Weight of a cubic yard, by material
Each row is one supplier’s published figure for its own product. Another supplier’s material with the same name can weigh differently, and wet material weighs more; ask for your supplier’s figure when you order.
| Material | lb per cubic yard | US tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| South Bay Materials 3/8-inch pea gravel | 2,440 | 1.22 |
| Sakrete All-Purpose Gravel | 2,700 | 1.35 |
| Sands and Soils washed stone #57 or #67 | 2,500 | 1.25 |
| Palmetto #57 washed granite | 2,700 | 1.35 |
| Sands and Soils river rock, 3 to 7 inch | 2,500 | 1.25 |
| Granite Landscape Centers cobble, 2 to 3 inch | 2,600 | 1.3 |
| Sands and Soils crush and run base | 2,500 | 1.25 |
| Yard Works crusher run base | 2,450 | 1.23 |
| Sands and Soils masonry sand | 2,600 | 1.3 |
| Wild Toad bedding sand | 3,000 | 1.5 |
| Sands and Soils screened topsoil | 2,200 | 1.1 |
| BlueStar screened topsoil | 2,600 | 1.3 |
| Sands and Soils garden mix | 1,500 | 0.75 |
| Wild Toad planting blend | 2,600 | 1.3 |
| Compost, University of Minnesota working figure | 1,000 | 0.5 |
| Mr. Mulch double shredded hardwood | 571 | 0.29 |
| Sands and Soils triple shredded hardwood | 600 | 0.3 |
| Sands and Soils large pine bark | 600 | 0.3 |
Where a supplier gives a range, the upper figure is used so a load is not underestimated.
How many trips?
A vehicle’s payload is printed on the tire and loading label on the driver’s door pillar, as the sentence “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed” followed by a number. That limit includes everyone riding along. The federal rule’s own example is a 1,400 lb label with five 150 lb passengers, which leaves 650 lb for cargo.
A 6 cubic foot wheelbarrow filled level with topsoil at 2,200 lb a yard carries about 489 lb; with gravel at 2,700 lb it is 600 lb. The calculator shows the weight of each full load, so you can fill it less.
Tons to cubic yards
Some yards sell stone by the ton. Choose “Weight, and want the volume” to turn tons into cubic yards: multiply the tons by 2,000 and divide by the weight of one cubic yard. Then check that volume against the cubic yard calculator for your area and depth.