Quick answer
Multiply cubic yards by the material's weight per cubic yard. A loose cubic yard of gravel or crushed stone weighs about 1.4 tons, sand about 1.35, topsoil about 1.1, compost about 0.5 and wood mulch about 0.25. So 3 cubic yards of gravel is about 4.2 tons. To go the other way, divide tons by the same figure.
Tons per cubic yard by material
These are loose weights, the way material sits in a truck or a pile. Gravel, sand and topsoil are dry figures; compost is at about 50% moisture (Oregon State Extension) and mulch is fresh green wood chips (US EPA):
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic foot | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel and crushed stone | 1.4 | 104 | 0.71 |
| Sand | 1.35 | 100 | 0.74 |
| Topsoil | 1.1 | 81 | 0.91 |
| Compost | 0.5 | 37 | 2 |
| Wood mulch | 0.25 | 19 | 4 |
A ton here is a US ton of 2,000 lb. The sand figure comes from bagged sand (a 50 lb bag is about 0.5 cu ft), which works out to 100 lb per cu ft, close to Engineering ToolBox's 97 for dry sand. Pea gravel, river rock and decomposed granite use the gravel figure; we found no separate published weight for them.
How to convert
- Cubic yards to tons: cubic yards × tons per cubic yard. 5 yards of topsoil × 1.1 = 5.5 tons.
- Tons to cubic yards: tons ÷ tons per cubic yard. 10 tons of gravel ÷ 1.4 = 7.1 cubic yards.
- Cubic feet to cubic yards: divide by 27.
If you only know the area, first work out the volume: multiply length by width (both in feet), then by depth in inches, and divide by 12. That gives cubic feet. The cubic yard calculator does this for rectangles, circles and triangles and gives the tons too.
How far a cubic yard goes
A cubic yard spread evenly covers 162 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 108 sq ft at 3 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches. A ton covers less ground for heavy materials and more for light ones:
| Material | 1 ton at 2 in deep | 1 ton at 3 in deep | 1 ton at 4 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel and crushed stone | 116 sq ft | 77 sq ft | 58 sq ft |
| Sand | 120 sq ft | 80 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
| Topsoil | 147 sq ft | 98 sq ft | 74 sq ft |
Compost and mulch are left out: a ton is about 2 cubic yards of compost or 4 of mulch, so use the per-yard coverage above.
Why your supplier's number can differ
- Moisture. Wet material is heavier. Engineering ToolBox lists dry sand at 97 lb per cu ft and wet sand at 119.
- The stone itself. Rock type changes the weight: Engineering ToolBox lists dry gravel at 105 lb per cu ft and limestone at 160.
- Loose or packed. These are loose weights. Gravel packs down when you compact it, so a driveway or patio base needs more loose stone than its finished depth. Ask the supplier how much extra their stone needs.
Ask the supplier what weight per yard they use, and use their number when you order by the ton. The gravel, topsoil and mulch calculators let you start from the area you're covering.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.4 tons for loose, dry gravel or crushed stone, or roughly 2,800 lb. Wet gravel weighs more: Engineering ToolBox lists it at 125 lb per cu ft against 105 dry.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.71 cubic yards, so 10 tons is about 7.1 cubic yards.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
About 1.1 tons (2,200 lb) rounded from Engineering ToolBox's loam at 80 lb per cu ft. Wet topsoil weighs more.
How much does a yard of mulch weigh?
About 500 lb, a quarter of a ton, for green wood chips. That is the US EPA's 473 lb per cubic yard for green wood chips, rounded up.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
About 116 sq ft at 2 inches deep and 58 sq ft at 4 inches deep.
Calculators for this
Cubic Yard
Convert length, width and depth to cubic yards for dirt, gravel, mulch, sand or fill.
Gravel
Find how much gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel or river rock you need in tons, cubic yards and bags for driveways, paths and patios.
Topsoil
Find how much topsoil, garden soil or compost you need for lawns, beds and leveling, in cubic yards, tons and bags, at any depth.
Published 2026-11-02. Sources: US EPA, Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (April 2016); Engineering ToolBox, Dirt and mud densities; Nebraska DOT, Estimating Quantities (2024), and Oregon State Extension EM 9217, as listed on our how we calculate page; Bagged sand (50 lb is about 0.5 cu ft), as listed on our how we calculate page. See how we calculate.