Use the gravel yards and tons calculator: choose “Cubic yards → tons” or “Tons → cubic yards”. Enter the supplier-confirmed density of the exact product you plan to buy.
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Estimated short tons = cubic yards × short tons per cubic yard. If a supplier gives pounds per cubic yard, divide that figure by 2,000 first. Keep the supplier's moisture and compaction assumptions in mind.
Planning density ranges by material
Approximate loose-bulk planning ranges only. Moisture, fines, and how the supplier measures or compacts the pile can change weight per cubic yard. Use your supplier’s confirmed density before ordering. The table below is for early math only — not a substitute for the number on your quote.
| Material | Planning weight range | Planning short tons per yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 2,600–2,900 lb/yd³ | 1.30–1.45 short tons/yd³ |
| #57 crushed stone | 2,500–2,700 lb/yd³ | 1.25–1.35 short tons/yd³ |
| Crusher run / road base | 2,700–3,000 lb/yd³ | 1.35–1.50 short tons/yd³ |
| River rock | 2,400–2,800 lb/yd³ | 1.20–1.40 short tons/yd³ |
| Riprap (mixed sizes) | 2,200–3,200 lb/yd³ | 1.10–1.60 short tons/yd³ |
| Lava rock | 900–1,400 lb/yd³ | 0.45–0.70 short tons/yd³ |
Pick the row closest to your product, then call the yard with your planned depth and ask what density to use for that exact stock. The gravel calculator can fill these planning values into the density field; you can still edit the number.
Cubic yards ↔ US short tons quick lookup
Illustrative conversions at 1.4 short tons/yd³ — a common planning example for mixed gravel, not a default for every stone type. Multiply or divide with your supplier’s confirmed density instead when it differs.
| Cubic yards | → short tons | Short tons | → cubic yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | 1.40 short tons | 1 short tons | 0.714 yd³ |
| 2 yd³ | 2.80 short tons | 2 short tons | 1.429 yd³ |
| 3 yd³ | 4.20 short tons | 3 short tons | 2.143 yd³ |
| 5 yd³ | 7.00 short tons | 5 short tons | 3.571 yd³ |
| 10 yd³ | 14.00 short tons | 10 short tons | 7.143 yd³ |
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
Cubic yards = US short tons ÷ supplier-confirmed short tons per cubic yard. With an example density of 1.4 short tons/yd³, one short ton occupies about 0.714 yd³ (1 ÷ 1.4). That is a volume, not an area. To find coverage in square feet, multiply cubic yards by 27 and divide by the depth in feet. Do not use this example density unless your supplier confirms it for your product.
Already know your volume or weight? Select “Cubic yards → tons” or “Tons → cubic yards” in the gravel calculator; dimensions are not required for those modes.
Start with the space, then convert
Measure the area in square feet and choose the placed layer depth in inches. Multiply area by depth and divide by 12 to get cubic feet; divide by 27 to get cubic yards. Work out separate layers independently when a path or driveway uses different base and surface materials.
Coverage at depth: quick numbers
Coverage (ft²) = US short tons × 324 ÷ density (short tons/yd³) ÷ depth (in). Equivalently, one cubic yard covers 324 ÷ depth (in) square feet at a uniform layer (because 1 yd³ = 27 ft³). You need the supplier’s density to turn weight into area; depth must match the layer you plan to place.
| Placed depth | 1 yd³ covers | 1 short ton @ 1.4 t/yd³ | 1 short ton @ 1.25–1.5 t/yd³ (planning band) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 115.7 ft² | 108–130 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 77.1 ft² | 72–86 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 57.9 ft² | 54–65 ft² |
At 3 in deep with an illustrative density of 1.4 short tons/yd³, one short ton is about 0.714 yd³, or 19.29 ft³ — about 77.1 ft². This is geometric coverage for a uniform layer, not guaranteed coverage after compaction. Use density on the same loose or placed basis as your volume; ask the supplier to resolve a mismatch. The tons-to-yards calculator can find volume from your weight and confirmed density; divide its cubic feet by your chosen depth in feet to check area.
Driveway or parking pad: area → volume → weight
Measure length and width in feet, choose a placed layer depth, then find cubic yards before you convert to tons. Many homeowners use a thicker base under tire tracks and a thinner surface layer — run those as separate estimates with the right material and depth for each.
Rule-of-thumb depths (not construction specs): decorative gravel on firm soil is often planned around 2–3 in; a light-duty gravel driveway or pad might use 4 in of base (sometimes more on soft ground). Your supplier or local code may require something different.
Example: a 40 × 12 ft driveway strip (480 ft²) at 4 in deep is about 5.93 yd³ before allowance. With a 15% planning allowance for uneven grade and spillage, the calculator plans for 6.81 yd³ and, at an example density of 1.4 short tons/yd³, about 9.54 short tons — then compare real quotes with minimums and delivery. Open the gravel calculator with your measurements; adjust allowance only if your project needs it.
What if I need 2.5 cubic yards?
The required weight is 2.5 × your supplier's density, before any extra allowance or order rounding. If the exact product's confirmed density is 1.4 short tons/yd³, that is 3.5 short tons. A seller with whole-ton increments and no higher minimum would require 4 short tons; a half-ton increment would allow 3.5. Without that density and the seller's ordering rules, 2.5 yd³ does not determine one exact tonnage to order.
How changing depth changes a gravel order
| Placed depth | Geometric volume | Cubic yards |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 33.33 ft³ | 1.23 yd³ |
| 3 in | 50 ft³ | 1.85 yd³ |
| 4 in | 66.67 ft³ | 2.47 yd³ |
| 6 in | 100 ft³ | 3.70 yd³ |
These depths illustrate the arithmetic; they are not construction specifications. Double the depth and you double the geometric volume. The table does not predict compaction or supplier order rounding, and it cannot give tons without the density for your exact product.
Example: a 20 × 10 ft path at 3 in deep
The area is 200 ft². At 3 in (0.25 ft) deep, the geometric volume is 50 ft³, or about 1.85 yd³. Suppose your supplier confirms that its specific gravel is 1.4 short tons per cubic yard. The estimated weight is 1.85 × 1.4, or about 2.59 short tons, before any extra allowance or order rounding. The 1.4 figure is only an example; enter the density for your product.
Turn the estimate into an order
Check whether the quote is per cubic yard or per short ton, along with its minimum order, increments, delivery fee, and any other charges. A 1.85 yd³ requirement becomes a 2 yd³ order if a supplier sells in half-yard increments with no higher minimum. A short-ton quote needs a confirmed density before you can compare its delivered cost with a yard quote.
Example: a minimum order changes the cost
For a 1.85 yd³ requirement, suppose a supplier has a 3 yd³ minimum, 1 yd³ increments, a price of $40/yd³, and $30 delivery. The order is 3 yd³ and the delivered estimate is 3 × $40 + $30 = $150, before any unentered taxes or other charges. These prices and rules are hypothetical; use your supplier’s quote.
Which supplier is cheaper after delivery?
For the same 1.85 yd³ requirement, a second supplier charging $45/yd³ with no minimum, half-yard increments, and $30 delivery needs a 2 yd³ order. Its total is 2 × $45 + $30 = $120. Supplier B costs $30 less even though its price per yard is higher. Both offers must cover the same suitable product and delivery arrangement.
| Supplier | Unit price | Minimum / increment | Order | Delivery | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $40/yd³ | 3 yd³ / 1 yd³ | 3 yd³ | $30 | $150 |
| Supplier B | $45/yd³ | 0 yd³ / 0.5 yd³ | 2 yd³ | $30 | $120 |
Use the gravel quote calculator with your known volume and select “Compare another supplier” to compare your actual offers. A density is only needed when converting weight or comparing a quote priced per short ton.
Does a minimum charge mean I receive more gravel?
Ask the supplier. A minimum supplied quantity means you must order at least that volume or weight; a minimum dollar charge or billable load may increase the price without increasing what is delivered. This calculator's minimum field represents a minimum quantity you must buy, not a minimum dollar charge. If the supplier uses a billing-only minimum, ask for the total quote for your requested quantity and compare it separately. Do not enter dollars into a quantity field.
Why the weight can vary
Different rock types, particle sizes, void space, and moisture can change the weight of the same volume. Compaction can also change the quantity needed to reach a planned finished depth. This guide gives a purchasing estimate, not a guaranteed delivered weight or compacted yield. Confirm the material and conversion with the seller.
What to ask a gravel supplier
- Is the quote per cubic yard or per US short ton (2,000 lb)? A metric tonne is a different unit.
- What density should I use for this exact product, and does it describe the material as delivered or compacted?
- What are the minimum order and order increment in the quote's units?
- What are the delivery fee, taxes, and other charges? Can the truck reach the planned drop-off spot?
- For the finished layer I need, what allowance does the supplier recommend for this material and installation?
If density is unavailable, keep a volume-only estimate and ask for a quote in cubic yards. Do not compare it with a ton quote by assuming the example density applies to your gravel.
Use the gravel calculator to enter your dimensions, your supplier's density, and the actual quotes. Review the calculation method if you want to check the unit conversions and rounding.