How many yards in a ton of gravel? (and tons in a yard, by stone)
0.79 cubic yards in a US ton of loose 3/4 in crushed stone, and 1.26 tons (2,500 lb) in a cubic yard, at 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre; pea gravel and river rock are heavier at 1.35 tons a yard, crusher run with its fines heavier still. So 10 tons of crushed stone is 7.9 yards and 10 yards is 12.6 tons. The tables run 1 to 30 both ways for each stone, with the supplier ranges the figures sit in.
Open the gravel cost calculator
Yards to tons
US short tons, density as delivered, nothing added for compaction. Pick the column for your stone; the gravel cost calculator does any quantity and any density, and prices it per ton or per yard.
| Cubic yards | Crushed stone (1.5 t/m³) | Pea gravel / river rock (1.6) | Crusher run (1.7) | Sand (1.6) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| 2 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.7 |
| 3 | 3.8 | 4 | 4.3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.7 |
| 10 | 12.6 | 13.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 |
| 15 | 19 | 20.2 | 21.5 | 20.2 |
| 20 | 25.3 | 27 | 28.7 | 27 |
| 30 | 37.9 | 40.5 | 43 | 40.5 |
Tons to yards
| US tons | Crushed stone (1.5 t/m³) | Pea gravel / river rock (1.6) | Crusher run (1.7) | Sand (1.6) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.79 | 0.74 | 0.7 | 0.74 |
| 2 | 1.58 | 1.48 | 1.4 | 1.48 |
| 3 | 2.37 | 2.22 | 2.09 | 2.22 |
| 5 | 3.96 | 3.71 | 3.49 | 3.71 |
| 10 | 7.91 | 7.42 | 6.98 | 7.42 |
| 15 | 11.87 | 11.12 | 10.47 | 11.12 |
| 20 | 15.82 | 14.83 | 13.96 | 14.83 |
| 30 | 23.73 | 22.25 | 20.94 | 22.25 |
Where the figures come from
There is no single right weight for a yard of gravel: suppliers publish ranges, and the same pile weighs more after rain. The densities used here sit inside those ranges; the calculator lets you type the one on your ticket.
| Stone | Published | Used here | Tons per yard | Lb per yard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone, 3/4 in | Stone Center 1.35 – 1.7; HomeGuide 60 – 80 sq ft per ton at 4 in | 1.5 t/m³ | 1.26 | 2,500 |
| Pea gravel | Stone Center 1.4 – 1.6; HomeGuide 40 – 50 sq ft per ton at 4 in | 1.6 t/m³ | 1.35 | 2,700 |
| River rock | Stone Center 1.4 – 1.75 | 1.6 t/m³ | 1.35 | 2,700 |
| Crusher run / road base | with fines, compacts under a plate | 1.7 t/m³ | 1.43 | 2,900 |
| Sand | Stone Center 1.10 – 1.25 (dry, loose) | 1.6 t/m³ (damp) | 1.35 | 2,700 |
The 3/4 in crushed stone figure is the loose, dry end of the supplier range on purpose: it is the same 1.5 t/m³ the gravel calculator and the gravel weight guide use, so every figure on this site agrees. Sand is the one figure above the supplier's loose-dry range: 1.6 t/m³ is damp sand as it comes off the truck, again the site's figure. If your quarry says 1.4 tons a yard, type 1.66 t/m³ and the tables above move about 11% up.
Metric: cubic metres and tonnes
Tonnes = cubic metres × density; 1 m³ = 1.31 yd³ and 1 t = 1.10 US tons. Loose crushed stone at 1.5 t/m³: 1 m³ is 1.5 t and 1 t is 0.67 m³; pea gravel at 1.6 and crusher run at 1.7 in proportion. A UK bulk bag is sold by weight, usually about 850 kg, which is 0.57 m³ of crushed stone and 0.53 m³ of pea gravel.
Frequently asked questions
- How many yards in a ton of gravel?
- 0.79 cubic yards for loose crushed stone, 0.74 for pea gravel or river rock, 0.7 for crusher run: a ton is always less than a yard, because a yard of any stone weighs more than a ton. 5 tons of crushed stone is 4 yards, 10 tons 7.9.
- How many tons in a yard of gravel?
- 1.26 US tons (2,500 lb) for loose 3/4 in crushed stone, 1.35 (2,700 lb) for pea gravel, 1.43 for crusher run. 2 yards of crushed stone is 2.5 tons, 10 yards 12.6. Suppliers' own charts run from 1.25 to 1.7 tons a yard depending on the stone and how wet it is.
- Why do suppliers give different weights for a yard of gravel?
- Moisture and grading. A yard of stone that rained on last night carries 10 to 15% more weight; a stone with fines (crusher run, road base) packs tighter than clean 3/4 in; a loader-bucket yard is looser than a compacted yard. That is why the figures here are ranges from two suppliers and one editable number in the calculator: use the density on your quarry's ticket when they give one.
- Is it better to order gravel by the ton or by the yard?
- By whatever the seller measures: a quarry with a scale sells by the ton, a landscape yard sells by the loader bucket in yards. To compare a per-ton quote with a per-yard one, convert both with the same density; and a per-ton price buys less stone when the pile is wet, while a yard is a yard.
- How many cubic yards in a ton of stone or rock?
- Between 0.7 and 0.79 for the common quarry products, the heavier stones giving fewer yards per ton: crusher run 0.7, river rock and pea gravel 0.74, loose crushed stone 0.79.
- How do I convert cubic metres to tonnes?
- Multiply by the density: 1 m³ of loose crushed stone at 1.5 t/m³ is 1.5 tonnes, of pea gravel 1.6, of crusher run 1.7; a tonne is 0.67 m³ of crushed stone. A cubic metre is 1.31 cubic yards and a tonne is 1.10 US tons, which is why the metric numbers look bigger per unit than the imperial ones.
More guides
- How much does a gravel driveway cost? (per square foot and by size, 2026)
Tons, yards and cost of gravel for driveways from 10x20 to 12x100 ft with a compacted base and a top layer, at HomeGuide's 2026 prices per ton, delivery and spreading.
- How much is a yard of gravel? (and a ton) Prices by stone, 2026
Bulk gravel is 15 to 75 per cubic yard and 10 to 50 per ton, US 2026 (HomeGuide): the price by stone, what 1 to 20 yards or tons cost delivered, and bags against bulk.
- How much does a ton of gravel cover? (at 2, 3 and 4 inches, by stone)
A ton of 3/4 in crushed stone is 0.79 cubic yards: about 85 sq ft at 3 in, 128 at 2 in, 64 at 4 in. Coverage by stone, tons for 100 to 1,000 sq ft, price.
- How much does a cinder block garage cost? (blocks, mortar, grout and slab for 1, 2 and 3 car)
Blocks, mortar and grout for 1 to 3 car block garages, 12x20 to 36x24 ft, 8 ft walls, doors and windows taken off, plus the 4 in slab, at 2026 prices.
Last updated 2026-09-15. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.