Fill Sand in Tell City, IN

Is Fill Sand Used Frequently in Tell City?

Fill Sand is a popular choice among homeowners and contractors in Tell City. With 1 local supplier carrying it, you should have no trouble finding fill sand for your project.

Fill sand is unwashed sand dug from a pit and sold with little or no processing, for raising grade and backfilling. It is the cheapest sand a yard sells: about $7 to $10 per ton at the pit, or $16 to $45 per cubic yard at landscape yards, in 2026. It weighs 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. ## What Fill Sand Is Fill sand is not graded to a spec. It comes out of the bank and goes into the truck, sometimes over a screen to take out stones. It contains silt and some clay, and the mix changes as the pit face moves. That is fine for filling and backfilling, where the sand only has to compact and stay put. Some regions call it utility sand or bank sand. Some yards sell a screened version as structural fill. Ask whether it has been screened and how much clay is in it. ## What It Is Used For - **Raising grade** under lawns, slabs and building pads. - **Backfill** around foundations, retaining walls and septic tanks. - **Filling holes** and old pools. - **Trench backfill** over utility lines, where the spec allows unwashed sand. - **Sub-base under slabs and sheds,** compacted in lifts. ## Where It Does Not Belong - **Not in concrete or mortar.** Silt and clay weaken both. Use [concrete sand](/gravel/types/concrete-sand) or [mason sand](/gravel/types/mason-sand). - **Not in sandboxes.** It stains and packs hard when wet. - **Not as paver bedding** or anywhere that needs to drain fast. - **Not for planting.** It holds few nutrients. Use [topsoil](/gravel/types/topsoil) over it. ## Fill Sand vs Fill Dirt [Fill dirt](/gravel/types/fill-dirt) is subsoil with more clay. Fill sand drains better and compacts more evenly, so it is the better choice under slabs and near foundations where water should not sit. Fill dirt is often cheaper and holds a slope better. ## How Much to Order One cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches or 54 square feet at 6 inches. Fill sand compacts, so order 15 to 20 percent more than the finished volume. Raising a 20 by 30 foot area by 6 inches needs about 11 cubic yards before compaction, so order about 13, roughly 18 tons. ## What to Avoid Do not use fill sand where the finished surface will be seen or planted. Spread and compact it in 4 to 6 inch lifts; one deep dump settles unevenly.

Typical Uses in Tell City

• ✓ Raising grade
• ✓ Backfill around foundations and walls
• ✓ Filling holes and old pools
• ✓ Sub-base under slabs and sheds

Cost of Fill Sand in Tell City

Prices vary by supplier, quantity, and delivery distance. Contact local suppliers for exact quotes.

Local Alternatives

• Black Shredded Mulch
• Concrete Sand
• Decomposed Granite
• Mason Sand
• Mexican Beach Pebble