How much sand do I need for a 12x12 paver patio?
Check it with your own numbers
Open the Sand Calculator with these values
| Length | 12 ft |
| Width | 12 ft |
| Depth | 1 in |
| Sand needed | 0.6 tons |
| Volume | 0.44 yd³ |
| 50 lb bags | 24 |
The amount
144 ft² at 1 inch deep is 12 cubic feet, or 0.44 yd³. Concrete sand weighs about 1.35 tons per yard, so you need 0.6 tons. In 50 lb bags that is 24 bags.
Use the right sand
The bedding layer should be coarse, washed concrete sand (ASTM C33). It drains well and locks under the pavers when compacted. Avoid:
- Play sand. Too fine and round. It shifts and holds water.
- Mason sand. Also fine. Fine for mortar, not for bedding.
- Stone dust. Still used in some areas, but it holds water and can heave in freeze-thaw climates.
Bags or bulk?
At 24 bags, either works. Bagged sand is often damp and heavy. Bulk is cheaper per ton, but most yards have a minimum delivery. If you are also ordering the gravel base, add half a ton of concrete sand to the same truck.
Keep it to 1 inch
Bedding sand should be 1 inch, no more. A thicker sand bed lets pavers rock and rut. Fix low spots in the gravel base, not with extra sand.
Screeding
Lay two 1-inch steel pipes or electrical conduit on the compacted base and drag a straight 2x4 across them. Lift the pipes out, fill the grooves with a trowel, and do not walk on the screeded sand.
Joint sand is separate
The number above is bedding only. After the pavers are laid and compacted, sweep polymeric sand into the joints. For a 12x12 patio of standard pavers, that is usually two or three 50 lb bags.
Base under the sand
The sand sits on 4 to 6 inches of compacted crushed stone. For this patio, 4 inches of base is about 1.78 yd³. Our paver calculator figures pavers, base and sand together.
For other sizes, use the full Sand Calculator or browse all answers.