Cubic yards to tons
Multiply cubic yards by the weight of a yard of the material, then divide by 2,000. 10 cubic yards of gravel is about 13.50 tons.
It depends on the material
A cubic yard is a volume and a ton is a weight, so the conversion needs the weight of a yard of the material, and that varies widely: a yard of wood mulch weighs a few hundred pounds and a yard of compacted base nearly two tons. The weights here come from state transportation departments, the EPA and Wisconsin highway research. Moisture adds weight, so wet sand or soil can weigh noticeably more.
Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000
10 cu yd × 2,700 lb per loose cu yd ÷ 2,000 = 13.50 tons
Tons in 1, 5, 10 and 15 cubic yards
| Material | Lb per cu yd | 1 cu yd | 5 cu yd | 10 cu yd | 15 cu yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel (mixed sizes) | 2,700 (loose) | 1.35 | 6.75 | 13.50 | 20.25 |
| Pea gravel | 2,700 (loose) | 1.35 | 6.75 | 13.50 | 20.25 |
| Crushed stone (#57 and other clean stone) | 2,700 (loose) | 1.35 | 6.75 | 13.50 | 20.25 |
| Crusher run (road base with fines) | 2,800 (loose) | 1.40 | 7.00 | 14.00 | 21.00 |
| River rock | 2,600 (loose) | 1.30 | 6.50 | 13.00 | 19.50 |
| Stone dust (screenings) | 2,400 (loose) | 1.20 | 6.00 | 12.00 | 18.00 |
| Sand | 2,700 (loose) | 1.35 | 6.75 | 13.50 | 20.25 |
| Topsoil | 2,400 (loose) | 1.20 | 6.00 | 12.00 | 18.00 |
| Wood mulch | 500 (loose) | 0.25 | 1.25 | 2.50 | 3.75 |
| Asphalt millings (recycled asphalt) | 2,400 (loose) | 1.20 | 6.00 | 12.00 | 18.00 |
| Crushed concrete (recycled) | 2,300 (loose) | 1.15 | 5.75 | 11.50 | 17.25 |
| Hot mix asphalt | 3,915 (compacted) | 1.96 | 9.79 | 19.58 | 29.36 |
| Concrete | 3,915 (compacted) | 1.96 | 9.79 | 19.58 | 29.36 |
Asphalt and concrete are shown as placed (compacted) because that is how they are measured. For crushed stone, crusher run, sand and the recycled materials, the converter also gives a compacted figure: choose "compacted" when the yards you measured are a finished, compacted layer. The weight per cubic yard page lists every figure with its range and source.
A metric tonne is 2,205 lb, about 10% more than a US ton, and the converter shows both.
Sources
- Maintenance Manual Volume 1, Appendix: Useful Information, California Department of Transportation, July 2014. Loose weights of crushed gravel, limestone, granite, screenings, sand and soil; 111 lb of asphalt mix per square yard per inch; 2.0 tons per compacted cubic yard of base.
- Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors (Engineering Policy Guide appendix), Missouri Department of Transportation, current guide. Loose and compacted weights of crushed stone, sand, asphalt and concrete in pounds per cubic foot and per cubic yard.
- Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, March 2016. Loose weights of gravel, rock, sand, sandy loam soil and shredded wood chips.
- Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates of Wisconsin (WHRP 0092-22-05), Wisconsin Highway Research Program, Michigan State University, December 2023. Measured loose and compacted weights of base aggregates, recycled asphalt and recycled concrete; tons per compacted cubic yard.