paver Square Footage Formula:
So, assuming your paver size is 12″ x 12″, multiply 12×12 and then divide 144 by the answer. You'll find that 144 ÷ (12×12) = 1.0. That means you need one paver per square foot, which makes sense since a 12″ x 12″ paver is 1 square foot.
What is the difference between paver sand and polymeric sand?
Polymeric sand is the more reliable and durable option for filling in the paver gaps. It outperforms regular sand when a homeowner is looking to lock the paver joints properly and wants a steady and stable path. It also provides a better appearance with its cleaner look and availability in varied colors.
Polymeric sand hardens quickly
However, you should NEVER install polymeric sand when it is raining! Rain activates the polymers before the sand is in the joints which will ruin your hardscape by producing a haze and adhering sand grains to the surface of the pavers.
Polymeric sand is the most popular and useful filler used under brick pavers. It is a mixture of fine sand, adhesive and is most widely used in paver joints. Typically, polymeric sand lasts for up to 10 years. But if you use high-quality polymeric sand, it can last for approximately 15 years.
Begin by measuring the length and the width and multiplying those two numbers together. (For example: A 10' x 10' patio would be 10x10 and would equal 100 square feet.
Concrete sand is the proper sand for laying a foundational base for a concrete paver installation. It is extremely coarse sand so it can be compacted uniformly and allows for adequate water drainage. Concrete sand will lift slightly into the joints of the pavers when they are being leveled, locking them into place.
The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute recommends washed concrete sand as the best base sand for pavers. Concrete sand, also known as bedding sand, is coarse and doesn't trap excess moisture beneath the paver surface.
Building is great for ease of laying the slabs and the moisture will give good grip to the slab, but, it breaks down faster over time. Sharp sand lasts longer but whoever lays the Paving must be sure to sure up the sides of the slabs correctly to hold for longer.
Use a mortar mix of 6 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement. Mix together with just enough water to make it damp and workable, but not overly wet and runny. First set up 2 taut string lines to guide both the line and the level of the paving.
The depth of the mortar bed should be approximately 35-40mm deep. Ideally starting from a right angle or straight edge, place the slab down. Gently tap with a rubber mallet or press down with your hands and use a spirit level to ensure to make sure the slab is level and in line with your proposed design.
- Cement Quantity= (Cement Part / Concrete Parts) x Concrete Volume.
- Sand Quantity= (sand Part / Concrete Parts) x Concrete Volume.
- Aggregate Quantity = (sand Part / Concrete Parts) x Concrete Volume.
How many square feet does a bag of paver sand cover?
A 50-pound bag of polymeric sand will cover 75-100 square feet when used for tiny gaps. When filling broad gaps ranging from 1/4″ to 3/8″ wide, a 50lb bag will generally cover 30-60 square feet.
You'll be able to lay roughly 100 bricks using a 3:1 mix of cement, assuming that the bricks have frogs and are laid frogs up. With the standard-size bricks, you should order 600 to 800 pounds of the stuff for every 100 sets of blocks. Two and a half to three bags of cement will be blended with the sand you're using.
If you're not confident about making a concrete bed, don't worry – sharp sand is easier, and works just as well. It holds just as firm as cement and still allows water to escape beneath.
In terms of the ratio for concrete, it depends on what strength you are trying to achieve, but as a general guide a standard concrete mix would be 1 part cement to 2 parts sand to 4 parts aggregates. For foundations, a mix of 1 part cement to 3 parts sand to 6 parts aggregates can be used.
I've just laid my patio on to a dry mix - works quite well. The ratio can be as low as 1:10 (1 cement, 10 sharp sand), or as high as 1:3, depending on the amount of foot traffic you expect, and what the sub base is like.
One may ask, “how many bags of cement to a tonne bag of sand?”, generally, there are 9 bags of 25kg cement to a tonne, or bulk or jumbo bag of sand by using a standard mix of 1:4 (1 parts cement to 4 parts sand). Thus, you will need approximately 9 bags of 25kg cement to a tonne of sand.
The amount of sand you use can make or break your paver installation, so it's best that you use no more than the recommended 1 inch. Here's why: A sand layer that is too thick can create waves in your patio during the installation.
Prepare a Paver Base - How To - Menards - YouTube
Paver Square Footage Formula:
So, assuming your paver size is 12″ x 12″, multiply 12×12 and then divide 144 by the answer. You'll find that 144 ÷ (12×12) = 1.0. That means you need one paver per square foot, which makes sense since a 12″ x 12″ paver is 1 square foot.
2 bags of 20kg cement, 1 bag of 20kg limil, and 36 shovels of sand.
How much sand do I need for 1000 bricks?
You probably need around half meter of sand, best get a ton in a hippo bag, which i believe is between 1/2 and 1 meter. cement id use a 4/1 mix.
Useful Tips
Default mortar mix of 1 part cement to 3.5 parts sand. Please double-check all calculations and over order slightly for wastage.
Place Your Patio Slabs
Make sure it sits 1-1.5cm deep in the sand, and leave a gap of roughly 1-1.5cm for the next piece. The patio slabs should fit together snugly.
A bed of sand and gravel is a great foundation for you to use for your paving slabs. As we touched on above, it's far easier to lay than mortar, and provides you with a solid reliable base, that drains well, and doesn't cost you too much when compared to mortar.
Before laying bedding sand or pavers, your gravel base needs to be flat and firm, without any bellies or rises of more than 1/8″. You accomplish this kind of precision by properly compacting your base and your pavers. If you fail to compact, you'll experience sunken or raised pavers.