The short answer
A cubic yard of screened topsoil weighs about 2,200 to 2,600 pounds, going by two suppliers’ published figures for their own soil: over a ton. Mulch is much lighter, around 500 to 600 pounds a yard; gravel and sand are heavier than topsoil. Wet material weighs more than the same material dry.
Weight of a cubic yard, by material
Each range comes from suppliers’ published figures for their own products, or from an extension service. Another supplier’s material can weigh more or less; ask for its figure when you order.
| Material | Pounds per cubic yard | US tons per cubic yard | Published by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screened topsoil | 2,200 to 2,600 | 1.1 to 1.3 | Sands and Soils; BlueStar Landscape Supply |
| Garden or planting mix | 1,200 to 2,600 | 0.6 to 1.3 | Sands and Soils; Wild Toad Landscape Materials |
| Compost | 800 to 1,500 (1,000 working figure) | 0.4 to 0.75 | University of Minnesota Extension |
| Shredded hardwood or pine bark mulch | 500 to 600 | 0.25 to 0.3 | Mr. Mulch; Sands and Soils |
| Washed gravel #57, pea gravel | 2,440 to 2,700 | 1.22 to 1.35 | South Bay Materials; Sands and Soils; Palmetto Sand & Gravel |
| Crusher run and road base | 2,450 to 2,500 | 1.23 to 1.25 | Yard Works; Sands and Soils |
| Masonry or bedding sand | 2,600 to 3,000 | 1.3 to 1.5 | Sands and Soils; Wild Toad Landscape Materials |
| River rock and cobble | 2,500 to 2,600 | 1.25 to 1.3 | Sands and Soils; Granite Landscape Centers |
Moving it home
A 6 cubic foot wheelbarrow, such as True Temper’s, takes 4½ level loads to move one cubic yard. Full of topsoil at 2,200 pounds a yard, each load weighs about 490 pounds.
A vehicle’s payload is on the tire and loading label on the driver’s door pillar, and it includes the driver and every passenger. The federal rule’s own worked example is a 1,400 pound label with five 150 pound people aboard, which leaves 650 pounds for cargo. One supplier, Sands and Soils, says most standard pickups or a single-axle 5 × 8 trailer can hold one yard of its topsoil because of the weight, and two yards of its mulch.
The cubic yards to tons calculator works out the weight, the barrow loads and the trips for your order and your vehicle.
Cubic yards to tons calculator
Open the calculatorConverting tons to cubic yards
Some yards sell stone and soil by the ton. Multiply the tons by 2,000 and divide by the material’s weight per cubic yard: 3 tons of gravel at 2,700 pounds a yard is about 2.2 cubic yards. Check that against the cubic yards your area needs.
References
- Topsoil, Sands and Soils
- Screened Top Soil, BlueStar Landscape Supply
- 1/3 Garden Mix, Sands and Soils
- Organic Planting Blend, Wild Toad Landscape Materials
- Interpreting your compost report, University of Minnesota Extension
- Natural Brown Double Shredded Bark Hardwood Bulk Mulch, Mr. Mulch
- FHW Mulch (triple shredded hardwood), Sands and Soils
- South Bay Materials: 3/8-inch Pea Gravel, South Bay Materials
- Wash Rock (#57, #67, #78/pea gravel), Sands and Soils
- #57 Stone (3/4 to 1 inch washed granite gravel), Palmetto Sand & Gravel
- Crusher Run, Yard Works Landscape Supply
- Modified Crush and Run, Sands and Soils
- Masonry Sand, Sands and Soils
- Utility / Bedding Sand, Wild Toad Landscape Materials
- Tennessee River Rock, Sands and Soils
- Glacier Cobble 2 to 3 inch, Granite Landscape Centers
- 6 Cubic Ft Steel Wheelbarrow with Never Flat Tire, The AMES Companies (True Temper)
- 49 CFR 571.110: tire and loading information placard, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (eCFR)
- 49 CFR 575.6: steps for determining the correct load limit, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (eCFR)