Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator
Convert tons to cubic yards and cubic yards to tons for gravel, stone, sand, soil, asphalt and concrete, plus asphalt tons from area and thickness.
Built by Toolsque Team · last updated October 14, 2026 · checked against our testing process
How to convert tons and cubic yards
- Pick the material. It sets a typical tons per cubic yard figure, which you can change.
- Type tons or cubic yards. The other box fills in, along with cubic feet, cubic meters, pounds and metric tonnes.
- Read the range note to see how much the answer could move with wetter or more compacted material.
- For paving, switch to Asphalt by area and enter the area and compacted thickness.
How to convert tons to cubic yards
Tons measure weight and cubic yards measure volume, so the conversion depends on how heavy the material is. You need its density in tons per cubic yard:
- Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard
- Cubic yards = tons ÷ tons per cubic yard
Gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so 10 cubic yards of gravel is about 14 tons, and 20 tons of gravel is about 14.3 cubic yards. Topsoil is lighter, at about 1.1 tons per yard, so the same 20 tons is about 18 cubic yards.
Tons per cubic yard for common materials
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Usual range | Pounds per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.4 | 1.3 to 1.7 | 2,800 | 0.71 |
| Crushed stone | 1.45 | 1.35 to 1.6 | 2,900 | 0.69 |
| #57 stone | 1.4 | 1.35 to 1.5 | 2,800 | 0.71 |
| Pea gravel | 1.4 | 1.3 to 1.5 | 2,800 | 0.71 |
| Sand (dry) | 1.35 | 1.2 to 1.5 | 2,700 | 0.74 |
| Topsoil | 1.1 | 1.0 to 1.3 | 2,200 | 0.91 |
| Fill dirt | 1.2 | 1.1 to 1.4 | 2,400 | 0.83 |
| Asphalt (compacted) | 2 | 1.95 to 2.05 | 4,000 | 0.50 |
| Concrete | 2 | 1.9 to 2.05 | 4,000 | 0.50 |
These are typical figures for estimating. The calculator above uses them as defaults and shows the usual range for each, so you can see how far the answer could move. A supplier's own figure for their product is always better, and you can type it into the density box.
Why charts disagree, especially for asphalt
The same material can weigh quite different amounts per yard:
- Moisture. Wet sand and wet soil weigh noticeably more than dry. Material sitting in an open stockpile after rain is heavier per yard than the chart says.
- Compaction. Loose material straight off a truck takes up more room than the same weight packed down. A yard of compacted base needs more tons than a loose yard.
- Stone size and type. Crushed stone with angular pieces packs differently from rounded pea gravel, and limestone, granite and river rock have different weights.
Asphalt shows the biggest gap. Some charts list it near 1.45 tons per cubic yard and others near 2. The lower figures usually describe loose mix or millings; asphalt rolled in place on a driveway or road is close to 2 tons per cubic yard. For paving, use the compacted figure, or the asphalt by area option above.
Asphalt tons from square yards and thickness
Paving crews rarely start from cubic yards. They work from the area and the compacted thickness, using a weight per square yard per inch of thickness. The usual estimating figure for hot mix asphalt is 110 pounds per square yard per inch:
Tons = square yards × thickness in inches × 110 ÷ 2,000
A driveway 12 by 50 feet is 600 square feet, or 66.7 square yards. At 3 inches thick that is 66.7 × 3 × 110 ÷ 2,000 = 11 tons. Switch the calculator to Asphalt by area, enter the area in square yards or square feet, and it does the same math. Some plants quote 112 or 115 pounds for their mix; type theirs if you have it.
Comparing prices sold by the ton and by the yard
Quarries usually weigh material on a truck scale and sell by the ton, while landscape yards often sell by the scoop or cubic yard. To compare them, convert one price to the other: price per yard = price per ton × tons per yard. Gravel at $40 a ton is about $56 a yard at 1.4 tons per yard, so a yard price under $56 is the better deal for the same stone.
To work out how much you need in the first place, start from the area and depth with the gravel driveway calculator, the topsoil calculator or the fill dirt calculator, then convert the yards here if your supplier sells by the ton.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.4 tons, or 2,800 pounds, for typical gravel. Depending on the stone and moisture it ranges from about 1.3 to 1.7 tons.
How many cubic yards is a ton of gravel?
About 0.71 cubic yards, since a ton divided by 1.4 tons per yard is 0.71. Ten tons of gravel is about 7.1 cubic yards.
How do I convert cubic yards of dirt to tons?
Multiply by the weight of the dirt per yard: about 1.1 tons for topsoil and 1.2 tons for fill dirt. Ten yards of fill is about 12 tons.
How many tons of asphalt are in a cubic yard?
About 2 tons for asphalt compacted in place. Loose mix in a truck takes more room, which is why some charts show lower figures.
How do I calculate asphalt tons from square yards?
Multiply square yards by the thickness in inches and by 110 pounds, then divide by 2,000. 100 square yards at 2 inches is 11 tons.
Is a ton the same as a tonne?
No. A US ton is 2,000 pounds and a metric tonne is 1,000 kilograms, about 2,205 pounds. The calculator shows both.