Material Weight per Cubic Yard Chart: Gravel, Soil, Mulch

Weight per cubic yard by material

Typical weight of one cubic yard of loose, moist landscape material in pounds and US tons
Material	Weight lb/yd³	Weight tons/yd³	Typical range lb/yd³	Yards per ton yd³	Note
Gravel / crushed stone	2,800	1.40	2,700–3,000	0.71	3/4 in clean stone; washed and dry runs lighter.
Pea gravel	2,800	1.40	2,600–3,000	0.71	Rounded 3/8 in stone.
River rock	2,700	1.35	2,500–2,900	0.74	Larger stones leave more voids.
Crushed limestone	2,700	1.35	2,500–2,900	0.74	Clean screened limestone.
Crusher run / road base	2,900	1.45	2,700–3,100	0.69	Stone plus fines; weighs more once compacted in place.
Decomposed granite	2,600	1.30	2,400–2,800	0.77	Loose as delivered; settles and compacts when tamped.
Sand (general)	2,700	1.35	2,600–2,900	0.74	Wet sand can exceed 3,000 lb.
Concrete sand	2,700	1.35	2,600–2,900	0.74	Coarse washed sand.
Play sand	2,500	1.25	2,400–2,700	0.80	Fine washed sand, usually dry.
Topsoil	2,000	1.00	1,800–2,200	1.00	Screened; wet topsoil is heavier.
Fill dirt	2,100	1.05	1,900–2,300	0.95	Subsoil with clay and rock.
Compost	1,100	0.55	1,000–1,200	1.82	Screened, about 50% moisture; very wet compost can top 1,500 lb.
Hardwood mulch	600	0.30	400–800	3.33	Shredded; green wood chips run about 470 lb (EPA); wet mulch is heavier.
Bark mulch / nuggets	500	0.25	400–600	4.00	Pine bark nuggets are lightest.

Source: Typical bulk densities (Engineering ToolBox, OSU and WSU Extension, U.S. EPA conversion factors), Loose, moist material

Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb). Tons per yard = pounds per yard ÷ 2,000.

Weights are typical for loose, moist material as delivered. Ask your supplier for their scale weight; quarries publish their own figures.

Wet material can weigh 10–20% more than these figures. Compacted base occupies less volume than it did loose.

How much a truck can haul

Rule-of-thumb cubic yards per load for common pickups and trailers
Vehicle	Typical payload lb	Gravel, sand, soil yd³	Mulch, compost yd³
Half-ton pickup (F-150, Silverado 1500 class)	1,500	0.5	1
Three-quarter-ton pickup (2500 class)	2,500	1	2
One-ton pickup (3500 class)	3,500	1.5	2.5
Dump trailer, 10 ft (10,000 lb GVWR class)	7,000	2.5	4

Source: Rule of thumb (conservative; manufacturer payload ratings run higher), Typical payloads

Heavy material is limited by payload, light material by bed volume. Payload varies widely with cab, bed and options.

The sticker in the driver’s door jamb gives the exact payload for your truck.

Rule of thumb only; never exceed the rated payload, axle ratings or trailer GVWR.

How to use the weight table

Landscape suppliers sell some materials by the cubic yard and others by the ton, and trucks are limited by weight. Find the material, then read the typical weight per cubic yard in pounds or US tons. To convert an order the other way, use the yards-per-ton column. Calculators measure volume first (length × width × depth ÷ 27 for cubic yards), then multiply by these densities.

Worked example: a 10 × 12 ft gravel pad 4 in deep is 10 × 12 × 4/12 ÷ 27 = 1.48 yd³. At 1.40 tons per yard that is about 2.07 tons, before any allowance for compaction.

Why the numbers vary

Bulk density is not fixed. Three things move it most:

Moisture. Wet sand, soil and mulch can weigh noticeably more than the same volume dry. These figures are for typical moist material as delivered.
Gradation. Material with a mix of particle sizes, such as crusher run, packs more solid into the same volume than uniform stone, which leaves voids.
Compaction. Loose material is measured as dumped. Once spread and compacted, base materials occupy less volume, so order extra for compacted bases.

The figures here are typical values compiled from supplier data, not test results for any one quarry or yard. When a supplier quotes its own weight per yard, use that number.

Hauling it yourself

Heavy materials fill a truck's payload long before they fill its bed. Light materials such as mulch do the opposite. The truck table gives rule-of-thumb loads; the exact payload for your vehicle is printed on the tire and loading information placard on the driver's door jamb. Overloading affects braking and steering, and some yards will not load beyond a vehicle's rating.

Common material weight mistakes

Mixing up short tons (2,000 lb) with metric tonnes (2,205 lb).
Ordering by the ton from a volume estimate without converting.
Forgetting that compacted base needs more loose material than the finished volume.
Loading a pickup to the top of the bed with gravel or soil.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a yard of gravel weigh?

About 2,800 lb, or 1.40 tons, for loose, moist crushed stone. Suppliers quote 2,700–3,000 lb depending on the stone and moisture.

How many tons is a yard of topsoil?

About 1.00 ton (2,000 lb) for screened, moist topsoil. Wet topsoil weighs more.

How much does a yard of mulch weigh?

Shredded hardwood mulch runs about 600 lb per cubic yard and bark nuggets about 500 lb. Fresh or rain-soaked mulch weighs more.

How many yards of gravel are in a ton?

About 0.71 cubic yards at 2,800 lb per yard. Divide 2,000 by the weight per yard for any material.

Can a half-ton pickup carry a yard of gravel?

Usually not safely. A yard of gravel weighs about 2,800 lb, and many half-ton pickups are rated for around 1,500 lb of payload, so about 0.5 yd³ per trip is the usual rule of thumb. Check the payload on the door-jamb sticker.

Reviewed October 11, 2026 by the Tradesman Calculator editorial team · Figures are from Typical bulk densities (Engineering ToolBox, OSU/WSU Extension, U.S. EPA) ; local amendments may apply · Report an error

Material weight per cubic yard chart