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Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator

Convert cubic yards to tons, or tons to cubic yards, for gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, mulch, asphalt and concrete, using a typical density for each material that you can change to your supplier's figure.

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How do you convert cubic yards to tons?

Multiply the cubic yards by the material's density in tons per cubic yard. Gravel is typically about 1.5 tons per yard, so 10 cubic yards is about 15 US tons (13.6 metric tonnes). To convert tons to cubic yards, divide by the density instead.

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How to convert cubic yards to tons

  1. Choose the direction

    Cubic yards → tons, or Tons → cubic yards.

  2. Pick the material

    The density box fills with that material's typical figure in tons per cubic yard; change it if your supplier gives one.

  3. Enter the amount

    Cubic yards or US tons, depending on the direction.

  4. Read the result

    You get US tons, metric tonnes, pounds, cubic yards, cubic metres and cubic feet at once.

Examples

  • 10 cubic yards of gravel at 1.5 tons/yd³15 US tons (13.61 tonnes, 30,000 lb)

    Cubic yards × density.

  • 20 tons of crushed stone at 1.4 tons/yd³14.29 cubic yards (10.92 m³)

    Tons ÷ density.

  • 5 cubic yards of mulch at 0.3 tons/yd³1.5 US tons (3,000 lb)

    Mulch is about a fifth the weight of stone.

Key features of the Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator

  • Converts cubic yards to tons and tons to cubic yards
  • Typical densities for gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, mulch, asphalt and concrete, with ranges
  • Editable density for your supplier's exact figure
  • Results in US tons, metric tonnes, pounds, cubic yards, cubic metres and cubic feet
  • Density also shown in lb per cubic yard and kg per cubic metre

Materials and units

Materials

  • Gravel
  • Crushed stone
  • Sand
  • Topsoil
  • Mulch
  • Asphalt
  • Concrete

Weight

  • US (short) tons
  • Metric tonnes
  • Pounds

Volume

  • Cubic yards
  • Cubic metres
  • Cubic feet

When should you use this?

  • Checking whether a truck or trailer can carry a delivery before ordering by the yard.
  • Comparing a price per ton with a price per cubic yard.
  • Turning a cubic-yard estimate for a driveway or path base into the tons a quarry sells by.

Limitations

  • The default densities are typical values, not measurements of your material. Moisture, grading and compaction can move the real figure outside the stated range.
  • It converts weight and bulk volume only; it does not work out the volume of a bed or driveway. Use the concrete calculator's Area × depth tab or measure the volume first.

Troubleshooting

No result appears

The density must be above zero and the amount zero or more. Clear any stray characters in either box.

The weight is far from the delivery ticket

Ask the supplier for the weight per yard of that product and enter it as the density; the default is only a typical figure.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Mixing US tons and metric tonnes. A tonne is about 10% heavier than a US ton.
  • Using a dry density for material that has been rained on. Wet sand and soil can weigh a third more.
  • Forgetting compaction. A cubic yard of loose gravel takes up less than a cubic yard once rolled, so a compacted base needs extra.

Pro tips

Tips for better results

  • Density

    Use the supplier's weight per yard when you can

    Ask the supplier for their weight per cubic yard and type it into the density box — it beats any typical value.

  • Hauling

    Check the payload before you collect a load

    Check your vehicle's payload before collecting: a cubic yard of gravel is roughly 3,000 lb, more than many pickups can safely carry.

  • Compaction

    Order extra loose material for a compacted base

    For a compacted base, ask the supplier how much the material settles when rolled and order that much more loose material than the finished volume.

How to convert cubic yards to tons

Multiply the cubic yards by the material's density in tons per cubic yard. Gravel at 1.5 tons per yard means 10 cubic yards weighs 15 tons. To go the other way — tons to cubic yards — divide the tons by the density: 20 tons of crushed stone at 1.4 tons per yard is about 14.3 cubic yards. Yards to tons, cy to tons and cubic yards to tons all mean the same calculation; a "yard" of material is a cubic yard, 27 cubic feet.

Typical densities

The defaults are typical bulk densities, in US tons per cubic yard: gravel 1.5 (typical range 1.4–1.7), crushed stone 1.4 (1.3–1.6), sand 1.35 (1.2 dry to 1.7 wet), topsoil 1.1 (1.0–1.4), mulch 0.3 (0.2–0.4), compacted asphalt 1.95 (1.9–2.0) and concrete 2.0 (1.95–2.05). Moisture is the biggest variable: wet sand and soil can be a third heavier than dry. A supplier who sells by the ton can usually tell you the weight per yard of the exact product, and that figure is better than any typical value.

Short tons and metric tonnes

A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb, or 907.18 kg. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb, so a load quoted in tonnes is about 10% heavier than the same number of US tons. One ton per cubic yard is about 1,187 kg per cubic metre. The calculator shows both, alongside pounds, cubic metres and cubic feet.

Sources

The pound, yard and ton definitions follow NIST. The material densities are commonly quoted typical values, not measurements of any particular product, which is why each one is editable.

Privacy

The Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator runs entirely in your browser. What you enter and the result it produces stay on your own device — nothing is sent anywhere, because nothing needs to be.

You can confirm this rather than take our word for it: open your browser’s developer tools, watch the Network tab, and use the tool. No request carries your input. It also keeps working with the connection off.

Details are in the privacy policy.

More calculators

What next?

Turn length, width and depth into cubic yards.

Work out the volume first

Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator — questions

How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?

About 1.4 to 1.7 US tons, depending on the stone size and how wet it is. The calculator uses 1.5 tons by default, so 10 cubic yards is 15 tons.

How do I convert tons to cubic yards?

Divide the tons by the density in tons per cubic yard. Choose Tons → cubic yards, pick the material and enter the tons; 20 tons of crushed stone at 1.4 tons per yard is 14.29 cubic yards.

Is a ton here a US ton or a metric tonne?

Input and density use US (short) tons of 2,000 lb. The results also show metric tonnes of 1,000 kg, and the density hint shows the equivalent in kg per cubic metre.

Why does my supplier's figure differ?

Densities vary with grading, moisture and compaction, and suppliers quote for their own products. Enter their figure in the density box and the conversion uses it.

How heavy is a yard of mulch?

Much lighter than stone: typically 400 to 800 lb, or 0.2 to 0.4 tons per cubic yard. Wet mulch is at the heavy end.

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