Cubic Yards to Tons: Gravel, Sand, Topsoil & Concrete
A cubic yard of gravel or crushed stone weighs about 1.4 US tons (2,800 lb), sand about 1.35 tons, topsoil about 1 to 1.35 tons depending on moisture, and mixed concrete about 2 tons. Multiply cubic yards by that figure to get tons, or divide tons by it to get cubic yards: 10 cubic yards of gravel ≈ 14 US tons.
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Type in either box. Fractions like 3 1/2 work too.
Gravel and crushed stone weigh about 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard loose, more once compacted. Suppliers weigh their own stone, so check their figure before you order. Gravel calculator
10 cubic yards of gravel ≈ 14 US tons
1 cubic yard of gravel ≈ 1.4 US tons, at about 1.4 US tons per cubic yard
Cubic yards to tons by material
| Cubic yards | Gravel or crushed stone | Sand | Topsoil | Concrete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.4 | 1.35 | 1–1.35 | 2 |
| 2 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2–2.7 | 4 |
| 3 | 4.2 | 4.05 | 3–4.05 | 6 |
| 4 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 4–5.4 | 8 |
| 5 | 7 | 6.75 | 5–6.75 | 10 |
| 6 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 6–8.1 | 12 |
| 8 | 11.2 | 10.8 | 8–10.8 | 16 |
| 10 | 14 | 13.5 | 10–13.5 | 20 |
| 12 | 16.8 | 16.2 | 12–16.2 | 24 |
| 15 | 21 | 20.3 | 15–20.3 | 30 |
| 20 | 28 | 27 | 20–27 | 40 |
Tons to cubic yards
| US tons | Gravel (cu yd) | Gravel (cu ft) | Sand (cu yd) | Topsoil (cu yd) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.714 | 19.3 | 0.741 | 0.741–1 |
| 2 | 1.43 | 38.6 | 1.48 | 1.48–2 |
| 3 | 2.14 | 57.9 | 2.22 | 2.22–3 |
| 5 | 3.57 | 96.4 | 3.7 | 3.7–5 |
| 10 | 7.14 | 193 | 7.41 | 7.41–10 |
| 15 | 10.7 | 289 | 11.1 | 11.1–15 |
| 20 | 14.3 | 386 | 14.8 | 14.8–20 |
| 25 | 17.9 | 482 | 18.5 | 18.5–25 |
How much a cubic yard weighs, by material
| Material | US tons per cu yd | Pounds per cu yd | Tonnes per m³ | Cu yd per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel or crushed stone | 1.4 | 2,800 | 1.66 | 0.714 |
| Paver base (crushed stone) | 1.4 | 2,800 | 1.66 | 0.714 |
| River rock | 1.4 | 2,800 | 1.66 | 0.714 |
| Sand | 1.35 | 2,700 | 1.6 | 0.741 |
| Topsoil | 1–1.35 | 2,000–2,700 | 1.19–1.6 | 0.741–1 |
| Concrete (mixed) | 2 | 4,000 | 2.37 | 0.5 |
| Mulch | Not quoted | Varies with moisture | – | Sold by volume |
How to convert cubic yards to tons
- Work out the cubic yards. Multiply length by width in feet, then by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12), and divide by 27. A 10 × 12 ft area 3 inches deep is 10 × 12 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 1.11 cubic yards.
- Find the weight per cubic yard. Use your supplier’s figure if they give one; otherwise about 1.4 tons for gravel and crushed stone, 1.35 for sand, 1–1.35 for topsoil and 2 for concrete.
- Multiply. Cubic yards × tons per cubic yard = tons. The 1.11 cubic yards of gravel above is about 1.56 tons. To go from tons back to cubic yards, divide instead.
- Add a margin and round up. Add 5–10% for spillage and an uneven base (more for a base you will compact), and round up to what the yard sells, often a half or whole ton.
Frequently asked questions
- How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
- About 1.4 US tons, or roughly 2,800 lb, for typical gravel and crushed stone. Most runs 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard loose and more once compacted, so check your supplier’s figure for the stone you pick.
- How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
- About 0.714 cubic yards (1 ÷ 1.4), which is about 19.3 cubic feet. At 1.5 tons per cubic yard it would be about 0.67 cubic yards.
- How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
- About 2,000 to 2,700 lb (1 to 1.35 tons), depending on moisture and on how much sand, clay or organic matter it holds. Wet topsoil sits at the top of that range. Topsoil is usually sold by the cubic yard, so the weight matters mostly for hauling it.
- How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?
- About 1.35 US tons (2,700 lb), a little lighter than gravel. Wet sand weighs noticeably more, so a load delivered after rain can weigh more for the same volume.
- How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh?
- About 2 US tons (4,000 lb) once mixed. Ready-mix is ordered by the cubic yard, not by weight; the weight matters for what a slab or a trailer can carry.
- Are these US tons or metric tonnes?
- US short tons of 2,000 lb, the ton US gravel yards sell by. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 1.1 short tons. In metric units, gravel at 1.4 tons per cubic yard is about 1.66 tonnes per cubic meter; pick tonnes or cubic meters in the converter to get either.
- Why does my supplier quote a different number?
- Weight per yard depends on the stone, its size, its moisture and whether it is loose or compacted. Caltrans’ planning rule, for example, is about 1.5 tons per cubic yard loose and 2.0 compacted. The figures here are typical loose weights; the yard that loads your truck knows its own material.
- Can my pickup carry a cubic yard?
- Often only about one. A cubic yard of gravel is about 2,800 lb and of topsoil 2,000–2,700 lb, and a pickup bed typically reaches its payload rating at around 1 to 1.5 cubic yards of topsoil, and less of gravel. Check the payload rating on the door sticker before you load, and plan two trips or a delivery for more.
How it works
Tons = cubic yards × the material’s weight per cubic yard, and cubic yards = tons ÷ that weight. The weights are the planning figures the site’s calculators use: about 1.4 US tons per cubic yard for gravel, crushed stone and river rock, 1.35 for sand, 1 to 1.35 for topsoil (the converter uses the middle, about 1.18, and shows the range) and about 2 for mixed concrete. Mulch is left out because its weight swings too much with moisture to be useful. Other units (cubic feet, cubic meters, bags, pounds, kilograms, tonnes) go through exact definitions: 27 cubic feet per cubic yard, 2,000 lb per US ton, 0.45359237 kg per pound. Results are estimates rounded to three significant figures, so they say “about”.
Sources
- Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Useful Information appendix: loose tons ≈ 1.5 × cubic yards, compacted ≈ 2.0 ×
- Typical topsoil bulk density (about 2,000–2,700 lb per cubic yard), as used by the topsoil calculator
- NIST Special Publication 811 (2008), Guide for the Use of the International System of Units, Appendix B: conversion factors
- NIST Handbook 44 (current edition), Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement
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