Tons to Cubic Yards Converter (and Back)
One converter, both directions. Enter a weight to get volume, or a volume to get weight — pick whichever side matches what your supplier quoted.
Cubic yards → tons
Start here if you measured a space and need to know what to order.
Tons → cubic yards
Start here if a ticket, quote, or delivery is already in tons and you want to picture the pile.
Density by material, both directions
| Material | Tons per yard | 1 yd³ = | 1 ton = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.40 | 1.40 tons | 0.714 yd³ |
| Crushed stone | 1.50 | 1.50 tons | 0.667 yd³ |
| Crusher run | 1.50 | 1.50 tons | 0.667 yd³ |
| Sand | 1.35 | 1.35 tons | 0.741 yd³ |
| Limestone | 1.50 | 1.50 tons | 0.667 yd³ |
| River rock | 1.35 | 1.35 tons | 0.741 yd³ |
| Topsoil | 1.10 | 1.10 tons | 0.909 yd³ |
| Concrete (broken) | 2.03 | 2.03 tons | 0.493 yd³ |
Densities are typical dry bulk values. Wet or freshly delivered material can weigh 5 to 15% more.
How the math works
Weight and volume are related by density, and that's the whole trick in both directions:
cubic yards = tons ÷ density
pounds = tons × 2000 · cubic feet = cubic yards × 27
The density figures above are the same ones used across every gravel and material calculator on this site, so a project run through the gravel calculator and cross-checked here will match.
Why the conversion factor isn't a constant
Most tons-to-yards references present a single conversion number as though it were physics. It isn't — it's a property of a specific material, from a specific quarry, in a specific condition, and it moves for reasons that have nothing to do with the supplier being imprecise:
- Parent rock — limestone, granite, basalt, trap rock, and river gravel have genuinely different densities. That's geology, not supplier practice.
- Gradation — a well-graded material with fines packs denser than a uniform, open-graded stone of the same rock.
- Moisture — adds mass without adding volume; see the gravel calculator for how much this can skew a weight-based order.
- Loose vs. compacted — a quoted density might describe loose material or an in-place compacted figure, and these differ substantially.
Two suppliers thirty miles apart can legitimately quote different tons-per-yard figures for what's nominally the same product. Treat any conversion table, including this one, as a typical starting range and confirm the actual density with whoever's delivering your material.
Which direction you actually need, and when
The two calculators above answer different questions at different points in a job, which is why both live on this page instead of just one. You reach for cubic yards → tons before you order: you measured a space, which gives you volume, but the supplier sells by weight, so you need to translate before you can ask for the right amount. You reach for tons → cubic yards when the truck arrives, to check that what showed up on the ticket matches what you actually ordered.
Sanity-checking a delivery ticket
- Check the units — tickets may read in tons, metric tonnes, or cubic yards, and a metric tonne runs about 10% heavier than a US short ton.
- Check the material description against what you actually ordered, including nominal size and gradation, not just "gravel."
- Check gross, tare, and net weight. Net is what you paid for; a ticket showing only gross weight is incomplete.
- Compare the net tons to your expected volume using the supplier's own density figure, not a generic one.
- Look at the pile. A dramatic mismatch between the ticket and the visible volume is worth a phone call before the truck leaves.
- If the material looks visibly wet and you bought by weight, moisture is a legitimate reason for a lighter-than-expected yield — but it's worth knowing about.
Small discrepancies from load to load are normal — scales have tolerances and moisture varies through a stockpile. What's worth investigating is a consistent pattern, like every load running light, or a running total that's short across a multi-load job.
When you're placing an order, the honest advice is to round up — leftover aggregate just sits in a pile and gets used eventually, while running short means a second delivery with its own minimum charge and trip fee. That's the opposite of a concrete order, where surplus ready-mix is a real disposal problem and the instinct is to order tight. Don't carry the concrete-page instinct into an aggregate order. When you're checking a ticket after the fact, though, the goal shifts from "round up" to "compare carefully" — see the delivery-ticket checklist above.
Before you buy
- If you're starting from a project's dimensions rather than an already-known yardage or tonnage, use the gravel calculator instead — it goes straight from length, width and depth to both units.
- Confirm which unit your supplier quotes before you order, and double-check which specific product their density figure assumes — river rock, pea gravel, and crusher run all pack differently even though they're all "gravel" in casual conversation.
- Delivery trucks are usually rated by weight, not volume — if you're close to a truck's capacity, confirm the tonnage before the load is scheduled.
- Add a delivery buffer of 5 to 10% for material lost to spillage and compaction, especially on top-dressing or driveway jobs.
Common questions
How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.4 tons, since gravel has a typical bulk density of 1.4 tons per cubic yard. 5 cubic yards of gravel works out to about 7 tons.
How many cubic yards is a ton of gravel?
About 0.71 cubic yards, since gravel weighs roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard. 10 tons of gravel works out to about 7.1 cubic yards.
Why isn't there one fixed number for tons per cubic yard?
Because the conversion factor is density, and density is a property of a specific material in a specific condition, not a universal constant. Parent rock, gradation, moisture, and whether the material is loose or compacted all shift it. Two suppliers thirty miles apart can legitimately quote different figures for what's nominally the same product.
Do suppliers sell gravel by the ton or the cubic yard?
Both, depending on the supplier. Quarries and large bulk deliveries typically price by the ton; landscaping yards and smaller loads often price by the cubic yard. This converter moves between the two in either direction.
Is a ton of sand the same volume as a ton of gravel?
No. Sand is slightly less dense than gravel, so a ton of sand takes up a bit more volume — about 0.74 cubic yards compared to 0.71 for gravel.
My supplier quoted one unit but bills in the other. How do I check the math?
Enter the figure you were quoted on the matching side of this converter and pick the material, then compare the result to what shows up on your invoice or delivery ticket.