Image 1 of 3
Image 2 of 3
Image 3 of 3
Jump To
About | Common Uses | Coverage & Yield | FAQ | Disclaimer
How Much Fill Sand Do I Need?
Calculator assumes Fill Sand covers approximately 19 cubic feet per ton. Coverage estimates may vary based on moisture content, placement depth, compaction, settling, and site conditions.
Ordering note: Fill Sand is sold in 15–20 ton delivery quantities only.
Sales tax varies by county and is added at checkout.
Truck delivery count is an estimate based on approximately 20 tons per delivery. Fill Sand is sold in 15–20 ton delivery quantities only. Final load count may vary based on material type, truck capacity, legal weight limits, loading conditions, and scheduling.
About Fill Sand
Fill Sand is a natural, low-cost material commonly used to fill depressions, raise ground elevations, backfill excavated areas, and provide bulk volume for non-structural projects.
Unlike Masonry Sand or Washed River Sand, Fill Sand is not washed or screened. It is generally excavated from a natural sand deposit and delivered without the additional processing used to produce cleaner or more uniform sand products.
Because Fill Sand is unprocessed, it may contain naturally occurring fines, small stones, shells, roots, twigs, and other material collected during excavation. These inclusions are normal for an unscreened product and can vary between loads and source locations.
Fill Sand is generally selected when economy and bulk volume are more important than uniform appearance, consistent gradation, drainage performance, or structural strength. It may be used to fill low areas, increase elevation, backfill certain excavations, or establish a rough grade before another surface material is installed.
Although Fill Sand may settle or compact to some degree, it does not lock together like Crusher Run and should not automatically be treated as a load-bearing base material. Its compaction and settlement characteristics depend on particle-size distribution, fines content, moisture, placement depth, compaction equipment, and site conditions.
Fill Sand is not recommended as a substitute for Crusher Run beneath driveways, roads, equipment areas, or other applications requiring a stable aggregate base. It is also not represented as engineered, certified, structural, or specification-grade fill.
For projects requiring greater compaction or stability, Fill Dirt or Crusher Run may be more appropriate depending on the intended application and project requirements.
Palmetto Sand and Gravel delivers Fill Sand throughout Spartanburg, Greenville, Cherokee, Laurens, and Union Counties in Upstate South Carolina.
Common Uses in Upstate South Carolina
Filling Low Areas
Fill Sand is commonly used to fill depressions, washed-out areas, holes, and other low sections of residential or commercial properties.
Some settlement should be expected, particularly when the material is placed in deep areas or without mechanical compaction. Additional material may be needed after settling occurs.
Raising Ground Elevations
Fill Sand may be used to increase ground elevation where a natural bulk fill material is appropriate.
Existing drainage patterns, nearby structures, neighboring properties, underground utilities, and the planned finished surface should be considered before changing a property’s grade.
General Backfill
Fill Sand may be used for general backfilling around certain excavated areas where engineered, structural, or specification-grade material is not required.
Customers should follow applicable plans, codes, utility requirements, manufacturer instructions, and professional recommendations for foundations, retaining walls, utilities, septic systems, pools, and other performance-sensitive installations.
Utility-Trench Backfill
Fill Sand is sometimes used as general trench backfill where project specifications permit an unwashed and unscreened natural sand.
It should not automatically be assumed suitable for pipe bedding or utility installations requiring a specific gradation, washed material, controlled fines content, or tested compaction characteristics.
Site Preparation
Fill Sand may be used to provide bulk elevation before topsoil, gravel, pavement, landscaping material, or another finished surface is installed.
Additional grading, compaction, or installation of a more stable surface material may be necessary depending on the final use.
Landscape Grade Adjustment
Fill Sand may be used to bring landscape areas closer to the desired elevation before applying topsoil, sod, mulch, or decorative aggregate.
Because it is not intended as a planting soil, topsoil is commonly installed over Fill Sand when grass, sod, or other vegetation will be established.
Filling Depressions and Voids
Fill Sand may be used to fill abandoned depressions, shallow pits, eroded areas, or other voids where structural performance is not required.
Large or deep voids may require staged placement, compaction, drainage planning, or evaluation by a qualified professional.
Temporary Construction Areas
Fill Sand is sometimes used as an economical temporary fill material on construction sites.
It may rut, shift, or become soft under heavy equipment, especially when wet. Crusher Run, Surge Stone, or another compactable aggregate may be more appropriate for sustained vehicle or equipment traffic.
Pool or Pond-Related Backfill
Fill Sand may be used in some pool- or pond-related backfill applications where the project design allows an unwashed, unscreened natural sand.
It should not be assumed suitable beneath pool shells, concrete decks, liners, plumbing systems, retaining structures, or other components without approval from the manufacturer, installer, engineer, or other qualified professional.
Coverage & Yield
Calculator Assumption: Approximately 19 cubic feet per ton
Approximate Coverage at 2 Inches: About 114 square feet per ton
Approximate Coverage at 3 Inches: About 76 square feet per ton
Approximate Coverage at 4 Inches: About 57 square feet per ton
Note: Coverage and yield estimates are provided for planning purposes. Actual results may vary based on moisture content, particle-size distribution, fines content, natural inclusions, placement depth, spreading method, settlement, compaction, and site conditions.
FAQ
What is Fill Sand?
Fill Sand is a natural, unwashed, and unscreened sand product commonly used for filling low areas, raising grades, general backfill, and other non-structural applications.
What is Fill Sand commonly used for?
Common uses include filling low areas, increasing ground elevation, filling depressions, general backfill, site preparation, and adjusting landscape grades before another surface material is installed.
Is Fill Sand washed?
No. Fill Sand is generally sold as an unwashed natural material.
Because it is not washed, it may contain fines, clay particles, shells, organic material, and other naturally occurring inclusions.
Is Fill Sand screened?
No. Fill Sand is generally unscreened and may contain small stones, shells, roots, twigs, or other material collected during excavation.
The amount and type of natural inclusions may vary between loads.
What is the difference between Fill Sand and Masonry Sand?
Masonry Sand is generally washed and screened to produce a finer and more uniform material commonly used for mortar, masonry, and certain finish applications.
Fill Sand is unwashed and unscreened. It is less uniform and is primarily sold as an economical bulk fill material.
What is the difference between Fill Sand and Washed River Sand?
Washed River Sand is processed to remove a substantial amount of fines and natural debris. It generally has a cleaner and more consistent texture than Fill Sand.
Fill Sand is unwashed, unscreened, and may contain fines, shells, roots, twigs, small stones, or other naturally occurring material.
What is the difference between Fill Sand and Fill Dirt?
Fill Sand is primarily composed of sand-sized particles and generally has limited cohesion.
Fill Dirt commonly contains clay and subsoil, which may provide greater cohesion and compaction depending on the material, moisture content, placement method, and project conditions.
Can Fill Sand be used for a driveway?
Fill Sand is not generally recommended as the finished base for a driveway because it does not compact and interlock like Crusher Run.
Crusher Run is commonly selected for driveway-base applications where a dense, stable, compactable aggregate is needed.
Can Fill Sand be used under a building pad?
Fill Sand is not represented as engineered or structural fill and should not automatically be used beneath a building pad.
Projects requiring structural performance, controlled compaction, soil testing, or engineered specifications should use material approved by the project engineer or another qualified professional.
Does Fill Sand compact?
Fill Sand may settle or compact to some degree, but its performance varies based on gradation, fines content, moisture, lift thickness, placement method, compaction equipment, and site conditions.
It does not generally lock together like Crusher Run.
Will Fill Sand settle?
Yes, some settlement should be expected. The amount depends on the material’s moisture content, particle-size distribution, fines content, fill depth, placement method, and compaction.
Customers may need to account for settlement when determining the amount required.
Is Fill Sand good for drainage?
Drainage performance varies because Fill Sand is not washed or graded to a consistent specification. Fines and natural material may slow water movement.
Washed River Sand or #57 Stone may be more appropriate when dependable drainage is the primary objective, depending on the project design.
Can Fill Sand be used around utility lines?
It may be used as general utility-trench backfill where the project requirements allow an unwashed and unscreened material.
It should not be assumed suitable as pipe bedding or for installations requiring washed sand, controlled gradation, testing, or specification-grade material.
Can Fill Sand be used in a septic system?
Fill Sand should not automatically be used in a septic system because septic installations may require specific soil or sand characteristics, testing, gradation, and approval.
Customers should follow the septic-system design, local requirements, installer recommendations, and applicable project specifications.
Can Fill Sand be used in a horse arena?
Fill Sand is generally not recommended as a finished horse-arena footing because it may contain fines, stones, shells, roots, twigs, and inconsistent particle sizes.
Arena footing depends on riding discipline, arena design, drainage, climate, base construction, maintenance practices, and other factors. Customers should consult an arena designer, trainer, or qualified equine professional before selecting material.
Can Fill Sand support heavy equipment?
Fill Sand may rut, shift, or become soft under repeated heavy-equipment traffic, particularly when wet or loosely placed.
Crusher Run, Surge Stone, or another compactable aggregate is commonly selected where equipment support and long-term stability are required.
Can Fill Sand be used for pool backfill?
Fill Sand may be used in some pool-related backfill applications when permitted by the pool manufacturer, installer, project plans, and site conditions.
It should not be assumed suitable beneath the pool, concrete deck, liner, plumbing, or structural components without project-specific approval.
Can grass grow directly in Fill Sand?
Grass may grow in some conditions, but Fill Sand is not sold as planting soil and may have limited organic matter or water-holding capacity.
Topsoil is commonly placed over Fill Sand before seeding or installing sod.
Does Fill Sand contain rocks, roots, shells, or sticks?
It may. Fill Sand is unwashed and unscreened, so loads may contain small stones, shells, roots, twigs, and other naturally occurring material.
The quantity, size, and appearance of these inclusions may vary between loads.
How much area does one ton of Fill Sand cover?
Using the calculator assumption of approximately 19 cubic feet per ton, one ton may cover about 114 square feet at 2 inches deep, 76 square feet at 3 inches deep, or 57 square feet at 4 inches deep.
Actual coverage varies based on moisture content, placement depth, settlement, compaction, and material composition.
What is the minimum delivery quantity?
Fill Sand is sold in approximately 15–20 ton truckload quantities.
The exact delivered weight may vary based on moisture content, loading conditions, truck capacity, legal weight limits, and material availability.
Is delivery free?
Qualifying orders of 15 tons or more receive free delivery within Palmetto Sand and Gravel’s standard service area.
Sales tax is added at checkout. Additional charges or restrictions may apply outside the standard service area or for deliveries requiring special arrangements.
Can Fill Sand be tailgate spread?
Tailgate spreading may be available when site, material, and access conditions allow. The driver makes the final determination at delivery.
Tailgate spreading helps distribute material during unloading, but it does not guarantee a graded, level, compacted, or finished surface. Fill Sand may remain uneven or concentrated in some areas, and additional grading, spreading, or equipment work may be required.
Do I need to be present for delivery?
The customer may not need to be present when clear unloading instructions have been provided and the delivery location is accessible and safe.
The driver makes the final determination regarding truck access and unloading location at delivery.
How much does a full truckload of Fill Sand cost?
A typical full truckload is approximately 20 tons. At $40 per ton, a 20-ton truckload costs approximately $800 before sales tax. Final cost may vary based on the actual delivered weight, legal weight limits, moisture content, and loading conditions.
How is Fill Sand delivered?
Fill Sand is sold by the ton and delivered by tri-axle dump truck.
Where does Palmetto Sand and Gravel deliver Fill Sand?
Palmetto Sand and Gravel delivers Fill Sand throughout Spartanburg, Greenville, Cherokee, Laurens, and Union Counties in Upstate South Carolina.
Disclaimer
Fill Sand is a natural, unwashed, and unscreened material. Color, texture, moisture content, particle-size distribution, fines content, and overall composition may vary substantially between loads and source locations.
Fill Sand may contain naturally occurring clay, silt, stones, shells, roots, twigs, organic material, and other debris collected during excavation. Product appearance and composition may differ from photographs shown online and from previously delivered loads.
Coverage and yield estimates are approximate and are provided for planning purposes only. Actual coverage, volume, settlement, and compaction may vary based on moisture content, material composition, placement depth, spreading method, equipment, and site conditions.
Fill Sand is sold as a general-purpose, non-structural fill material. Palmetto Sand and Gravel does not represent or guarantee it as engineered fill, structural fill, certified sand, select fill, pipe bedding, septic sand, drainage sand, or material meeting a particular gradation or compaction specification.
Customers using Fill Sand near foundations, retaining walls, utilities, septic systems, pools, roadways, slopes, building pads, or other performance-sensitive applications should follow applicable plans, codes, testing requirements, manufacturer instructions, and guidance from the appropriate qualified professional.
Tailgate spreading, when available, is intended only to assist with material placement. It does not guarantee a graded, level, compacted, or finished surface. Additional grading, spreading, compaction, or equipment work may be required.
