Tons to Cubic Yards
Convert tons and cubic yards for gravel, stone, soil, sand, and mulch, with the honest weight range.
Quick answer
There is no single answer: it depends on the material. One ton of #57 stone is about 0.77 cubic yards; one ton of topsoil about 0.91; one ton of mulch about 3.3.
US short tons (2,000 lb). Typical weight for #57 stone: 2,600 lb per cu yd.
10 tons of #57 stone is about
7.69
cubic yards
Range: 7.14 to 8.33 cubic yards, depending on moisture and grade.
Suppliers that sell by the ton weigh the truck on a scale. Ask how many tons they load per trip and whether the price includes delivery.
Why tons and yards do not convert cleanly
Tons measure weight; cubic yards measure space. To convert, you need the weight of one cubic yard of that specific material, and that changes with grade, moisture, and how loosely it is piled. That is why this converter shows a range, not one number.
Quarries and landscape yards often sell stone and soil by the ton because they weigh every truck on a scale. You plan in square feet and inches. Converting both quotes to the same unit is the only way to compare prices fairly.
Tons per cubic yard, by material
| Material | Low | Typical | High | Tons per yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded hardwood mulch | 400 | 600 | 800 | 0.3 |
| Pine bark nuggets | 300 | 400 | 500 | 0.2 |
| Rubber mulch | 450 | 550 | 800 | 0.28 |
| Playground wood chips or engineered wood fiber | 400 | 550 | 700 | 0.28 |
| Pea gravel | 2,600 | 2,800 | 2,900 | 1.4 |
| #57 crushed stone | 2,400 | 2,600 | 2,800 | 1.3 |
| #3 or #4 base stone | 2,400 | 2,600 | 2,800 | 1.3 |
| Crusher run (dense grade, with fines) | 2,800 | 3,100 | 3,400 | 1.55 |
| Stone screenings (stone dust) | 2,600 | 2,800 | 3,000 | 1.4 |
| River rock | 2,500 | 2,700 | 2,900 | 1.35 |
| Decomposed granite | 2,700 | 2,850 | 3,000 | 1.43 |
| Topsoil (screened) | 2,000 | 2,200 | 2,700 | 1.1 |
| Fill dirt | 2,000 | 2,400 | 2,700 | 1.2 |
| Compost | 800 | 1,000 | 1,200 | 0.5 |
| Sand (dry, masonry or play) | 2,600 | 2,750 | 2,900 | 1.38 |
| Paver base (crushed) | 2,800 | 3,000 | 3,200 | 1.5 |
| Ready-mix or bagged concrete | 4,000 | 4,050 | 4,100 | 2.03 |
Pounds per loose cubic yard, as delivered. Wet material sits at or above the high end.
Questions people ask
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.71 to 0.83 cubic yards for #57 stone, depending on moisture.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.2 to 1.7 tons, depending on the stone.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of topsoil?
Roughly 0.74 to 1 cubic yards for dry screened topsoil. Wet soil is heavier, so a ton is less volume.
How many tons is a yard of sand?
About 1.38 tons dry; wet sand is heavier.
Is a ton the same as a tonne?
No. A US ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,205 lb. This converter uses US tons.
Sources
Last reviewed: . How we calculate
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