Gravel driveway topping: 8 cubic yards
A quarry quotes by the ton, so convert the volume before you compare prices.
8 yd³ × 1.4 = 11.2 tons
If the quarry’s crushed stone runs at 1.7 tons per yard, the same load is 13.6 tons.
Cubic Yards to Tons Converter
Multiply cubic yards by the material’s density in tons per cubic yard. One cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.4 tons, topsoil about 1.1 and bark mulch about 0.3.
How to Convert Cubic Yards to Tons
A cubic yard tells you how much space a load fills, and a ton tells you how heavy it is. Density links the two, and it changes from one material to the next, so a yard of mulch and a yard of crushed stone are far apart on the scale.
Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per yd³)
Pounds = tons × 2,000
Metric tonnes = tons × 0.9072
- Work out the volume in cubic yards. For a bed or driveway, the square feet to cubic yards converter does it from the area and depth.
- Pick the material, or ask your supplier for their density in tons per cubic yard.
- Multiply the cubic yards by the density to get tons.
For example, 5 cubic yards of gravel at 1.4 tons per yard weighs 5 × 1.4 = 7 tons, which is 14,000 pounds.
Cubic Yards to Tons Chart
Weights for common order sizes, using the same starting densities as the converter.
| Cubic yards | Gravel or sand (1.4) | Topsoil (1.1) | Mulch (0.3) | Concrete (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.4 tons | 1.1 tons | 0.3 tons | 2 tons |
| 2 | 2.8 tons | 2.2 tons | 0.6 tons | 4 tons |
| 3 | 4.2 tons | 3.3 tons | 0.9 tons | 6 tons |
| 5 | 7 tons | 5.5 tons | 1.5 tons | 10 tons |
| 10 | 14 tons | 11 tons | 3 tons | 20 tons |
| 15 | 21 tons | 16.5 tons | 4.5 tons | 30 tons |
| 20 | 28 tons | 22 tons | 6 tons | 40 tons |
Weight of a Cubic Yard by Material
No single factor works for everything, which is why CY Calculator lets you pick the material. These ranges are typical for loose material that is reasonably dry; the converter starts from the middle of each range.
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Bark or wood mulch | 0.2–0.4 | 400–800 |
| Topsoil | 1.1–1.3 | 2,200–2,600 |
| Sand (dry) | 1.3–1.5 | 2,600–3,000 |
| Gravel or crushed stone | 1.3–1.7 | 2,600–3,400 |
| Concrete (mixed) | About 2 | About 4,000 |
When the density is in pounds per cubic foot
Some product sheets list pounds per cubic foot. Multiply by 27 and divide by 2,000 to get tons per cubic yard: a stone listed at 100 lb per cubic foot works out to 100 × 27 ÷ 2,000 = 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
For more on why weights vary, and how wet weather changes them, read how many tons are in a cubic yard.
Cubic Yards to Tons Examples
Topsoil for raised beds: 3 cubic yards
Useful when a landscape yard sells soil by weight, or to check what a trailer will carry.
3 yd³ × 1.1 = 3.3 tons
That is about 6,600 pounds.
Bark mulch: 10 cubic yards
Mulch is light, so a big pile of it weighs less than you might expect.
10 yd³ × 0.3 = 3 tons
Roughly 6,000 pounds, depending on how wet the bark is.
Can my pickup carry a cubic yard?
One cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,800 pounds, and a yard of topsoil about 2,200. That is more than many pickups are rated to carry, so check the payload figure on the sticker inside the driver’s door before you load, and split the order into trips if needed. In metric terms, a yard of gravel is about 1.27 tonnes.
Cubic Yards to Tons FAQ
How many tons is half a cubic yard of gravel?
About 0.7 tons, or 1,400 pounds, at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Heavier crushed stone at 1.7 tons per yard makes it 0.85 tons.
How many tons is 10 cubic yards?
It depends on the material: 14 tons of gravel or sand at 1.4 tons per yard, 11 tons of topsoil, 3 tons of bark mulch and about 20 tons of concrete.
Is this a US ton or a metric tonne?
A US ton of 2,000 pounds, the ton American quarries and landscape yards use. The converter also shows metric tonnes: one US ton is 0.907 tonnes.
How do I convert cubic yards to pounds?
Multiply the cubic yards by the density in tons per cubic yard, then by 2,000. One cubic yard of topsoil at 1.1 tons per yard is 1.1 × 2,000 = 2,200 pounds.
More Converters
Need it the other way round? Use the tons to cubic yards converter. To work out the volume of a whole bed, slab or trench first, the cubic yard calculator handles nine shapes and any mix of units.
- Tons to Cubic Yardstons → yd³How much space a weight of material fills, by material.
- Square Feet to Cubic Yardsft² → yd³Cubic yards to order for an area spread at a chosen depth.
- Cubic Yards to Square Feetyd³ → ft²How many square feet a delivery covers at a chosen depth.
- Cubic Feet to Cubic Yardsft³ → yd³Divide by 27: bag sizes and small volumes in yards.
- Cubic Yards to Cubic Feetyd³ → ft³Multiply by 27: a delivery in cubic feet or bags.
- Cubic Yards to Cubic Metersyd³ → m³US yards to metric volume, with liters.
- Cubic Meters to Cubic Yardsm³ → yd³Metric volume to US yards, for quotes and plans.