Volume to weight · published supplier figures
Cubic yards to tons calculator
Enter a known volume and a material to convert cubic yards of gravel or stone to US tons. One cubic yard at 2,835 lb is 1.42 tons; published supplier weights run from 2,410 to 2,835 lb per yard.
How much gravel you need
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, tons and bags
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, weight and bags, with every assumption explained.
The conversion
How to convert cubic yards to tons
- Find the weight per cubic yard.Use the supplier’s published pounds per cubic yard for the exact product. A label such as pea gravel or #57 does not fix it.
- Multiply by the cubic yards.Cubic yards × lb/yd³ gives total pounds. 5 yd³ × 2,700 = 13,500 lb.
- Divide by 2,000.US short tons. 13,500 ÷ 2,000 = 6.75 tons. For metric tonnes, divide kilograms by 1,000 instead.
- Reverse it for tons to yards.Tons × 2,000 ÷ lb/yd³. 10 tons at 2,700 lb/yd³ is 7.41 cubic yards.
US units
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ ÷ 2,000
Volume × published weight → US short tons
Tons × 2,000 ÷ lb/yd³
Weight → cubic yards at the same published weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Reference table
Cubic yards to tons by material
Each column uses one published weight per cubic yard, with its supplier linked in the header. The general column is a starting estimate; the others are product figures from named suppliers.
| Cubic yards | General gravel, starting estimate 2,835 lb/yd³ | Pea gravel 2,700 lb/yd³ | 3/8 inch pea gravel 2,440 lb/yd³ | #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch) 2,410 lb/yd³ | Crusher Run (crushed granite with stone dust) 2,450 lb/yd³ | 3/4 inch Crushed Stone 2,800 lb/yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | 1.42 | 1.35 | 1.22 | 1.21 | 1.23 | 1.4 |
| 2 yd³ | 2.84 | 2.7 | 2.44 | 2.41 | 2.45 | 2.8 |
| 3 yd³ | 4.25 | 4.05 | 3.66 | 3.62 | 3.68 | 4.2 |
| 5 yd³ | 7.09 | 6.75 | 6.1 | 6.03 | 6.13 | 7 |
| 10 yd³ | 14.18 | 13.5 | 12.2 | 12.05 | 12.25 | 14 |
| 20 yd³ | 28.35 | 27 | 24.4 | 24.1 | 24.5 | 28 |
Tons to cubic yards by material
Suppliers who sell by the ton deliver fewer cubic yards of a heavy product than of a light one. Use this table to check a quoted tonnage against the volume your measurements need.
| US tons | General gravel, starting estimate | Pea gravel | 3/8 inch pea gravel | #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch) | Crusher Run (crushed granite with stone dust) | 3/4 inch Crushed Stone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tons | 0.71 | 0.74 | 0.82 | 0.83 | 0.82 | 0.71 |
| 2 tons | 1.41 | 1.48 | 1.64 | 1.66 | 1.63 | 1.43 |
| 5 tons | 3.53 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.15 | 4.08 | 3.57 |
| 10 tons | 7.05 | 7.41 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.16 | 7.14 |
| 20 tons | 14.11 | 14.81 | 16.39 | 16.6 | 16.33 | 14.29 |
Every figure here is loose material with no compaction factor. The gravel density reference lists the full ledger with dates, and the gravel calculator turns measurements into cubic yards before the conversion.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about yards and tons
Every answer states the weight per yard it assumes.
Check our formulas & sources ↗How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
At the general starting estimate of 2,835 lb per cubic yard, one cubic yard is 1.42 US short tons. Published supplier weights on this page run from 2,410 lb (1.21 tons) for #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch) to 2,835 lb (1.42 tons) for General gravel, starting estimate. Use the weight your supplier bills by.
How do I convert cubic yards of gravel to tons?
Multiply the cubic yards by the material’s pounds per cubic yard, then divide by 2,000 for US short tons. Example: 5 yd³ × 2,700 lb/yd³ = 13,500 lb = 6.75 tons. For tons to yards, multiply tons by 2,000 and divide by the pounds per cubic yard.
Is 1 cubic yard equal to 1 ton?
No. A cubic yard is a volume and a ton is a weight; the conversion depends on density. For loose gravel and stone, one cubic yard weighs between roughly 1.21 and 1.42 US tons according to the published figures here, so one ton is less than one cubic yard.
Is 3 cubic yards 3 tons?
Not for gravel. At 2,835 lb per cubic yard, 3 yd³ is 4.25 US tons; at 2,410 lb it is 3.62 tons and at 2,835 lb it is 4.25 tons.
How many cubic yards is a ton of gravel?
Divide 2,000 by the pounds per cubic yard. At 2,835 lb per cubic yard one US ton is 0.71 yd³; at 2,410 lb it is 0.83 yd³. The table below lists 1 to 20 tons for each published weight.
Is 20 tons the same as 20 yards?
No. 20 US tons of gravel at 2,835 lb per cubic yard is 14.11 cubic yards, and 20 cubic yards weighs 28.35 tons. Suppliers who quote by the ton and calculators that report cubic yards are describing the same load in different units.
Are US tons and metric tonnes the same?
No. A US short ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb. This page and the calculator’s US mode use short tons. Switch the calculator to metric to work in tonnes and cubic metres.
Which weight per yard should I use?
The one your supplier publishes or bills by for the exact product. If you do not have it yet, calculate volume first, because volume does not depend on density, and ask for pounds per cubic yard with the quote. Every published figure we cite is listed with its source in the gravel density reference.
References
- General gravel, starting estimate: 2,835 lb per cubic yard, Omni Calculator
- Pea gravel: 2,700 lb per cubic yard, Lasalle Sand & Gravel
- 3/8 inch pea gravel: 2,440 lb per cubic yard, South Bay Materials
- #57 Limestone Gravel (1/2 - 1 inch): 2,410 lb per cubic yard, Gravelshop
- Crusher Run (crushed granite with stone dust): 2,450 lb per cubic yard, Yard Works Landscape Supply
- 3/4 inch Crushed Stone: 2,800 lb per cubic yard, LandCare Stone
About these calculations
By Site Measure · Last updated . The tables are derived from the density ledger at build time, so they cannot drift from the cited figures. Content was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the calculator’s arithmetic tests; no independent engineering review is claimed.
See our calculation checks or report a calculation discrepancy.