Cubic Yards to Tons of Gravel — How to Convert
Convert cubic yards of gravel to tons (and back) using density. Includes a quick-reference table for every common gravel type.
Suppliers quote in tons. Calculators output cubic yards. Most homeowners spend ten minutes Googling between the two before they realize the conversion isn't a single number — it depends on the gravel type. Here's the simple math, a quick-reference table, and the few sanity-checks that'll keep you from over-ordering.
Yards ↔ tons converter
Enter cubic yards to get tons, or hit Swap to go the other way. Pick your material — density is what changes the answer.
Yards ↔ Tons converter
5 cubic yards of Crushed Stone #57 =
6.88 tons
Based on 2,750 lb/yd³ (1.375 tons per cubic yard). Add ~10% for compaction and waste.
The conversion formula
There's exactly one equation you need:
A short ton is 2,000 lb. Multiply your cubic-yard count by the material's density (lb/yd³), then divide by 2,000.
For example, 5 cubic yards of crushed stone #57 at 2,750 lb/yd³ is 5 × 2,750 ÷ 2,000 = 6.875 short tons.
To go the other direction, just rearrange:
Quick-reference conversion table
The numbers below are the average densities we use in the calculator. Real-world values vary ±5% by source and moisture.
| Gravel type | lb / yd³ | Tons / yd³ | yd³ / ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pea Gravel (3/8") | 2,450 | 1.225 | 0.816 |
| Crushed Stone #57 | 2,750 | 1.375 | 0.727 |
| Crushed Stone #8 | 2,700 | 1.350 | 0.741 |
| Crushed Stone #4 | 2,650 | 1.325 | 0.755 |
| River Rock (1"–3") | 2,550 | 1.275 | 0.784 |
| Decomposed Granite | 2,550 | 1.275 | 0.784 |
| Crushed Limestone | 2,700 | 1.350 | 0.741 |
| CA6 / 21AA / Class 5 | 2,650 | 1.325 | 0.755 |
| ABC / Crusher Run | 2,700 | 1.350 | 0.741 |
| Recycled Concrete | 2,650 | 1.325 | 0.755 |
| Lava Rock | 1,500 | 0.750 | 1.333 |
Common yardages: cubic yards to tons
The exact tonnage for the yardages people order most, across the three most common materials. Multiply through for anything in between, or use the converter above.
| Cubic yards | Pea gravel (tons) | #57 stone (tons) | River rock (tons) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | 1.23 | 1.38 | 1.27 |
| 2 yd³ | 2.45 | 2.75 | 2.55 |
| 3 yd³ | 3.68 | 4.13 | 3.82 |
| 4 yd³ | 4.90 | 5.50 | 5.10 |
| 5 yd³ | 6.13 | 6.88 | 6.38 |
| 6 yd³ | 7.35 | 8.25 | 7.65 |
| 8 yd³ | 9.80 | 11.00 | 10.20 |
| 10 yd³ | 12.25 | 13.75 | 12.75 |
| 12 yd³ | 14.70 | 16.50 | 15.30 |
| 15 yd³ | 18.38 | 20.63 | 19.13 |
| 20 yd³ | 24.50 | 27.50 | 25.50 |
Cubic yards to tons — worked examples
Example 1: A 200 sq ft patio at 4 inches deep with #57 stone.
- Volume: 200 × (4/12) ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³
- Weight: 2.47 × 2,750 ÷ 2,000 = 3.39 tons
- With 10% buffer: 3.73 tons → order 4 tons
Example 2: A 1,000 sq ft driveway with 4" of CA6 base + 2" of #57 top.
- Base volume: 1,000 × (4/12) ÷ 27 = 12.35 yd³ → × 2,650 ÷ 2,000 = 16.36 tons
- Top volume: 1,000 × (2/12) ÷ 27 = 6.17 yd³ → × 2,750 ÷ 2,000 = 8.49 tons
- Total: ~25 tons (with 10% buffer: 27.5 tons → order 28 tons)
Example 3: A 50 sq ft path at 2 inches deep with pea gravel.
- Volume: 50 × (2/12) ÷ 27 = 0.31 yd³
- Weight: 0.31 × 2,450 ÷ 2,000 = 0.38 tons (about 760 lb)
- Below most quarries' minimum order — buy bagged from a home center instead (about 16 half-cubic-foot bags).
How many cubic yards in a ton of gravel?
One ton of gravel is about 0.7 to 0.8 cubic yards — most people picture more. For the common materials: a ton of #57 crushed stone is 0.73 yd³, a ton of pea gravel is 0.82 yd³, and a ton of lava rock is a huge 1.33 yd³ because it's so light. It's the exact inverse of the tons-per-yard figure: divide 1 by the tons/yd³ in the table above.
Coverage is the number most people actually want. At 2 inches deep, one ton of crushed stone covers about 110 sq ft; at 3 inches, about 75 sq ft; at 4 inches, about 55 sq ft. Lighter materials like pea gravel stretch 10–15% further per ton because you get more volume for the weight.
Tons to cubic yards — worked examples
You'll do this conversion when a quarry quotes you in tons but your truck is rented by the cubic yard, or when you want to estimate how the pile will look on your driveway.
Example: 10 tons of #57 stone delivered.
- Volume: 10 × 2,000 ÷ 2,750 = 7.27 yd³
- That's about 196 cubic feet — roughly a 7-ft × 7-ft × 4-ft pile loose.
- Coverage at 4" deep: 7.27 × 27 / (4/12) = ~590 sq ft
Why density matters more than you think
A cubic yard of pea gravel and a cubic yard of #57 stone are the same volume but the stone is 12% heavier. If your supplier sells by the ton and you tell them "5 cubic yards" assuming pea-gravel density when you're actually buying #57, you'll get charged for ~7.5% more weight than you expected.
The fix: know your material before you call. The supplier's ticket will list the product (e.g., "#57 limestone, washed, dry") — match that to the calculator's material picker so the quoted tons line up with the cubic yards you planned for.
Metric: cubic meters to tonnes
The metric version of the same formula:
For example, #57 limestone at ~1,630 kg/m³: 3 m³ × 1,630 ÷ 1,000 = 4.89 tonnes.
Quick conversions you may need: 1 cubic yard = 0.7646 m³; 1 short ton = 0.9072 metric tonne. The metric calculator handles all of this automatically.