What is the Sand Calculator?
A sand calculator estimates the cubic feet or cubic metres of river/M-sand needed for a given concrete or mortar mix.
Formula
Sand volume = Dry concrete volume × sand part / total parts
- Dry volume — Wet volume × 1.54
Step-by-step example
Setup: 1 m³ of M20 concrete (1:1.5:3 mix).
- Dry vol = 1.54 m³
- Sand vol = 1.54 × 1.5 / 5.5 = 0.42 m³
Answer: ≈ 0.42 m³ (14.8 ft³) of sand per m³ of M20 concrete
Frequently asked questions
M-sand or river sand?
M-sand is cheaper and more uniform; river sand has better workability. Most builds today use M-sand for structural concrete.