Tons to Cubic Yards Converter
{tons} tons of {material} is about {cubicYards} cubic yards, or {cubicFeet} cubic feet.
1 ton in cubic yards, by material
| Material | Tons per yard | 1 ton = |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.40 | 0.714 yd³ |
| Crushed stone | 1.50 | 0.667 yd³ |
| Crusher run | 1.50 | 0.667 yd³ |
| Sand | 1.35 | 0.741 yd³ |
| Limestone | 1.50 | 0.667 yd³ |
| River rock | 1.35 | 0.741 yd³ |
| Topsoil | 1.10 | 0.909 yd³ |
| Concrete (broken) | 2.03 | 0.493 yd³ |
Densities are typical dry bulk values. Wet or freshly delivered material can weigh 5 to 15% more.
Common ton amounts of gravel, converted
| Tons | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.71 |
| 2 | 1.43 |
| 3 | 2.14 |
| 5 | 3.57 |
| 10 | 7.14 |
| 15 | 10.71 |
| 20 | 14.29 |
| 25 | 17.86 |
How the math works
Weight and volume are related by density. A ton is a fixed weight, but how much space that weight takes up depends entirely on how dense the material is — heavier materials like crushed concrete pack more weight into less space than lighter ones like topsoil.
cubic feet = cubic yards × 27
The density figures above are typical values for dry, loose material as delivered. Wet material, or material that's been compacted, can weigh noticeably more per cubic yard than these numbers assume.
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. The most useful thing to do with any conversion table, including this one, is treat it as a typical starting range and confirm the actual density with whoever's delivering your material.
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.
Before you buy
- If you already know the area you need to cover, start from the gravel calculator instead — it goes straight from length, width and depth to both tons and yards.
- Confirm which unit your supplier quotes before you order. Mixing up tons and cubic yards on a large delivery is an expensive mistake.
- Ask whether the quoted density is for that specific product — river rock, pea gravel, and crusher run all pack differently even though they're all "gravel" in casual conversation.
- 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 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 does the same tonnage give different cubic yards for different materials?
Because density varies by material. Lighter materials like topsoil pack more cubic yards into a ton than dense materials like crushed concrete, so the same weight takes up more space.
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 lets you move between the two.
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.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
About 2,800 lb, or 1.4 tons, for typical gravel. This is the inverse of the ton-to-yard conversion and the number this calculator's density table is built on.