Arena footing calculator
Enter your arena or round pen size and the footing depth you want. You'll get cubic yards, tons and truckloads, including extra for the settling and compaction every new arena goes through.
Sand needed
- Cubic yards
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- Truckloads
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- Arena area
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The math
Tons = cubic yards × density
A round pen uses π × radius² for the area. Dry sand weighs about 1.3 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard (roughly 2,600–2,800 lb), so a 60 × 120 ft arena takes about 30 tons for every inch of depth. Some suppliers quote about 1 ton per yard, which underestimates what you'll actually need.
New footing settles and compacts, which is why the calculator adds 15% by default. The base underneath matters as much as the sand: a compacted, crowned base that drains is what keeps footing consistent. Price the fence around it with the horse fence cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra should I order for compaction?
Most arena builders add 10–20% over the raw cubic-yard math to cover settling and compaction as the footing is worked in — ordering exactly to the raw number almost always leaves an arena short a few months in.
Does footing depth mean before or after compaction?
It means the depth you want once the footing has settled and been worked — since material compacts after it's spread and ridden on, that's exactly why the compaction allowance in this calculator adds extra material up front rather than assuming the loose depth stays put.
Why does the calculator ask for density separately from cubic yards?
Different footing materials (sand, sand/rubber blends, manufactured screenings) weigh different amounts per cubic yard, so converting to tons — which is how most quarries and suppliers actually price and deliver — needs that material's specific density, not a universal constant.
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