Calculator 05 / 08
Cubic yards to tons calculator
Suppliers quote by the ton; calculators give cubic yards. Convert either way using a density you can see and change.
- Outputs
- yd³ ⇄ tons · m³ ⇄ tonnes
- Material basis
- Gravel · 105 lb/ft³ default, editable
- Method
- Formulas & sources
The conversion
There is no single factor. Yards measure space and tons measure weight; the link between them is the material's bulk density, which depends on the material, size, moisture and how settled it is. Density is always visible here, and you can edit it.
Density values used
| Material | lb/ft³ | US tons per yd³ | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel, dry (default) | 105 | 1.42 | Engineering ToolBox source |
| Gravel, published range | 91–120 | 1.23–1.62 | Handbook range source |
| Gravel, wet | 125 | 1.69 | Engineering ToolBox source |
| Sand, dry | 97 | 1.31 | Engineering ToolBox source |
| Sand, wet | 119 | 1.61 | Engineering ToolBox source |
Pea gravel, crushed stone, river rock, landscape rock and road base all use the general dry-gravel value in this tool because we did not find a reliable material-specific figure. Your supplier's conversion factor is better than any of these.
Worked examples
Yards to tons: 3 yd³ of dry gravel = 3 × 27 × 105 ÷ 2,000 = 4.25 tons.
Tons to yards: a 10-ton load at 105 lb/ft³ = 10 × 2,000 ÷ 105 ÷ 27 = 7.05 yd³. Spread 3 in deep, that covers about 7.05 × 27 ÷ 0.25 ≈ 762 ft².
Metric tonnes are 1,000 kg; US (short) tons are 2,000 lb. A tonne is about 1.10 US tons. Make sure you know which one the supplier means.
Questions
How many tons are in a yard of gravel?
About 1.42 US tons at the 105 lb/ft³ dry-gravel value, within a published range of roughly 1.23–1.62 tons. Moisture and stone type make the real figure vary.
How many yards are in a ton of gravel?
At 105 lb/ft³, one US ton is about 0.71 cubic yards (2,000 ÷ 105 ÷ 27).
Is a ton the same as a tonne?
No. A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,205 lb. The calculator shows both.