Reference data
Aggregate weights
Pounds and tons per cubic yard for stone, sand, DG and topsoil — as a range, not a single figure.
Written and edited by Pablo Ruiz Quintero
Last reviewed 2026-09-16
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
| Material | lb per yd³ | Tons per yd³ | yd³ per ton | Compaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone, clean (#57) | 2,500–2,900 | 1.25–1.45 | 0.69–0.80 | +8% |
| Crusher run / base rock (ABC) | 2,700–3,100 | 1.35–1.55 | 0.65–0.74 | +20% |
| Pea gravel | 2,500–2,800 | 1.25–1.40 | 0.71–0.80 | +5% |
| River rock | 2,400–2,800 | 1.20–1.40 | 0.71–0.83 | +4% |
| Sand (concrete or bedding) | 2,600–3,000 | 1.30–1.50 | 0.67–0.77 | +12% |
| Decomposed granite | 2,700–3,000 | 1.35–1.50 | 0.67–0.74 | +18% |
| Topsoil / screened loam | 2,000–2,700 | 1.00–1.35 | 0.74–1.00 | +10% |
Why this is a range and not a number
Bulk density is a measured property, not a constant. The standard test method fills a container of known volume and weighs it, and the result moves with three things: the rock itself, how the sizes are graded — because smaller particles fill the gaps between larger ones — and moisture.
Moisture dominates. A cubic yard of sand can swing four hundred pounds between a dry pile and one that has sat through a wet week. If the yard sells by weight, rain is something you pay for, which is why ordering after a dry spell is a real saving and not folklore.
Every calculator that hands you one tonnage has silently picked a point inside this spread. We publish both ends, and the gravel calculator reports the tonnage as a range for the same reason.
The compaction column
This is the volume a material loses between the loose pile and the finished, compacted layer — and it is the commonest way to come up short. Calculate the finished depth, order exactly that, and you will be missing the compaction.
The figure tracks the fines. Crusher run carries stone dust that packs into the voids, so it loses about a fifth. Clean washed stone has no fines to move, so it barely compacts at all — it locks together and settles. Order the loose volume, not the finished one.
Tons or yards
Most stone is sold by weight and most soil by volume, so the fourth column is the one you need when a yard quotes you in the unit you were not expecting. Convert with the range, not with a rule of thumb: “a yard is a ton and a half” is close enough for a wheelbarrow and wrong by a whole ton on a driveway.
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About the author
Pablo Ruiz Quintero — Editor
Editor of MaterialsEstimator. Decides which documents count as a source, what every default value is, and where the line sits between what the reader parses and what the engines compute.
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