Cubic Yards to Tons Converter
{yards} cubic yards of {material} is about {tons} tons, or {pounds} lb.
1 cubic yard in tons, by material
| Material | Tons per yard | 1 yd³ = |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.40 | 1.40 tons |
| Crushed stone | 1.50 | 1.50 tons |
| Crusher run | 1.50 | 1.50 tons |
| Sand | 1.35 | 1.35 tons |
| Limestone | 1.50 | 1.50 tons |
| River rock | 1.35 | 1.35 tons |
| Topsoil | 1.10 | 1.10 tons |
| Concrete (broken) | 2.03 | 2.03 tons |
Densities are typical dry bulk values. Wet or freshly delivered material can weigh 5 to 15% more.
Common yard amounts of gravel, converted
| Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.40 |
| 2 | 2.80 |
| 5 | 7.00 |
| 10 | 14.00 |
| 15 | 21.00 |
| 20 | 28.00 |
How the math works
This is the mirror image of the tons-to-yards conversion: instead of dividing a weight by density to get volume, multiply a volume by density to get weight.
pounds = tons × 2000
The density figures 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.
Two conversions that look redundant but aren't
This calculator and the tons-to-yards converter do inverse arithmetic, which can make them look like the same page twice. They're not — they answer different questions at different points in a job. You reach for yards-to-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-to-yards when the truck arrives, to check that what showed up on the ticket matches what you actually ordered. Yards-to-tons is the ordering direction; tons-to-yards is the checking direction.
Order a margin — and round up, not down
| Factor | Typical allowance | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Compaction | Significant, material-dependent | Compacted depth needs more loose volume to achieve — see the gravel calculator |
| Subgrade irregularity | Add for it | The excavation is rarely as neat as the calculation assumes |
| Spillage and handling | Small | Loading, hauling, spreading |
| Edge and transition losses | Small | Feathering at edges, tie-ins |
On a concrete page, the guidance is to order carefully, because surplus ready-mix is a real disposal problem — you can't take it back or store it. Aggregate is the opposite: leftover stone or gravel just sits in a pile and gets used eventually. Running short, on the other hand, means a second delivery — which often carries its own minimum charge and trip fee on top of what you already paid. The honest advice here is simply to round up. If you're carrying the concrete-page instinct to "order tight" into an aggregate order, that's the one habit worth dropping.
Before you buy
- If you're starting from a project's dimensions rather than an already-known cubic yardage, use the gravel calculator instead — it goes straight from length, width and depth to both units.
- Double-check which material your supplier's density figure assumes; "gravel" covers a range of specific products with slightly different densities.
- 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.
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.
Is a cubic yard of sand heavier or lighter than gravel?
Slightly lighter. Sand runs about 1.35 tons per cubic yard compared to 1.4 for gravel, so the same volume of sand weighs a bit less.
Why do I need to pick a material to convert yards to tons?
Because a cubic yard is a fixed volume but different materials pack different amounts of weight into that volume. Topsoil is light and loose; crushed concrete is dense. The conversion factor is the material's density, which varies by what you're ordering.
How many pounds are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 2,800 lb, based on the same 1.4 tons per cubic yard density used throughout this site.
My supplier quoted cubic yards but bills by the ton. How do I check the math?
Enter the cubic yards you were quoted and pick the matching material here to see the expected tonnage, then compare it to what shows up on your invoice or delivery ticket.