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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.

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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.

Assumptions & Wastage

  • 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 / cftJul 2026Re-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 / cftJul 2026Re-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 / cftJul 2026Delivered 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 — picture 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 — 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