How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
Published weights of a cubic yard of gravel run from 2,565 to 3,900 lb across 7 values from 6 documents, measured in different conditions. The calculators use 2,565 lb per loose cubic yard (Seattle Public Utilities), because it is the value its document marks as loose; the higher values are a compacted weight, a pay factor or weights whose condition is not stated. One ton of gravel is about 0.78 cubic yards.
0 uses the published 2,565 lb/yd³
Optional; 0 leaves cost out
1 ton of gravel is about 0.78 loose cubic yards at 2,565 lb per loose cubic yard.
- Cubic yards
- 0.78
- Cubic feet
- 21.1
- Tons
- 1
- Pounds
- 2,000
- Cubic yards at the published range, same condition
- 0.62–0.78
- Rounded up to the next half yard
- 1 yd³
How it is calculated
- Pounds = 1 ton × 2,000 lb = 2,000 lb.
- Cubic yards = 2,000 lb ÷ 2,565 lb/yd³ = 0.78 yd³.
- Cubic feet = 0.78 yd³ × 27 = 21.1 cu ft.
Published weight of a cubic yard of gravel
| Publisher | Category and condition in the document | Value as printed | Pounds per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Public Utilities (used by the calculators) | “2565 lb, one cubic yard, Gravel or rock, loose” Condition: loose | 2,565 lb/yd³ | 2,565 |
| Los Angeles County Public Works, Environmental Programs Division | “Stone or Gravel 1 cubic yard = 2,632.5 lbs” Condition: not stated | 2,632.5 lb/yd³ | 2,633 |
| U.S. Census Bureau | “Table 4. One cubic yard of Gravel (SCTG 12019) 2,800 pounds” Condition: not stated | 2,800 lb/yd³ | 2,800 |
| New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division | “Gravel 1/4" - 2" | 1.42 (cubic yards to short tons conversion factor)” Condition: not stated | 1.42 ton/yd³ | 2,840 |
| Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District | “A compacted cubic yard of gravel usually weighs around 1.6 tons” Condition: compacted | 1.6 ton/yd³ | 3,200 |
| New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division | “Gravel Pit run | 1.62 (cubic yards to short tons conversion factor)” Condition: not stated | 1.62 ton/yd³ | 3,240 |
| Ohio Department of Transportation, Construction and Material Specifications | “Crushed gravel 3900 lb/yd3” Condition: not stated; a payment conversion factor for a compacted volume | 3,900 lb/yd³ | 3,900 |
Gravel weight by volume
At 2,565 lb per cubic yard, 5 cubic yards of gravel weigh about 12,825 lb (6.41 tons) and 10 cubic yards about 12.83 tons.
| Volume | Pounds | Tons | Tons, published range, same condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 95 | 0.048 | 0.048–0.06 |
| 0.5 cubic yards | 1,283 | 0.64 | 0.64–0.81 |
| 1 cubic yard | 2,565 | 1.28 | 1.28–1.62 |
| 2 cubic yards | 5,130 | 2.57 | 2.57–3.24 |
| 3 cubic yards | 7,695 | 3.85 | 3.85–4.86 |
| 5 cubic yards | 12,825 | 6.41 | 6.41–8.1 |
| 10 cubic yards | 25,650 | 12.83 | 12.83–16.2 |
| 15 cubic yards | 38,475 | 19.24 | 19.24–24.3 |
| 20 cubic yards | 51,300 | 25.65 | 25.65–32.4 |
How many yards in a ton of gravel?
One ton of gravel is about 0.78 cubic yards at 2,565 lb per loose cubic yard, and 0.62–0.78 cubic yards across the published values in the same condition. Five tons is about 3.9 cubic yards.
| Tons | Cubic yards | Cubic yards, published range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.78 | 0.62–0.78 |
| 2 | 1.56 | 1.23–1.56 |
| 3 | 2.34 | 1.85–2.34 |
| 4 | 3.12 | 2.47–3.12 |
| 5 | 3.9 | 3.09–3.9 |
| 6 | 4.68 | 3.7–4.68 |
| 7 | 5.46 | 4.32–5.46 |
| 8 | 6.24 | 4.94–6.24 |
| 9 | 7.02 | 5.56–7.02 |
| 10 | 7.8 | 6.17–7.8 |
| 15 | 11.7 | 9.26–11.7 |
| 20 | 15.59 | 12.35–15.59 |
| 25 | 19.49 | 15.43–19.49 |
Why the weight of gravel differs between sources
The published values for gravel range from 2,565 to 3,900 lb per cubic yard across 7 values from 6 documents. A cubic yard weighs more when the material is wet than when it is dry, and more when it is compacted than when it is loose; the documents above measured it in different conditions. Stone from different quarries also differs in density and in the share of fines between the larger pieces.
Compaction changes the volume, not the weight: Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District gives about 1.11 cubic yards of loose gravel per cubic yard of compacted layer. Use a compacted weight only for a compacted volume, and the allowance only with a loose weight.
For an order, ask the supplier for the weight per cubic yard of the material they deliver, and use it as your own density in the converter.