Sandustry sand is dug from Dirt and is useless on its own: mix it with Water for Wet Sand, the only material a Shaker turns into Gold and Residue.
Sand is the bulk feedstock of the early factory. It drops when you dig Dirt, and on its own it does nothing useful - its whole purpose is to meet Water. Where a Sand pixel touches a Water pixel both are consumed and replaced by two Wet Sand, which is the form a Shaker can actually process into Gold and Residue. Because Dirt makes up most of the ground, Sand is effectively unlimited; Water is the constraint on how much of it you can turn into anything.
How to get Sand
Sand has exactly one documented source in the current build: destroy dirt. Everything downstream of it therefore depends on keeping that one step supplied.
| Method | From | Machine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destroy Dirt | Dirt | — | Dirt yields Sand when dug; Dirt is the primary source of Sand. |
What Sand is used for
Sand exists for one purpose: producing Wet Sand. That single downstream step is the whole reason to collect it.
| Produces | Machine or process | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Sand | Direct contact | Must be combined with Water. |
Conversions
Every Sand conversion below has a published ratio, which makes throughput planning around it unusually concrete.
| Input | Output | Process | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sand + 1 Water | 2 Wet Sand | Direct pixel contact | 1:1 -> 2 |
- 2 Wet Sand: Both source pixels are replaced with Wet Sand on contact.
Sand properties
At density 150, Sand sorts itself relative to everything else in the pile, which is often cheaper than filtering it deliberately.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 150 |
| Matter type | Solid |
| Burnable | No |
| Wettable | Yes |
| Launchable | Yes |
| Interacts with | Water |
Related machines and materials
No machine handles Sand directly; its relationships are with other materials, listed below.
FAQ
How do you get sand in Sandustry?
Dig Dirt. Dirt makes up most of the map's ground and yields Sand when broken by any digging tool, including the starting Shovel, so Sand is effectively unlimited.
What is sand used for in Sandustry?
Nothing on its own. Sand's only role is to meet Water: one Sand plus one Water becomes two Wet Sand, which is the only form a Shaker will process into Gold and Residue.
How much water does sand need in Sandustry?
One Water pixel per Sand pixel. Both source pixels are consumed and replaced by two Wet Sand, so water throughput, not sand supply, sets your factory's ceiling.
Why is my sand not turning into wet sand?
Wetting happens on direct pixel contact, so the Sand has to physically touch a Water pixel. Sand sitting on dry ground or separated by a block will never convert.
Is sand renewable in Sandustry?
Yes. Dirt makes up a large portion of the ground, so Sand supply is practically unlimited. The renewable resource worth planning for is Water instead.
Sources
Checked on September 4, 2026 against Early Access – Update #3 (v0.5.6). Values the sources do not publish are left out rather than estimated. Browse the other 20 materials or the patch notes archive.