Estimix

Sand fill calculator: ft³, yd³, short tons, optional $/ton

Pipe bedding, paver screeds, and simple trench fills are often sketched as a single footprint with an average depth. This page gives you geometric volume, a ton line using your bulk density, and a rough check against price-per-ton quotes. Bulking, oversize particles, and wash loss still belong in a field margin—not a silent fudge in the form.

Calculator inputs

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Results (live)

Cubic feet (ft³)
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Cubic yards (yd³)
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Estimated US short tons
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Estimated material cost (from $/ton)
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Enter footprint area, fill depth, and a positive sand density (lb/ft³) to see volume, tons, and optional cost.

Formula and units

Convert thickness in inches to feet by ÷ 12, then volume in ft³ = area (ft²) × depth (ft). yd³ = ft³ ÷ 27. Short tons = (ft³ × density in lb/ft³) ÷ 2,000. If you enter a $/ton price, cost ≈ tons × that rate. Fine aggregate can sit around 100 lb/ft³ as a starting band when in doubt; your supplier’s sheet or your moisture test should win on bid day.

Example calculation

1,200 ft² of bedding at 3 in is 1,200 × 0.25 = 300 ft³ ≈ 11.1 yd³. At 100 lb/ft³, that is 300 × 100 ÷ 2,000 = 15 US short tons. If bedding sand is $38/ton delivered in your market, the material call is on the order of $570 before the fuel surcharge and tax line.

Cost explanation

Density drives tons: the default is a planning value for many fine sands. Open-graded, damp product, and frozen stacks all move how much mass fits in a yard. Cost only tracks what you type—separate the pump, place, and QC tests in your sub quote.

Common mistakes

  • Packing bedding numbers into a structural fill spec

    Bedding, filter, and structural fills have different proctors, inspections, and sometimes price points. The geometry is shared; the contract section is not.

  • Forgetting to cap pipes and backfill in lifts

    This tool is one monolithic number. The crew still needs lift heights, slurry, and compaction—keep those in your method statement.

  • Using a generic density for every state line

    A coastal mason sand and a high-fines glacial pack do not move on the same ticket. Revisit density when the pit or the moisture changes.

Frequently asked questions

  • Should I split bedding sand from structural fill in one model?

    Keep contract sections separate. This calculator only unifies a footprint and a lift—use an extra line in your takeoff for each material class.

  • Why is my default density 100 lb/ft³?

    It is a mid-range planning value for many fine, damp sands. Tighten it against a moisture test or an invoice basis before you sign a GMP.

  • Can I do long trenches in one shot?

    If you can reduce the job to a single average width and a consistent depth, one footprint works. Tapered ditches and stepped bedding should be more than one pass.