Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator
Convert between cubic yards and tons for bulk landscaping and paving materials. Pick a material — or enter your supplier’s density — and convert either way, with cubic meters and metric tonnes included.
- US tons
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- Cubic yards
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- Metric tonnes
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- Cubic meters
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- Pounds
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- Density used
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Common questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard?
It depends on the material: about 1.35 tons for crushed stone or dry sand, 1.1 tons for topsoil, 1.2 tons for fill dirt, roughly 2 tons for concrete or compacted asphalt, and only 0.3 tons (about 600 lb) for wood mulch.
How do I convert cubic yards to tons?
Multiply cubic yards by 27 to get cubic feet, multiply by the material’s density in lb per cubic foot, then divide by 2,000. For 10 yards of crushed stone at 100 lb/ft³: 10 × 27 × 100 ÷ 2,000 = 13.5 tons.
How do I convert tons to cubic yards?
Multiply tons by 2,000 to get pounds, divide by the density in lb per cubic foot, then divide by 27. For 15 tons of crushed stone at 100 lb/ft³: 15 × 2,000 ÷ 100 ÷ 27 ≈ 11.1 cubic yards.
How many tons is a yard of gravel?
About 1.35 tons for crushed stone, 1.3 tons for pea gravel or limestone, and 1.2 tons for river rock. Size and fines matter: screenings and crusher run pack tighter and weigh more than clean, uniform stone.
How much do 3 or 5 yards of gravel weigh?
At 1.35 tons per yard for crushed stone, 3 cubic yards weigh about 4 tons (8,100 lb) and 5 cubic yards about 6.75 tons (13,500 lb). Pea gravel runs slightly lighter: about 3.9 tons for 3 yards and 6.5 tons for 5. Ten yards of crushed stone is 13.5 tons, more than most single-axle dump trucks carry.
How many cubic yards is a ton of gravel?
About 0.74 cubic yards per ton of crushed stone, 0.77 for pea gravel, and 0.83 for river rock. Put the other way, a ton of crushed stone is roughly 20 cubic feet and covers about 80 sq ft at 3 inches deep.
How much does crushed stone weigh per cubic yard?
About 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) per cubic yard, at a loose density of 100 lb per cubic foot. Crusher run and screenings with lots of fines pack tighter and can reach 2,900 to 3,000 lb per yard; clean, uniform #57 stone is closer to 2,500 to 2,700 lb.
How much does rock weigh per cubic foot?
Loose crushed rock and gravel weigh about 90 to 100 lb per cubic foot because of the air gaps between stones. Solid rock is much heavier: granite is about 168 lb per cubic foot and limestone about 160. For ordering, use the loose figure, since that is what a delivery truck carries.
How many tons is a yard of topsoil?
Roughly 1.1 tons for dry screened topsoil, rising to 1.3–1.5 tons when it is wet or heavy with clay. That swing is why suppliers sell topsoil by the yard but trucks are loaded by weight.
How this is calculated
- Densities are loose, as-delivered planning figures: crushed stone 100 lb/ft³ (1.35 tons/yd³), pea gravel 96, river rock 89, limestone 96, topsoil 81 (1.1 tons/yd³), fill dirt 90, dry sand 100, wood mulch 22 (≈ 600 lb/yd³), compacted asphalt 145, concrete 150.
- Moisture changes weight more than anything else — wet sand, soil, and mulch can weigh 20–40% more than dry. Use your supplier’s figure when you have one.
- Tons here are US short tons (2,000 lb). Metric tonnes (1,000 kg) are shown alongside.
- Aggregate supplier density tables and USDA NRCS soil bulk density guidance — Typical bulk densities: crushed stone 1.3–1.4 tons/yd³, topsoil 1.0–1.5 tons/yd³, dry sand ≈ 1.35 tons/yd³.
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- Mulch Calculator
Find how many bags of mulch you need — or cubic yards for bulk delivery.
- Asphalt Calculator
Estimate hot-mix asphalt in tons for driveways, paths, and parking areas.