Calculate sharp sand for laying patios, bedding slabs, screeding and rendering. Enter the area and depth and get litres, cubic metres and the best-value bags.
A sharp sand bed under slabs is usually 5cm deep over a compacted sub-base. One bulk bag covers about 14m² at that depth.
01 — The Calculator
Pick a material, pace out your plot, and the value engine prices every way to fill it — hippo bags, dumpy bags or handy sacks.
5 cm
Depth changes the volume a lot — 5cm mulch is normal, raised veg beds want 20cm+.
Not sure? See the depth guide belowEnter dimensions to calculate.
Volume
0 litres
Cubic
0.00 m³
Area
0.0 m²
Est. weight
0.00 tonnes
Enter your plot dimensions and the value engine will price the cheapest way to cover it.
Worked example: patio bedding layer
A 12m² patio on a 5cm sand bed needs 12 × 5 × 10 = 600 litres of sharp sand — comfortably one bulk bag. Add cement separately if you're laying on a full mortar bed.
Sharp (grit) sand is coarse and drains freely — use it under slabs and in concrete. Building (soft) sand is finer and used for mortar and pointing.
Garden Calculator — Project
My garden project · 20 September 2026
| Item | Qty | Each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated total | £0.00 | ||
Prices from the Garden Calculator sample trade catalogue — confirm with your merchant before ordering.