US short tons = cubic yards × pounds per matching cubic yard / 2,000. There is no single gravel weight that fits every product and condition. American Rock Supply lists reference values of 2,700–3,000 lb/yd for the five products shown below, equivalent to 1.35–1.50 US short tons/yd.1 These are that supplier’s approximate calculator inputs, not a measured batch density, a universal range or a vehicle-loading maximum.
Supplier reference chart by product
| Product in supplier tool | Approximate lb/cu yd | US short tons/cu yd |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher run / road base | 3,000 | 1.50 |
| Driveway / walkway gravel | 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Pea gravel (3/8 inch) | 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Crushed stone (#57, 3/4 inch) | 2,800 | 1.40 |
| River rock (1–3 inch) | 2,700 | 1.35 |
Chart values are from American Rock Supply’s gravel calculator guide.1 Its table does not establish a moisture condition or a separate loose-versus-compacted basis for each value. Confirm both before applying a reference value to an installed layer or a delivery. The pounds-to-tons pairs use 2,000 lb per ton, so this guide labels them US short tons.
Use a density that matches the volume
A delivered loose yard, an undisturbed yard in the ground and a compacted yard in the finished project are different volume states. FHWA’s earthwork guidance separates these states and says material characteristics and project-specific shrink/swell information matter.2 Do not multiply compacted project volume by a loose density and then assume the order is complete.
For the same mass of material, reducing its bulk volume increases its bulk density. Compaction does not create extra stone mass. Moisture, gradation and the actual product condition must be matched when comparing supplier weights. FHWA’s reference exhibit distinguishes dry/wet and differently graded gravel, and loose versus embankment densities; it is estimating guidance, not a current measurement of your batch.2
Conversion formulas
- US short tons = matching yards × lb per yard / 2,000.
- Yards = US short tons × 2,000 / matching lb per yard.
- If the supplier quotes US short tons per yard directly: tons = yards × factor, and yards = tons / factor.
- For geometry: cu ft = net area (sq ft) × added depth (in) / 12; cu yd = cu ft / 27.
- Keep full precision through conversions. Round the actual order only at the supplier’s sales increment.
Sensitivity chart: same volume, different assumed factors
| Matching cu yd | At 1.35 short tons/yd | At 1.40 short tons/yd | At 1.50 short tons/yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.35 | 1.40 | 1.50 |
| 3 | 4.05 | 4.20 | 4.50 |
| 5 | 6.75 | 7.00 | 7.50 |
| 10 | 13.50 | 14.00 | 15.00 |
| 20 | 27.00 | 28.00 | 30.00 |
This is arithmetic using selected reference factors, not a low/average/high confidence interval. A product outside these factors is not ruled out. No reserve, installed-volume conversion or sales rounding is included.
Three checked examples
1. Three loose yards with a quoted loose density
Suppose a supplier confirms 2,800 lb per loose yard for the selected delivery condition. A 3-loose-yard order weighs 3 × 2,800 = 8,400 lb, or 4.2 US short tons. The density is an example supplier input; do not assume every material called gravel has that weight.
2. Ten US short tons converted back to yards
With the same selected 2,800 lb per loose yard, 10 US short tons × 2,000 / 2,800 = 7.142857 loose cu yd. If the actual factor were instead 3,000 lb/loose yd, the same mass would occupy 6.666667 loose cu yd. Round display values only; do not treat the first estimate as measured truck volume.
3. A finished layer needs a matching installed density
A selected 22 × 9-foot horizontal rectangle at 3 inches finished thickness has 22 × 9 × 3 / 12 = 49.5 cu ft = 1.833333… finished cu yd. Suppose project-specific data hypothetically establishes 3,200 lb per finished yard and the supplier quotes 2,800 lb per loose yard for equivalent material mass and moisture conditions. Required mass = (49.5 / 27) × 3,200 = 5,866.666667 lb = 2.933333 US short tons. Equivalent loose volume = 5,866.666667… / 2,800 = 2.095238 cu yd. No handling loss is included. These densities demonstrate the relationship; they are not a recommended compaction specification.
Alternatively, use a verified project-specific loose-yards-per-finished-yard conversion with matching loose density. Do not use both routes and add the same compaction adjustment twice. The density ratio approach assumes equivalent material mass and moisture basis; it cannot account for unknown losses or water changes by itself.
Reserve and supplier rounding
An optional selected 5% handling reserve on the 4.2-short-ton example produces 4.41 short tons, not a different density. If that supplier sells half-ton increments, rounding up produces 4.5 short tons. The allowance and increment are hypothetical inputs, not universal gravel rules. Keep the net requirement, conversion, reserve and billed quantity separate.
Weight is not a hauling permission
Use the actual vehicle’s available payload after people, equipment and other cargo, plus axle, tire, hitch/trailer and route limits. A reference calculator density is not a maximum batch weight. Ask the supplier or carrier for the actual delivery weight and loading limits; a truck bed’s cubic capacity alone cannot establish a safe load.
FAQ
How many pounds are in one yard of gravel?
Multiply one yard by the matching supplier lb/yd value. The table above gives approximate reference values for named products, not a guarantee for every yard sold locally.
Is 1.4 tons per yard exact?
No. It is a reference input used for several products in the cited supplier calculator.1 Verify product, volume state, moisture basis and ton unit before using it.
Can I use the chart for metric tonnes?
No. This page’s tons are 2,000-lb US short tons. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg.3 Ask which unit your supplier uses rather than treating “ton” and “tonne” as interchangeable.
Should I add a standard compaction percentage?
Not from this chart. Obtain a defined material-specific conversion for your project. A percentage reduction from loose volume is not the same arithmetic as an equal percentage added to the finished requirement.
Related tools and guides
Gravel quantity calculator | Cubic-yard gravel coverage | Driveway gravel quantities | Gravel truck weight and loads | Coverage per ton
What the stone itself costs: gravel prices per ton and per yard, with current published medians by material.
Sources
- American Rock Supply: Gravel calculator and guide (supplier reference pound/yard and ton/yard table)
- Federal Highway Administration: Earthwork Design (volume states, material-specific estimating information and density exhibit)
- NIST Special Publication 1038: SI Conversion Factors (US short ton and metric tonne definitions)