Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator
Convert cubic yards to tons, or tons back to cubic yards, for gravel, sand, soil, concrete or asphalt. Pick a material for a typical density or type the figure your supplier quotes.
Quick answer: At a typical 1.4 tons per cubic yard, 10 cubic yards of crushed stone weighs about 14 tons (28,000 lb). Going back, 14 tons ÷ 1.4 = 10 cubic yards.
Cubic yards to tons multiplies the volume by the material’s density in tons per cubic yard. To go from tons to cubic yards, divide by the same density. A cubic yard is a volume and a ton is a weight, so the answer depends on the material.
Example: 10 yd³ of crushed stone at 1.4 tons per cubic yard weighs 14 tons, or 28,000 lb. Going back, 14 tons ÷ 1.4 = 10 yd³. The calculator also shows a lighter and a heavier case from the range for that stone.
Method
How this calculator works
The conversion is one multiplication. The density is the part that is an estimate: no preset below is a standard, so your supplier’s figure should replace it.
Volume to weight and back
A cubic yard measures space and a ton measures weight, so one never equals the other without the density of the material. Multiply to go from volume to weight and divide to go back. The weight is in US short tons of 2,000 lb.
Tons = Cubic yards × Density (tons per yd³)Cubic yards = Tons ÷ Density (tons per yd³)Density depends on the material and how wet it is
The presets are typical values from public tables and supplier-style sources, not standards. Moisture, gradation, how loose or compacted the pile is and the exact product all change the weight. For presets with a range, the results also show the weight if the material is lighter or heavier than the default. The table below gives every preset, its range and a confidence label.
Unit definitions
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, a US ton is 2,000 lb and a metric tonne is 1,000 kg. The calculator also shows the density in pounds per cubic foot so you can compare it with a label.
Pounds = Tons × 2,000Metric tonnes = Tons × 0.90718474Lb per ft³ = Tons per yd³ × 2,000 ÷ 27Your own density, in either unit system
The Custom density field replaces the material. It is always in short tons per cubic yard, in the US view and in the metric view. The metric view takes cubic meters and tonnes for the volume and weight, but not for the density. To convert a density quoted in tonnes per cubic meter, multiply by 0.8428. A supplier quoting 1.6 tonnes per m³ is quoting about 1.35 tons per yd³.
Tons per yd³ = Tonnes per m³ × 0.8428Tonnes per m³ = Tons per yd³ × 1.1866Density presets built into the calculator
| Material | Tons per yd³ | Range used | Lb per ft³ | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone, #57 | 1.4 | 1.4 to 1.5 | 103.7 | Medium |
| Crusher run or road base | 1.5 | 1.45 to 1.55 | 111.1 | Medium |
| Pea gravel | 1.3 | 1.25 to 1.35 | 96.3 | Medium |
| River rock, 1 to 2 in | 1.4 | 1.3 to 1.45 | 103.7 | Medium |
| Crushed granite or limestone | 1.45 | 1.35 to 1.55 | 107.4 | Medium |
| Stone dust or screenings | 1.4 | 1.3 to 1.5 | 103.7 | Medium |
| Gravel, loose (agency table) | 1.3 | none | 96.3 | Low |
| Compacted aggregate base | 1.85 | 1.7 to 1.85 | 137.0 | Low |
| Sand, dry | 1.35 | 1.3 to 1.5 | 100.0 | Low |
| Sand, wet | 1.6 | 1.5 to 1.7 | 118.5 | Low |
| Topsoil, dry and loose | 1.1 | 0.9 to 1.3 | 81.5 | Low |
| Topsoil, moist | 1.28 | 1.2 to 1.4 | 94.8 | Low |
| Fill dirt | 1.1 | 1 to 1.2 | 81.5 | Low |
| Concrete, plain (150 lb/ft³) | 2.025 | none | 150.0 | Higher |
| Concrete, reinforced (155 lb/ft³) | 2.0925 | none | 155.0 | Higher |
| Asphalt, compacted hot mix | 1.98 | 1.944 to 2.16 | 146.7 | Higher |
Confidence labels: Higher means the figure is arithmetic from a published value (concrete at 150 and 155 lb/ft³ from a state transportation memo, asphalt from the Asphalt Institute spread rate). Medium means a table from a supplier-style source that gives a range. Low means a rough convention, a wide range or a source that could not be checked in full. None of them is a standard. Compacted aggregate base is heavier per cubic yard than the loose stone you order, so convert loose volume with a loose-material density.
Worked example: 10 cubic yards of crushed stone
Arithmetic checkedCrushed stone #57 at the preset density of 1.4 tons per cubic yard, in the US view. The preset range for this stone is 1.4 to 1.5.
| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Density (crushed stone, medium confidence) | 1.4 tons per yd³ | 103.7 lb per ft³ |
| Weight in tons | 10 × 1.4 | 14 tons |
| Weight in pounds | 14 × 2,000 | 28,000 lb |
| Weight in metric tonnes | 14 × 0.90718474 | 12.70 t |
| Volume in cubic feet | 10 × 27 | 270 ft³ |
| Volume in cubic meters | 10 × 0.764554857984 | 7.6455 m³ |
| If the stone is lighter (low end, 1.4) | 10 × 1.4 | 14 tons |
| If the stone is heavier (high end, 1.5) | 10 × 1.5 | 15 tons |
| Reverse: tons back to yards | 14 ÷ 1.4 | 10 yd³ |
| You would order | about 14 tons, or up to 15 | |
Disclaimer
Results are planning estimates based on the dimensions and assumptions you enter. They are not engineering, structural or building-code advice. Product yields, densities and coverage vary by manufacturer, batch and site conditions. Check product labels, your supplier and your local building department before you order materials or start work. Read the full calculation disclaimer.
Accuracy
What affects your estimate
Volume is exact geometry, but the weight of a cubic yard is not a fixed number. These are the things that move it.
Moisture
Wet material weighs more. At the presets, 10 yd³ of dry sand is 13.5 tons and 10 yd³ of wet sand is 16 tons. One source behind the gravel presets says wet gravel can weigh 15 to 20% more than dry.
Gradation and product
Crusher run with fines packs tighter than clean #57 stone. Pea gravel, river rock and stone dust each have their own range. Two products sold under the same name can differ.
Loose or compacted
The density of compacted base is higher than the loose stone delivered to the site. Use a loose density for what the truck brings, and let the project calculator handle the compaction allowance.
How it is sold
Some suppliers sell by the ton on a scale ticket, others by the cubic yard, and most have minimum loads. Ask which one, and ask for their tons-per-yard figure so quotes line up.
The result is a planning estimate from a typical density. It is not a measured weight and not a load rating. Check your supplier's ticket and your truck or trailer's rated capacity before you haul.
Common mistakes
Treating a ton and a cubic yard as the same thing
They are a weight and a volume. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, 20 yd³ of stone is 28 tons, and 20 tons is 14.3 yd³.
Using the dry density for wet material
Wet sand and soil weigh much more per yard than dry. If the pile is wet, pick the wet preset or enter the supplier's figure.
Mixing up tons and tonnes
A US ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb. The labels in the results say which one you are reading, and the custom density is always in tons per yd³.
Using compacted-base density for loose material
Compacted aggregate base is about 1.85 tons per yd³, while loose stone is about 1.3 to 1.5. Converting a loose delivery with the compacted figure overstates the weight.
Questions people ask
How many tons are in a cubic yard?
It depends on the material. The presets run from about 1.1 tons per cubic yard for dry loose topsoil and fill dirt, through 1.3 to 1.5 for gravel and crushed stone and 1.35 for dry sand, to 2.025 for plain concrete. The guide on how many cubic yards are in a ton compares them.
Is a ton the same as a cubic yard?
No. A ton is a weight and a cubic yard is a volume. Only the density links them. For crushed stone at 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one cubic yard weighs 1.4 tons.
Is 20 tons the same as 20 yards?
Not unless the material happens to weigh exactly 1 ton per cubic yard, which none of the presets do. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, 20 yd³ weighs 28 tons and 20 tons fills 14.29 yd³.
How do I convert tons to cubic yards?
Divide the tons by the density in tons per cubic yard: 14 tons ÷ 1.4 = 10 yd³. In the calculator, choose Weight to volume, enter the tons and pick the material.
How do I convert cubic yards to tonnes?
First find the tons, then multiply by 0.90718474. For 10 yd³ of crushed stone that is 14 tons, or 12.70 tonnes. You can also switch to the metric view and enter cubic meters, and the results show tonnes.
How do I convert tons to square yards?
You cannot go straight from weight to area, because area also needs a depth. Convert tons to cubic yards first, then spread that volume over the depth. One cubic yard is 27 ft³, so at 3 in deep it covers 27 ÷ 0.25 = 108 ft², which is 12 yd². The guide on square feet to square yards covers the area units.
When should I use this instead of the gravel calculator?
Use this one when you already know the volume or the weight. The gravel calculator starts from an area and a depth, adds a compaction allowance and then gives the weight, and the guide on how much gravel you need shows the full job.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
Where the numbers come from
- Crushed Stone Calculator (secondary source) weight per yard of gravel, stone and fill dirt (density ranges; not an official standard), accessed October 16, 2026.
- Inch Calculator (secondary source) cubic yards to tons, including sand and soil densities (ranges; no primary source cited), accessed October 16, 2026.
- WSDOT Bridge Design Memo 05-2010: 150 and 155 lb/ft³ for plain and reinforced concrete, accessed October 16, 2026.
- Asphalt Magazine typical spread rate of 110 lb per square yard per inch for asphalt mixtures (Asphalt Institute authors), accessed October 16, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavement Association asphalt spread-rate range of 108 to 120 lb per square yard per inch, accessed October 16, 2026.
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (cubic yard, ton and pound definitions), accessed October 16, 2026.