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Sand & Aggregate Calculator

Convert cft, m³, brass and tonnes, and price the load before the truck arrives.

Construction● Free Formula shown Rates dated
Quick Answer

River sand runs ₹60–110 per cft, M-sand ₹45–75/cft and 20 mm aggregate ₹35–55/cft delivered (as of Jul 2026). One tonne of loose dry sand occupies roughly 22–24 cft, one brass is exactly 100 cft, and one m³ is 35.31 cft, so a 10-tonne sand truck carries about 2.2–2.4 brass. Enter your quantity in any unit below to convert it and see the dated cost band.

Rates checked Oct 2026. Source: CPWD Delhi Analysis of Rates 2023, Civil Vol. I — coarse sand (zone III, natural) applied at ₹1,450/cum in CPWD's own concrete/mortar analyses (verified firsthand).

100 cftone brass
35.31 cftone cubic metre
22–24 cftone tonne of dry river sand
2.2–2.4 brassa 10-tonne sand truck

Part of the system: Material order for one floor, Slab casting day. Steps, checks and a free printable page.

Guide: Measure a sand or aggregate truck.

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The Formula

Cost = volume (cft) × ₹/cft market rate; tonnes ↔ cft via loose bulk density

Volume units (cft, m³, brass) convert exactly. Weight ↔ volume is a band, not a number, because loose bulk density varies with moisture and gradation. The density bands used are published in the assumptions and every price is dated in the rates table.

Delivered price per cft, Jul 2026River sand ₹60 to ₹110, M-sand ₹45 to ₹75, 20 mm aggregate ₹35 to ₹55 per cft.River sand ₹60–110M-sand ₹45–7520 mm aggregate ₹35–550306090120₹/cft
Delivered price per cft, Jul 2026. These are national retail bands. How far the load travels moves the price more than anything else.
How many cft one tonne fillsRiver sand 22 to 24 cft, M-sand 19 to 21 cft, 20 mm aggregate 22 to 25 cft per tonne.River sand 22–24M-sand 19–2120 mm aggregate 22–2516202428cft
How many cft one tonne fills. Figures are for loose, dry material. Damp sand takes 15–25% more space for the same weight, so a weighbridge quote and a volume quote rarely agree.

Assumptions

  • Loose, dry bulk density: river sand 1 tonne ≈ 22–24 cft (1,470–1,600 kg/m³), M-sand ≈ 19–21 cft, 20 mm aggregate ≈ 22–25 cft
  • 1 brass = 100 cft (a 10 × 10 × 1 ft heap); 1 m³ = 35.31 cft
  • Moist sand bulks: the same weight can occupy 15–25% more volume than dry sand, which is why weighbridge quotes and volume quotes rarely reconcile exactly
  • Rates are delivered retail national bands; transport distance moves them significantly
  • No wastage is added. This tool converts and prices a stated quantity; the concrete and brick calculators add wastage where quantities are being estimated

Worked Examples

1 brass (100 cft) of river sand

  1. 100 cft = 2.8 m³ = 1 brass
  2. Weight at 22–24 cft/tonne: 4.2–4.5 tonnes
  3. Cost: 100 cft × ₹60–110/cft = ₹6,000 to ₹11,000 (as of Jul 2026)

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A 10-tonne truck of 20 mm aggregate

  1. 10 tonnes at 22–25 cft/tonne = 220–250 cft (2.2–2.5 brass, 6.2–7.1 m³)
  2. Cost: 220–250 cft × ₹35–55/cft = ₹7,700 to ₹13,750 (as of Jul 2026)

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Rates & Model Data Used

Every number below is a range with a date — material prices in India move quickly, so always check the "as of" month before relying on a figure.

ItemRate / valueAs ofNote
River sand₹60–110 / cftOct 2026Checked on 23 Oct 2026: no newer schedule or dated dealer price found, so the band carries forward. Re-anchored 2026-07-25: the three content farms (HouseYog, Civiconcepts, Varna Homes) that used to back this band are struck; it now rests on two government schedules read firsthand — but be clear about what they anchor. CPWD DAR 2023 applies coarse sand (zone III, natural) at ₹1,450/cum throughout its own concrete and mortar rate analyses = ₹41/cft ex-GST, ₹43/cft incl. 5% GST (a stray basic-rate index line at ₹285/cum is an anomalous layout artifact, not the applied rate; the '₹1,450 = spirit/air-compressor' reading is a coincidental-value misread — the operative applied rate is ₹1,450). Maharashtra PWD SSR 2022-23 (p.541) gives natural/VSI/artificial sand ₹1,670/cum = ₹47/cft, crushed ₹1,200/cum = ₹34/cft, screened natural (plaster) ₹1,781/cum. So the government evidence pins an EX-GST, EX-CARRIAGE, AT-SOURCE rate of ~₹41–47/cft (~₹43–50 incl. GST at yard) — and that is ALL it pins. The ₹60 floor is that yard rate plus a minimum ~₹15/cft lead (matching delivered Delhi ≈ ₹50–65); it is lowered from ₹70, which came only from the now-struck per-tonne blog quotes. The ₹110 ceiling is deliberately NOT re-sourced — no primary or retail anchor exists above ₹70 now — and the whole upper half is extrapolation (source rate + heavy lead + retail margin + documented 30–50% mining-ban and monsoon spikes). That is exactly why this is medium, not high, and why the carriage bridge from source to delivered is a fitted, unverified step, disclosed as such. Do not cite the schedules as proof of the delivered band; they anchor only the floor. South metros (Bangalore/Chennai/Hyderabad) sit at the ceiling and above, North plains and near-river Maharashtra at or below the floor; transport adds ₹15–40/cft. Unit exactness is the classic sand failure: confirm cft vs brass (1 brass = 100 cft = 2.83 cum) vs tonne vs truckload and whether transport is in the quote; 1 cum = 35.3147 cft. Density (resolved, unchanged): 22–24 cft/t (1,470–1,600 kg/m³) from IS 2386 Pt III, classical tables and trade 1 brass ≈ 4.5 t — do NOT cite IS 383 for density, it grades aggregate, it does not weigh it. GST 5% (natural sand HSN 2505), asserted from the standing schedule and NOT re-verified against a CBIC notification this pass — flagged. State sand portals (Telangana TGMDC, AP) are JS booking apps that expose no static notified rate.
M-sand (manufactured)₹45–75 / cftOct 2026Checked on 23 Oct 2026: no newer schedule or dated dealer price found, so the band carries forward. Re-anchored 2026-07-25; content farms (HouseYog, Civiconcepts, Varna Homes) struck. ₹45–75/cft delivered retail incl. 5% GST, the South- and West-India default. Government anchor — Maharashtra PWD SSR 2022-23 (ex-GST, ex-carriage): crushed sand ₹1,200/cum (₹34/cft) and VSI/artificial ₹1,670/cum (₹47/cft) against natural screened ₹1,781/cum; +5% GST and ₹15–40/cft carriage bridge these to the delivered band, and the SSR's own contractor crushed-sand work-item (incl. labour, ≤5 mm) at ₹1,859/cum = ₹53/cft corroborates the upper zone. Cheaper than river sand: standard crushed M-sand runs ~28–33% below natural sand in the SSR itself, and the gap widens in the South where river sand carries mining-ban scarcity premiums — but note VSI premium-grade M-sand is priced level with natural sand, so the saving is a standard-grade, same-market comparison, not universal. Delhi CPWD DAR 2023 carries no quarry-M-sand line, only recycled-RCA manufactured sand at ₹1,400/cum, which confirms M-sand as a South/West material. Consistent gradation, no monsoon or mining-ban seasonality. Same honest limit as the river entry: the government schedules anchor only the ex-GST at-yard floor (~₹36 crushed); the ₹75 ceiling and the delivered span above the floor rest on a modelled carriage bridge, not observed Southern retail — hence medium, and the anchor is Western/Delhi and 2022-23 vintage. GST 5% (HSN 2517), asserted from the standing schedule, not re-verified against CBIC this pass.
Coarse aggregate (20 mm)₹35–55 / cftOct 2026Checked on 23 Oct 2026: Material99 still lists 20 mm aggregate at ₹34–55/cft. Delivered retail; ex-supplier ₹700–900/tonne (~₹32–41/cft; 1 cft ≈ 45 kg). Long lead distances push delivered price toward ₹68/cft. 10 mm runs ₹2–5/cft above 20 mm. Official anchor (verified 2026-07): CPWD DAR 2023 20 mm single-size ₹1,425/cum = ₹40.3/cft ex-GST ex-carriage (Delhi, Apr 2023) — mid-band once carriage and GST are added; lifted to high. Primary-minerals WPI +12% YoY (Apr 2026): extraction costs are rising.

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Pick the material and enter the quote. Type the quantity exactly as quoted: 100 cft, 1 brass, 10 tonnes, whatever the supplier said.
  2. Read every unit at once. The result shows the same load in cft, m³, brass and tonnes, so two quotes in different units become directly comparable.
  3. Compare the cost band. If a delivered quote sits far outside the dated range shown, ask what is different: distance, quality, or the unit itself.
  4. Verify on delivery. Measure the truck body (length × width × depth of material, in feet). That product is the cft actually delivered, and short-volume trucks are the most common overcharge in loose materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1 brass of sand?
1 brass = 100 cubic feet of loose material, a 10 × 10 ft heap 1 ft deep. For loose dry sand that is roughly 4.2–4.5 tonnes; for 20 mm aggregate about 4–4.5 tonnes. (For flat work like plastering, brass can also mean 100 sq ft, so confirm which meaning a quote uses.)
How many cft are there in 1 tonne of sand?
About 22–24 cft for dry, loose river sand (bulk density roughly 1,470–1,600 kg/m³, per IS 2386 Part 3 lab measurements). Settled or compacted sand packs denser (nearer 20–22 cft/tonne) and M-sand denser still at 19–21 cft/tonne. Moisture changes this quickly: wet sand weighs more per cft, so a weighed tonne of wet sand contains less actual sand.
What does '1 unit' of sand mean?
In most of South India, 1 unit = 100 cft = 1 brass. Some suppliers, especially in Tamil Nadu, quote a 'unit' as one truckload or as a tonnage. Always ask for the cft or tonne equivalent before comparing prices.
Is M-sand cheaper than river sand?
Usually 15–30% cheaper (₹45–75/cft against ₹60–110/cft for river sand as of Jul 2026), with more consistent gradation and no monsoon mining bans. It is now the default fine aggregate across much of South India for both concrete and masonry.
How do I check whether a sand truck actually delivered the quantity billed?
Measure the inside of the truck body: length × width × height of the material level, in feet, gives the cft delivered. A typical small tipper carries 100–180 cft; if you were billed for 1 brass, the maths should reach 100 cft. Do the measurement before unloading starts.
Why do weight and volume quotes for the same load disagree?
Because loose bulk density is not fixed. Moisture, compaction in transit and particle gradation all shift it. This calculator therefore shows tonne ↔ cft as a band (22–24 cft/tonne for loose dry river sand). If a supplier's conversion falls outside the band, the load or the arithmetic deserves a second look.
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Sources & Limitations

What this calculator does not model

  • Converts and prices a stated quantity. It does not estimate how much sand or aggregate a job needs (the concrete and brick calculators do that)
  • Density bands are for loose, dry material; saturated sand can be 20%+ heavier per cft
  • 10 mm aggregate, dust and GSB are not listed yet. Rates cover river sand, M-sand and 20 mm aggregate
  • Royalty, loading and long-distance transport can push delivered prices outside the national band