Short answer: sand needed = pool floor area × sand depth. A 24 ft round pool with a 2-inch sand base needs about 75 cubic feet, or 2.8 cubic yards, before any cove or extra. Enter your pool’s size and the depth from its installation instructions to get your own figure in cubic yards, cubic feet, tons and bags.
How the sand is worked out
The calculator treats the base as an even layer of sand under the whole pool:
Cubic feet = floor area (sq ft) × sand depth (in.) ÷ 12
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
The floor area is π × radius² for a round pool, length × width for a rectangle, and π × half the length × half the width for an oval. A 24 ft round pool covers π × 12 × 12 = 452 square feet, so 2 inches of sand is 452 × 2 ÷ 12 = 75.4 cubic feet, or 2.8 cubic yards. If the pad runs past the wall, the calculator grows the shape by that much on every side first. If you need the floor area for something else, the pool surface area calculator works it out for any shape.
How much sand for common pool sizes
| Pool | 2 in. deep | 3 in. deep |
|---|---|---|
| 12 ft round | 0.7 cu yd19 cu ft | 1 cu yd28 cu ft |
| 15 ft round | 1.1 cu yd29 cu ft | 1.6 cu yd44 cu ft |
| 18 ft round | 1.6 cu yd42 cu ft | 2.4 cu yd64 cu ft |
| 21 ft round | 2.1 cu yd58 cu ft | 3.2 cu yd87 cu ft |
| 24 ft round | 2.8 cu yd75 cu ft | 4.2 cu yd113 cu ft |
| 27 ft round | 3.5 cu yd95 cu ft | 5.3 cu yd143 cu ft |
| 30 ft round | 4.4 cu yd118 cu ft | 6.5 cu yd177 cu ft |
| 15 × 30 ft oval | 2.2 cu yd59 cu ft | 3.3 cu yd88 cu ft |
| 18 × 33 ft oval | 2.9 cu yd78 cu ft | 4.3 cu yd117 cu ft |
The table covers the pad under the pool only, with no cove, no sand past the wall and no allowance. The 2- and 3-inch columns are examples; your pool’s installation instructions give the depth to use.
Adding a sand cove
A cove is a sloped ridge of sand packed against the bottom of the wall inside the pool, so the liner curves into the corner instead of folding at a right angle. The calculator treats it as a wedge running around the inside of the wall:
Cove cubic feet = wall length × (height × width ÷ 2), with height and width in feet
For a 24 ft round pool, the wall is π × 24 = 75.4 feet long. A cove 6 inches high and 6 inches wide adds 75.4 × 0.5 × 0.5 ÷ 2 = 9.4 cubic feet, bringing the total for a 2-inch base to about 85 cubic feet (3.1 cubic yards). Some pools use a foam cove kit instead, so check what yours calls for.
Buying sand: yards, tons or bags
| How it’s sold | What you need to know | How the calculator handles it |
|---|---|---|
| By the cubic yard | Nothing more; this is the calculator’s main result | Shown first |
| By the ton | The weight of one cubic yard of that sand, from the supplier | Enter lb per cubic foot (weight per cubic yard ÷ 27) |
| In bags | The volume printed on the bag, such as 0.5 cubic feet | Enter the bag size; bags are rounded up |
Sand weight changes with grain size and with how wet it is, so the calculator doesn’t assume one. A supplier’s figure for their own sand is the only number worth using for tons. For a whole pool base, bulk delivery is usually simpler than bags: the 75 cubic feet for a 24 ft round pool is about 150 half-cubic-foot bags.
Allow a little extra
Loose sand settles when you tamp it, some spreads into low spots, and some gets left in the truck bed or on the lawn. The calculator has an optional allowance: enter a percentage and it’s added to the total. If you’re unsure, round up to the next half or whole yard when you order. Running short halfway through leveling is more trouble than a small pile left over.
Before you order
- Clear and level the ground first. The calculator assumes an even layer of sand on level ground, so any dips or slope it has to fill take extra sand.
- Check your pool’s instructions for the sand depth, whether you need a cove, and the type of sand they recommend.
- Measure the pool size you’ll set up, or use the size it’s sold as.
- Ask your supplier how they sell sand and, if by the ton, what a cubic yard weighs.
Once the pool is set up, the above ground pool gallons calculator tells you how much water it will hold, and the pool fill cost calculator prices filling it. For a pool you’re closing for the season, see how to winterize an above ground pool.
Assumptions and limitations
- Assumes the ground under the pool is already level, so the sand is an even layer. Filling dips or a slope takes more.
- Oval pools are treated as ellipses. Ovals with straight sides and rounded ends cover a little more ground.
- The cove is modelled as a straight-sided wedge. A hand-shaped cove is rarely exact, so the allowance covers the difference.
- Tons and bags are only as good as the sand weight and bag size you enter. No sand density is assumed.
- This is sand for the pool base, not filter sand. A sand filter needs the type and amount on its own label.
Common questions
How much sand do I need for a 24 ft round above ground pool?
About 2.8 cubic yards (75 cubic feet) for a 2-inch layer, or about 4.2 cubic yards for 3 inches. That's the pad under the pool only. Add more for a cove, for sand that extends past the wall, and a little for compaction.
How do I convert cubic yards of sand to tons?
Multiply the cubic yards by the weight of one cubic yard of your sand, then divide by 2,000 pounds. The weight varies with grain size and moisture, so ask your supplier for their figure and enter it in the calculator as pounds per cubic foot (weight per cubic yard ÷ 27).
Can I use pool filter sand for the base?
Filter sand is a graded product sized for sand filters and usually sold in bags, which is not how you'd want to buy enough for a whole pool base. Ask a landscape or masonry supplier for a fine, screened sand with no stones or debris, and follow your pool's installation instructions on the type.
What is a sand cove?
A cove is a sloped ridge of sand, a few inches high, packed against the bottom of the wall inside the pool. It gives the liner a curved corner instead of a sharp 90° bend. Some pools call for one and some use a foam cove instead, so check your installation instructions.
Should the sand go past the pool wall?
Some installers run the pad a little past the wall so the bottom track and uprights sit on the same level base. If you plan to do that, enter the extra width in "Extra around the wall" and the calculator adds it on every side.
Sources and methodology references
- NIST Special Publication 811: unit conversion factors, National Institute of Standards and Technology1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; 1 short ton = 2,000 pounds.
Estimates for homeowners, not professional advice. See how our calculators work. Published November 2, 2026.
Spotted a wrong result or an outdated source? Report a problem with this calculator.
Related tools
- Above ground pool gallonsFind how many gallons a round or oval above-ground pool holds from its size and wall height, or read it from the chart.
- Pool volume calculatorA pool gallons calculator and pool size calculator in one: pick your shape, enter a few tape-measure readings and see how many gallons, liters and cubic meters your pool holds.
- Pool surface area calculatorGet your pool's water surface area in square feet, the number heater sizing and cover sizes are based on.
- Pool fill cost calculatorWork out what filling or topping up your pool will cost from the tap or by delivery truck, and how long a garden hose will take.
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- How to Winterize an Above Ground Pool, Step by StepHow to winterize an above ground pool: when to close, how far to lower the water, what to do with the pump and hoses, and how to use an air pillow.Read the guide (7 min)
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