How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Weigh? Tons, Pounds and Trucks

By the Mulch Calculator team · Published October 24, 2026 · Facts checked against the sources listed below · About us

Before you order. Results are estimates. Bulk material settles, and loads vary by supplier, so check the bag label or ask your supplier for the real volume and weight. Call 811 before you dig. Keep mulch off tree trunks and away from your house foundation, as UC extension advice explains.

“First time ordering gravel, can someone check my math?” That post on r/HomeImprovement is a good picture of the problem. You measure your path or pad in feet. The quarry sells by the ton. And on r/chevycolorado, someone else asks if their truck can haul a yard of gravel home. Both questions come down to one thing: how heavy is a yard of stone?

The short answer

A cubic yard of gravel often weighs well over a ton, but the exact number depends on the stone, its size, how packed it is and how wet it is. The Wisconsin DOT uses 1.85 tons per cubic yard for packed base stone in place. Loose stone in a pile weighs less per yard. Always ask your supplier for the weight of the product you are buying.

Why there is no single number

A cubic yard is a set volume: 27 cubic feet. But the stuff inside that space can weigh more or less. Four things change it.

Type of rock

Some rock is denser than others. Limestone, granite, trap rock and river rock do not weigh the same for the same volume.

Size and shape of the pieces

A yard of small, mixed stone with fines packs tight with few gaps. A yard of clean, round stones of one size has more air between them. More air means less weight per yard.

Packed or loose

This is the big one. Stone in a pile at the quarry is loose. Once it is spread and compacted into a base, the pieces lock together and take up less space. The same tons fill fewer yards. That is why road agencies give a weight for stone that is “in place.”

The Wisconsin DOT spec for dense graded base says that when it converts volume to weight, it uses 1.85 tons per cubic yard for completed, in place base. For its breaker run, a coarser stone, it uses 1.75 tons per cubic yard.

Water

Wet stone weighs more. Water fills the gaps and sticks to the surface. Stone sitting out after a rain can weigh more than the same stone on a dry day.

How to turn yards into tons

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services gives a simple rule on its conversion sheet:

Tons = cubic yards x pounds per cubic yard / 2,000

Or, if you already know tons per yard:

Tons = cubic yards x tons per cubic yard

A US ton is 2,000 pounds. So 1.85 tons a yard is 3,700 pounds a yard.

Worked example

Say you are building a gravel path 40 feet long and 3 feet wide, 4 inches deep.

Area: 40 x 3 = 120 square feet.
Depth in feet: 4 / 12 = 0.333 feet.
Volume: 120 x 0.333 = 40 cubic feet.
Cubic yards: 40 / 27 = 1.48 yards.
Tons at 1.85: 1.48 x 1.85 = 2.74 tons.

If your supplier says their stone is lighter, use their number. At 1.5 tons a yard, the same path is 2.22 tons. Our gravel calculator lets you type in any tons per yard and does the math in one step.

Yards and tons at a glance

These use the Wisconsin DOT figure of 1.85 tons per yard for packed stone. Treat them as a high guess for loose stone.

Cubic yards	Tons	Pounds
0.5	0.93	1,850
1	1.85	3,700
2	3.70	7,400
3	5.55	11,100
5	9.25	18,500
10	18.50	37,000

How to turn tons back into yards

Quarries often quote by the ton, but your plan is in feet. Divide tons by the tons per yard.

Cubic yards = tons / tons per cubic yard

At 1.85 tons a yard, 1 ton is about 0.54 yards. That spreads over about 88 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 44 square feet at 4 inches.

Can your truck carry it?

This is where people get into trouble. A pickup bed may have room for a yard or more by volume, but the weight is a different story. An Ask Extension expert notes that a standard pickup can carry only about 1,000 pounds without overloading it. That figure was given for soil, but it applies to any load.

A yard of packed stone at 3,700 pounds is more than three times that. Even loose stone can be far over. A few things to do:

Read the payload sticker. It is usually on the driver’s door frame. It tells you the most weight your truck is built to carry, people and gear included.
Ask the loader for a partial scoop. Many yards will load a half yard or less.
Make more than one trip, or pay for delivery. For most jobs over a yard, delivery is cheaper than a broken axle.

How deep should gravel be?

That depends on the job, and on your local codes for driveways. For stone used as a mulch in beds, the University of Maryland Extension suggests about 1 inch. The USDA NRCS standard for its mulching projects calls for stone at least 0.75 inches in size, spread at least 2 inches deep. For paths, patios and driveways, follow your contractor’s plan or your supplier’s advice, since they know your soil.

Tips for ordering gravel

Ask for the weight per yard of the exact product. Write it down.
Measure in a few spots. Use the average depth.
Add a little extra. Stone compacts, and edges are never perfect.
Ask about minimums and delivery. Some quarries have a minimum load.
Call 811 before you dig. It is free and it tells you where buried lines are.

For the volume part of the math, see our guide on how to calculate cubic yards. If you are filling beds with soil instead, see how much soil you need for a raised bed.

Bottom line

There is no one weight for a yard of gravel. Packed base stone is about 1.85 tons a yard by the Wisconsin DOT figure, and loose stone weighs less. Work out your yards first, then ask your supplier for their tons per yard and multiply. And do not count on a pickup to carry a full yard.

Tools for this guide

FAQ

How many tons is a yard of gravel?

There is no single number. For packed base stone in place, the Wisconsin DOT uses 1.85 tons per cubic yard, and 1.75 tons for its larger breaker run stone. Loose gravel in a pile is lighter. Ask your supplier for the figure for the stone you buy.

How many yards of gravel are in a ton?

Divide 1 by the tons per yard. At 1.85 tons a yard, one ton is about 0.54 yards. At 1.5 tons a yard, one ton is about 0.67 yards. Use your supplier's number for the real answer.

Can a pickup truck carry a yard of gravel?

Usually not in one trip. A yard of packed stone can weigh well over 3,000 pounds. An Ask Extension expert notes a standard pickup carries only about 1,000 pounds without overloading. Check the payload on your door sticker.

Does wet gravel weigh more?

Yes. Water fills the spaces between stones and adds weight. That is one reason suppliers and agencies give different numbers. If you buy by the ton after rain, you may get a little less stone.