Sand calculator
A cubic metre of sand weighs about 1.65 tonnes. At 50 mm deep, one 850 kg bulk bag covers about 10.3 m².
- Bulk bags (850 kg)
- 1
- Small bags
- 30
- Volume
- 0.45 m³
- Area
- 9.00 m²
3 × 3 m at 50 mm deep, using 1.65 tonnes per m³.
Bag counts are rounded up. Bulk bag weights vary by supplier, so check theirs.
Sand for common areas
At 50 mm deep and 1.65 tonnes per m³.
| Area | Tonnes | Bulk bags | 25 kg bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 m² | 0.08 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 m² | 0.41 | 1 | 17 |
| 10 m² | 0.83 | 1 | 33 |
| 15 m² | 1.24 | 2 | 50 |
| 20 m² | 1.65 | 2 | 66 |
| 30 m² | 2.47 | 3 | 99 |
How we calculate this
We multiply the area by the depth to get the volume, then by the weight of sand per cubic metre. A bulk bag of soft sand from MP Moran is about 0.5 m³ and 800 to 850 kg, which is about 1.65 tonnes per m³.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between building sand and sharp sand?
Building sand (soft sand) is fine and smooth, and is used for bricklaying mortar. Sharp sand (grit sand) is coarser and drains better, so it is used under paving and in concrete and floor screed.
How much does a bulk bag of sand cover?
About 10.3 m² at 50 mm deep, or 20.6 m² at 25 mm.
How much sand for mortar?
Mortar is usually mixed at about 4 or 5 parts building sand to 1 part cement. Our brick calculator tells you how many bricks you need; ask your supplier how much mortar mix that takes.
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