Free Calculator
Beach Sand Calculator — How Much Beach Sand Do I Need?
Tons of decorative beach sand for courts, decks, and bunkers.
3. Enter Dimensions
Your order summary lands here
As soon as the dimensions are valid, you will see the recommended quantity, truckload count, and the ZIP pricing step.
Beach sand is the warm-toned decorative sand for volleyball courts, pool decks, decorative landscape areas, and golf bunkers. Use this calculator to size tons.
How to use this beach sand calculator
- 1
Measure the area
Volleyball: 30 ft × 60 ft is regulation. Pool deck: footprint inside the deck edging. Bunkers: irregular — square off to the bounding rectangle.
- 2
Pick the depth
Volleyball court: 8–12 inches. Pool deck decorative: 2–4 inches. Golf bunker: 4–6 inches.
- 3
Confirm wash status
Beach sand is washed at the pit but is not concrete-grade. Do not use in structural mixes.
- 4
Enter your ZIP
Florida ZIPs return delivered pricing per ton.
How the math works
Volume in cubic yards equals Length × Width × Depth ÷ 27. Beach sand has a density of about 1.25 tons per cubic yard.
A regulation volleyball court (30 × 60 ft at 10 inches): 1,800 × 10/12 ÷ 27 ≈ 56 cu yds ≈ 70 tons of beach sand.
Beach sand is decorative — for any structural use, swap to concrete sand.
How much does beach sand cover?
Quick reference for how much area one ton and one cubic yard cover at common depths.
| Depth | 1 ton covers | 1 cubic yard covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1" | 249 sq ft | 324 sq ft |
| 2" | 125 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 3" | 83 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 4" | 62 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
| 6" | 42 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
| 12" | 21 sq ft | 27 sq ft |
Assumes a density of about 1.3 tons per cubic yard, typical for mason and concrete sand. Wet or compacted sand covers slightly less per ton.
Typical quantities by project
| Project | Depth | Area | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volleyball court 30 ft × 60 ft | 10" | 1,800 sq ft | ~70 tons |
| Backyard volleyball 20 ft × 40 ft | 8" | 800 sq ft | ~25 tons |
| Pool deck decorative 200 sq ft | 3" | 200 sq ft | ~2.5 tons |
| Bunker 200 sq ft | 5" | 200 sq ft | ~4 tons |
Common ordering mistakes
From real deliveries, these are the mistakes we see most often. Avoiding any one of them saves a callback order.
Beach sand in concrete
Salt and organics weaken concrete. Use washed ASTM C33 concrete sand for any mix.
Volleyball depth too shallow
Less than 6 inches and divers hit the soil base. 10–12 inches is the safe recreational depth.
No drainage under sand
Sand on top of impermeable clay holds water and grows mold. Install a stone drainage layer first for any sport surface.
Sand without edging
Sand migrates. Volleyball courts need 8-inch edging, pool decks need an edge restraint.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to see delivered pricing?
Jump back to the calculator to price the exact quantity for your ZIP, or request a manual quote if the project needs special handling.