Above-ground pool sand calculator: how much sand for the base?
Enter the pool size, how thick the sand bed will be (most installation sheets say 2 in) and whether you’re building a sand cove. You get cubic yards, tons and bags of sand.
Enter your measurements
- Weight
- 3.77 tons (7,539.82 lb)
- Bags of that size
- 151 bags · 50 lb bag
- Sand bed
- 75.4 cu ft
- Area under the pool
- 452 sq ft
Area: 3.1416 × (24 ft ÷ 2)² = 452 sq ft
Bed: 452.4 sq ft × 2 in ÷ 12 = 75.4 cu ft
Total: 75.4 cu ft ÷ 27 = 2.79 cu yd × 100 lb per cu ft = 7,540 lb = 3.77 tons
Bags: 7,540 lb ÷ 50 lb = 151 bags
- Use mason (masonry) sand: Swimline’s instructions say not to use beach or play sand. Rake it level and tamp it before the liner goes in.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much sand for a 24 ft above ground pool | 2.79 cu yd |
| How much sand for an 18 ft above ground pool | 1.57 cu yd |
| How much sand for a 15 ft above ground pool | 1.09 cu yd |
Sand for round pools (2 in bed, cove as above)
| Pool size | Sand to order | Weight | Bags of that size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft | 0.7 cu yd | 0.94 tons | 38 bags |
| 15 ft | 1.09 cu yd | 1.47 tons | 59 bags |
| 18 ft | 1.57 cu yd | 2.12 tons | 85 bags |
| 21 ft | 2.14 cu yd | 2.89 tons | 116 bags |
| 24 ft | 2.79 cu yd | 3.77 tons | 151 bags |
| 27 ft | 3.53 cu yd | 4.77 tons | 191 bags |
| 30 ft | 4.36 cu yd | 5.89 tons | 236 bags |
Above-ground pools sit on a thin bed of sand: a soft, level layer between the ground and the liner. The pool’s weight is carried by the ground under it and the bottom track round the edge, not by the sand, which is why the track goes on solid, level ground and the sand goes inside it. Most installation sheets call for a bed about 2 in thick, plus a cove where the floor meets the wall.
How the pool sand calculator works
- Sand bed: the floor area (a circle, or an oval with straight sides and round ends) times the bed depth.
- Cove: a triangular ring of sand against the inside of the wall. Its cross-section is height × width ÷ 2; its length is the distance round, measured a third of the way in from the wall.
- Weight and bags: volume times the weight of the sand. The default, 100 lb per cubic foot (1,600 kg per m³), is an example for dry mason sand; damp sand weighs more, so ask the supplier.
round bed = 3.1416 × (D ÷ 2)² × depth oval bed = [3.1416 × (W ÷ 2)² + (L − W) × W] × depth cove = 3.1416 × (D − 2 × cove width ÷ 3) × cove height × cove width ÷ 2 cu yd = cu ft ÷ 27 tons = cu ft × lb per cu ft ÷ 2,000 bags = lb ÷ lb per bag
Sand for common round pools
| Pool | 2 in bed | + 6 × 6 in cove | Total | 50 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft round | 18.8 cu ft | 4.6 cu ft | 0.87 cu yd | 47 |
| 15 ft round | 29.5 cu ft | 5.8 cu ft | 1.3 cu yd | 71 |
| 18 ft round | 42.4 cu ft | 6.9 cu ft | 1.83 cu yd | 99 |
| 21 ft round | 57.7 cu ft | 8.1 cu ft | 2.44 cu yd | 132 |
| 24 ft round | 75.4 cu ft | 9.3 cu ft | 3.14 cu yd | 170 |
| 27 ft round | 95.4 cu ft | 10.5 cu ft | 3.92 cu yd | 212 |
| 30 ft round | 117.8 cu ft | 11.7 cu ft | 4.79 cu yd | 259 |
The three sizes people ask about most have their own pages: how much sand for a 24 ft above ground pool, how much sand for an 18 ft above ground pool and how much sand for a 15 ft above ground pool.
What manufacturers say
- Bed depth: 2 in in the supplemental base sheet, the Swimline liner instructions and the Uni-Bead liner instructions (which call it brick sand).
- Sand type: mason sand; Swimline says not to use beach or play sand.
- Track on solid ground: “the bottom track of an above ground pool must rest on solid ground, not fill or sand” (base instructions).
- Cove: at least 6 in up and 6 in out (base sheet), 6 × 6 in (Swimline), about 8 × 8 in (Uni-Bead). Doughboy forbids sand in the cove because it shifts, and uses screened damp earth or a preformed cove.
- Level: Doughboy wants the base level within 1 in from side to side.
Tips and common mistakes
- Level the ground, not the sand. Cut the high side down rather than filling the low side with sand; a thick wedge of sand settles unevenly under the water’s weight.
- Clear a margin. Swimline says to remove grass and roots within the pool area and 1 ft beyond.
- Bags or bulk. Past a ton or two, a landscape supplier selling sand loose by the yard or ton is usually far less work than a pallet of bags. Order a little extra: some always ends up in the lawn.
- Pad it. A floor pad or ground cloth over the sand protects the liner; the pool liner calculator helps choose the liner itself.
Filter sand is a different product: the pool filter sand calculator covers #20 silica for the filter. For the pool’s size options, see the above-ground pool size chart.
What you’ll need
- Above-ground pool floor padMid-range price
A protective pad over the sand base. Stops rocks and roots from poking through the liner.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Pre-formed foam pool coveMid-range price
Replaces a hand-shaped sand cove at the base of the wall, which keeps the liner from slipping under.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Above-ground pool linerPremium price
Bought by pool size, shape and wall height. Check overlap vs beaded vs J-hook before ordering.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of sand goes under an above-ground pool?
Mason (masonry) sand, also called brick sand in some instructions. Swimline’s liner instructions say not to use beach or play sand. It is not the same as the #20 silica that goes in a sand filter.
How thick should the sand be under an above-ground pool?
About 2 in, according to the base and liner instructions from several makers. The sand is a smooth layer, not a way to level the ground; level the soil first.
Does sand go under the bottom track of an above-ground pool?
No. The base instructions say the bottom track must rest on solid ground, not fill or sand. The sand bed goes inside the track.
Should the cove be made of sand?
It depends on the pool. Swimline’s instructions shape a 6 × 6 in sand cove; Doughboy forbids sand in the cove because it shifts, and uses screened damp earth or a preformed foam cove. Follow your pool’s manual.
How many tons of sand for an above-ground pool?
At 100 lb per cubic foot of dry sand, a 2 in bed with a 6 × 6 in cove is about 1.8 tons for a 15 ft round pool and about 4.2 tons for a 24 ft round pool. Damp sand weighs more per yard.
Related guides
Sources
- Supplemental above-ground pool base instructions (opens in a new tab) — The bottom track must rest on solid ground, not fill or sand; a 2 in thick, level bed of sand; cove at least 6 in up the wall and 6 in out.
- Uni-Bead liner installation instructions (opens in a new tab) — A 2 in layer of brick sand over the entire foundation inside the base rails; cove about 8 in high and 8 in wide.
- Swimline above-ground liner instructions (opens in a new tab) — Clear grass and roots within the pool area and 1 foot beyond; spread a 2 in layer of mason sand; do not use beach or play sand; form a 6 in × 6 in cove.
- Doughboy above-ground pool installation manual (opens in a new tab) — Do not use materials that shift in the cove, like sand, or the pool may eventually rupture (it uses screened damp earth or a preformed cove); base level within 1 in from side to side.
- Swimline — frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab) — The liner should sit on top of a 4–6 inch cove.