Tonnage Calculator

A cubic yard of gravel weighs approximately 1.4 tons (2,800 pounds) when dry and loose. This varies by stone type: crushed limestone is heavier at about 1.5 tons/CY, while pea gravel runs about 1.4 tons/CY. Wet gravel can weigh 10–15% more. When ordering, always specify whether the supplier measures by volume (cubic yards) or weight (tons) — the price per unit looks different but the total should be comparable.

Water fills the air voids between particles, adding weight without adding volume. A cubic yard of topsoil has roughly 40% air space when dry — fill that with water and you add 500+ pounds. Sand has less void space (25–30%) so the wet/dry difference is smaller. This matters when you buy by the ton: a supplier loading wet material after rain delivers fewer cubic yards per ton. If possible, schedule deliveries during dry weather or ask the supplier to account for moisture content.

A standard single-axle dump truck holds 10–12 cubic yards. A tandem-axle (larger) truck holds 14–16 cubic yards. However, legal weight limits may restrict the actual load — a truck rated for 14 CY of mulch (light) may only carry 10 CY of crushed stone (heavy) before hitting the road weight limit. Always check with your supplier on actual per-load capacity for the specific material you need. Triaxle trucks can carry 18–22 CY of lighter materials.

Order by the ton when you need precision — weight is consistent regardless of moisture or compaction. Order by the cubic yard when you need to fill a specific volume (like a hole or a form). Most quarries and material yards sell aggregates by the ton and soil/mulch by the cubic yard. If a supplier quotes by the yard, you can use this calculator to estimate tons for comparison shopping. Pro tip: always get quotes from at least two suppliers in the same unit (both tons or both yards) for an apples-to-apples comparison.