How much does 1 cubic yard of stone weigh

A 5-gallon bucket of gravel weighs 70 pounds (31.75 kg). That’s much heavier than a 5-gallon bucket of water that weighs in at 41 pounds (18.59 kg).

You will find gravel in many different types. Some types are:

• Washed clean stone
• White marble chips
• Pea gravel
• Yellow Jersey Shore gravel
• Bank gravel
• Fine gravel
• Pay gravel
• Lag gravel
• Plateau gravel
• Piedmont gravel

Different grades are also available, depending on what it will be used for.

The most common grades include the following:

• Crushed stone #1 which includes 2-inch to 4-inch stone.
• Crushed stone #3 which includes ½-inch to 2-inch stone.
• Crushed stone #5 which includes 1 inch to fine stone particles.
• Crushed stone #10 which is stone dust.
• Crushed stone #57 which includes ¾-inch stone.
• Crushed stone #67 which includes ¾-inch stone down as far as fine stone particles.
• Crushed stone #411 which includes stone dust and ¾-inch stone.

~ Fun Fact ~
Temperature and weather has a lot to do with the popularity of gravel in construction and especially when it comes to road building. For hundreds of years, most roadways were little more than dirt tracks. This meant that these roads would get washed away when it rained or when snow and ice thawed. However, gravel is much better for drainage and is not affected as badly by adverse weather conditions.

Use this calculator to estimate road base for your driveway, soil for your garden, or other landscape rock for your yard. This calculator will give you an estimation of the amount of material you need for your project. Due to variances in material size, shape and weight, ground preparation, compaction or depressions in your yard, be sure to review your information with a member of our staff before placing your material order.

CAN I HAUL MATERIAL WITH MY OWN VEHICLE?

Most gravel and crushed stone products have similar weights per ton. Gravel and sand typically weighs 2,200-2,700 pounds per cubic yard. In addition, there are 2,000 pounds to a ton. Certain products, like washed gravel, weigh more like 2,835 pounds per cubic yard. Screened stone (which is very fine) weighs 2,970 pounds per cubic yard. If you'll be using lava rock for your project, it weighs in at about 1,500 pounds per cubic yard.  Weight IS a consideration when loading your pickup or trailer, or for that matter, our delivery trucks. DO NOT exceed your recommended gross vehicle weight rating. It is safer to have North State deliver your purchase.

The weight in tons displayed by this calculator is an estimate based on the average cubic yard to ton conversion for each material. Material weight is for DRY material and can vary during the year. Winter rain can cause material to absorb water and weigh more. To give you the best value, we sell by the CUBIC YARD, not by weight.

Loading and unloading your pickup can be tiring and lead to aches and pains. North State can bring your material to your home in one of our trucks. When estimating your needs consider that the larger loads are more cost effective. Time is money, so if your time is valuable, Pay North State and have material delivered to your jobsite*.

*Jobsite must be accessible to commercial dump trucks weighing up to 40 tons. Make sure your access road is solid and there is room at the jobsite for the delivery truck. North State reserves the right to cancel delivery if site conditions determine the delivery would be hazardous to staff, equipment or customer. While our trucks can handle up to 15 yards, this measurement is by volume (bulk), not weight. (Example: 15 yards of bark chips weighs MUCH LESS than 15 yards of washed gravel. We can haul up to 15 yards by bulk, depending on the weight of the material.)

1 cubic yard of topsoil commonly weighs between 2,000 and 2,700 pounds, depending on composition and moisture content. Similarly, 1 cubic yard of sand commonly weighs between 2,700 and 3,300 pounds.

When calculating the weight of a cubic yard of material in pounds or tons, you need to factor in the density of the material in order to get an accurate conversion. This is because the cubic yard is a unit of volume and you're trying to convert it to a unit of weight (pounds or tons). To give an example, a cubic yard of wet concrete weighs more than a cubic yard of dry mulch because the wet concrete is denser.

We've put together a list of materials and their rough densities to assist you with your calculation. Do remember that densities will vary based upon a number of factors, from composition to moisture content. A cubic yard of dry sand will weigh less than a cubic yard of wet sand, for example. It's important to give due consideration to this when comparing the weight estimates we've listed below for dirt, gravel, topsoil, sand, concrete, mulch, etc.

To get the most accurate conversion, you're advised to obtain a density figure from the material manufacturer. The figures below should be used only as a guide estimate. You'll also find a conversion tool further down this page.

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How much does a cubic yard of dirt weigh?

One cubic yard of dry dirt weighs about 1,944 pounds or 0.97 US tons, based on a density of 72 lb/ft³. When saturated, the weight can increase by as much as 50%.

How much does a cubic yard of concrete weigh?

One cubic yard of concrete (solid slab) weighs about 3,915 pounds or 1.96 US tons, based on a density of 145 lb/ft³.

How much does a cubic yard of sand weigh?

One cubic yard of sand weighs about 2,700 pounds or 1.35 US tons when dry and about 3,240 pounds or 1.62 US tons when wet.

How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?

One cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,835 pounds or 1.42 US tons when dry and about 3,375 pounds or 1.69 US tons when wet.

How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?

One cubic yard of topsoil can weigh between 2,000 and 2,700 pounds (1 and 1.35 US tons), depending on moisture content.

How much does a cubic yard of mulch weigh?

One cubic yard of dry bark mulch weighs about 506 pounds or 0.25 US tons. A cubic yard of dry woodchip mulch weighs about 674 pounds or 0.34 US tons. The higher the moisture content, the more the mulch will weigh.

1 cubic yard to pounds, tons

MaterialPounds (lb)US tonsMetric tonnesAsphalt (crushed)
45 lb/ft³12150.610.55Asphalt (liquid)
65 lb/ft³17550.880.8Cement (portland)
94 lb/ft³25381.271.15Concrete
145 lb/ft³39151.961.78Dirt
72 lb/ft³19440.970.88Gravel (loose, dry)
85 lb/ft³22951.151.04Gravel (dry, 1/4 to 2 in)
105 lb/ft³28351.421.29Gravel (wet 1/4 to 2 in)
125 lb/ft³33751.691.53Gravel (with sand)
120 lb/ft³32401.621.47Limestone (crushed)
90 lb/ft³24301.221.1Limestone (low density)
120 lb/ft³32401.621.47Limestone (high density)
160 lb/ft³43202.161.96Mulch (bark)
18.728 lb/ft³5060.250.23Mulch (woodchip)
24.97 lb/ft³6740.340.31Sand (dry)
100 lb/ft³27001.351.22Sand (loose)
90 lb/ft³24301.221.1Sand (wet)
120 lb/ft³32401.621.47Topsoil
100 lb/ft³27001.351.22Topsoil (saturated)
115 lb/ft³31051.551.41Based upon density estimates (ref)

To calculate the weight of a number of cubic yards of materials, we've included a handy calculator for you below.

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Convert cubic yards to pounds or tons

Convert cubic yards of materials to pounds or tons. This forms part of the cubic yards to tons converter.

Please choose a material OR enter your own density figure. A density is required to convert cubic yards to weight. A cubic yard of dirt weighs less than a cubic yard of concrete.

What is the weight of 1 cubic yard of gravel?

A cubic yard is a measurement that is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. A cubic yard measures volume where a ton measures weight. A yard of topsoil usually weighs about 1,800 pounds and a yard of gravel usually weighs about 2,200 pounds.

How many pounds of rock are in a cubic yard?

There are 1.5 tons in a cubic yard of rock or stone. A cubic yard of stone weighs 3000 pounds and a ton of rock weighs 2000 lbs, so number of tons in a cubic yard of river rock 3000/ 2000 = 1.5 tons. This is standard weight of stone in tons for one cubic yard used for billing purpose.

How much does a cubic yard weigh?

1 cubic yard of soil weighs roughly 2,200 pounds. 1 cubic yard of sand, gravel or stone can weigh more than 3,000 pounds. 1 cubic yard of roof shingles can weigh between 4,200 - 7,000 pounds. 1 cubic yard of concrete or asphalt weighs about 4,000 pounds.

What does 5 yards of stone weigh?

If the gravel is very dry, 5 yards of dry gravel weighs approximately 12,000 pounds or 6 tons. Because a yard of dry gravel weighs about 2,400 pounds. If the gravel is wet, 5 yards of wet gravel weighs approximately 17,000 pounds or 8 1/2 tons.