How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Weigh?
By Nick · Updated
A cubic yard of loose crushed stone weighs 2,410 to 2,700 pounds, or 1.21 to 1.35 tons. So a ton of gravel is about 0.74 to 0.83 cubic yards. Compacted gravel weighs more: 3,060 to 3,300 pounds a yard.
Work out yards and tons for your jobKey figures
- Loose crushed stone: 2,410 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
- Compacted crushed stone: 3,060 to 3,300 lb per cubic yard.
Source: Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
- One ton of loose gravel ≈ 0.74 to 0.83 cubic yards.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
How much does each type of gravel weigh?
Loose, dry weight per cubic yard:
| Material | Lb per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (#57, 3/4 in.) | 2,410 to 2,700 | 1.21 to 1.35 | 0.74 to 0.83 |
| Crushed base (crusher run, road base) | 2,550 to 2,700 | 1.28 to 1.35 | 0.74 to 0.78 |
| Pea gravel | 2,592 | 1.3 | 0.77 |
| River rock | 2,484 | 1.24 | 0.81 |
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors; Vigoro pea gravel bag label (0.5 cu ft, 48 lb); Pavestone river pebbles bag label (0.5 cu ft, 46 lb)
How many yards of gravel are in a ton?
About 0.74 to 0.83 cubic yards of loose crushed stone.
Divide 2,000 lb by the weight of one cubic yard. Suppliers often sell by the ton and measure jobs by the yard, so this converts between the two.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
How much does a load of gravel weigh?
Multiply the cubic yards by the weight per yard. For loose crushed stone:
- 1 cubic yard: 2,410 to 2,700 lb (1.2 to 1.4 tons)
- 3 cubic yards: 7,230 to 8,100 lb (3.6 to 4.1 tons)
- 5 cubic yards: 12,050 to 13,500 lb (6 to 6.8 tons)
- 10 cubic yards: 24,100 to 27,000 lb (12.1 to 13.5 tons)
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
Why does compacted gravel weigh more?
Packing squeezes out air, so the same space holds more stone.
The weight of the stone doesn't change, only its volume. That is why a compacted base needs about a quarter to a third more loose stone than its finished depth.
Source: Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors; Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads, DSA Tech Bulletin (2025)
Other questions
How much does a yard of pea gravel weigh?
About 2,592 pounds, worked out from the weight printed on a bag of pea gravel.
Source: Vigoro pea gravel bag label (0.5 cu ft, 48 lb)
How many tons of gravel do I need for a driveway?
Work out the cubic yards (length × width × depth in feet ÷ 27), then multiply by 1.21 to 1.35 tons per yard.
Source: Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014); Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
How we worked this out
Weights are from the California and Missouri transportation departments' published tables, plus bag labels for pea gravel and river rock. Tons and yards per ton are converted with exact NIST factors.
Sources
- Caltrans Maintenance Manual, Appendix (2014)
- Missouri DOT, Highway Maintenance Tables and Conversion Factors
- Vigoro pea gravel bag label (0.5 cu ft, 48 lb)
- Pavestone river pebbles bag label (0.5 cu ft, 46 lb)
- Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads, DSA Tech Bulletin (2025)
- NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C