Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator

Convert tons to cubic yards, or cubic yards to tons, for gravel, soil, asphalt or any material. Pick a material or type its density.

How to convert tons to cubic yards

A ton measures weight and a cubic yard measures volume, so there is no single answer. You need the weight of one cubic yard of your material, called its density. Dense stone takes up less space per ton than light topsoil, so the same number of tons gives a different number of cubic yards. Divide the weight in pounds by the density to get cubic yards, or multiply cubic yards by the density to get pounds.

You want	Formula
Cubic yards from short tons	tons × 2,000 ÷ pounds per cubic yard
Short tons from cubic yards	cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards from metric tons	metric tons × 2,204.62 ÷ pounds per cubic yard
Cubic yards, density in tons per cubic yard	tons ÷ tons per cubic yard
Cubic feet from cubic yards	cubic yards × 27

Short tons and metric tons

In the United States a ton means the short ton of 2,000 pounds. The metric ton, also called a tonne, is 1,000 kilograms. The pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms, so the two tons are not the same weight. Choose the right one in the unit menu, because mixing them up changes the answer by about 10%. The British long ton of 2,240 pounds is not used here.

Unit	Pounds	Kilograms
Short ton (US ton)	2,000	907.18
Metric ton (tonne)	2,204.62	1,000

Three worked examples

Question	Operation	Result
10 short tons of crushed stone at 2,900 lb/yd³	10 × 2,000 ÷ 2,900	6.8966 yd³
5 cubic yards of screened topsoil at 2,200 lb/yd³	5 × 2,200 ÷ 2,000	5.5 tons
1 metric ton of gravel at 2,900 lb/yd³	2,204.62 ÷ 2,900	0.7602 yd³

The first row is also 186.21 cubic feet. Using the whole 2,700 to 3,100 pound range for crushed stone instead of the midpoint, the same 10 tons fill between 6.45 and 7.41 cubic yards. That spread is why the calculator shows the range next to the single figure.

Cubic yards in a ton, by material

The table lists the materials in the calculator. The calculator uses the “Used” column. For the gravel and stone rows that is the midpoint of the range, which is our own operation and not a figure from the source. For topsoil it is the average the source gives, and for asphalt the 147 lb/ft³ the source uses in its examples, times 27. Cubic yards per ton is 2,000 divided by the pounds.

Material	Source range (lb/yd³)	Used (lb/yd³)	Yd³ per short ton	Range of yd³ per ton
Pea gravel	2,600 to 2,900	2,750	0.73	0.69 to 0.77
Crushed stone (general)	2,700 to 3,100	2,900	0.69	0.65 to 0.74
#57 stone	2,700 to 3,100	2,900	0.69	0.65 to 0.74
#4 stone	2,700 to 3,100	2,900	0.69	0.65 to 0.74
#8 stone	2,600 to 3,000	2,800	0.71	0.67 to 0.77
#89 stone	2,600 to 3,000	2,800	0.71	0.67 to 0.77
Crusher run / road base	3,000 to 3,400	3,200	0.63	0.59 to 0.67
#411 gravel	2,900 to 3,300	3,100	0.65	0.61 to 0.69
Washed gravel	2,700 to 3,100	2,900	0.69	0.65 to 0.74
River rock	2,700 to 3,200	2,950	0.68	0.63 to 0.74
Bank run gravel	2,800 to 3,300	3,050	0.66	0.61 to 0.71
Decomposed granite	2,600 to 3,000	2,800	0.71	0.67 to 0.77
Topsoil, dry	1,500 to 2,200	2,000	1.00	0.91 to 1.33
Screened topsoil (one supplier product)	—	2,200	0.91	—
Topsoil, moist	2,200 to 2,600	2,400	0.83	0.77 to 0.91
Compacted asphalt mix (in place)	3,888 to 4,320	3,969	0.50	0.46 to 0.51

Where the weights come from, all checked in October 2026: the gravel and stone rows from the GoodGravel gravel type pages, an information site and supplier directory. The dry and moist topsoil rows from a topsoil.com guide, also a supplier directory. The screened topsoil row from a Hello Gravel product page, a supplier. The asphalt row from the Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavement Association checklist, which gives 144 to 160 pounds per cubic foot for compacted mix and 147 in its examples. We multiplied those by 27 to get pounds per cubic yard.

Sand, concrete, mulch and other materials are not in the list because we did not find a source we could open and check. For those, choose “Custom density” and type the figure from your supplier in lb/yd³, lb/ft³, kg/m³ or tons/yd³.

Cubic yards for common tonnages

Tons	Screened topsoil, 2,200	Crushed stone, 2,900	Crusher run, 3,200	Compacted asphalt, 3,969
1 ton	0.91	0.69	0.63	0.50
5 tons	4.55	3.45	3.13	2.52
10 tons	9.09	6.90	6.25	5.04
20 tons	18.18	13.79	12.50	10.08
50 tons	45.45	34.48	31.25	25.20
100 tons	90.91	68.97	62.50	50.39

The column heads are the pounds per cubic yard used, and the cells are cubic yards for that many short tons. If you start from an area and a depth instead of a weight, use the gravel calculator, the topsoil calculator or the asphalt calculator. To work only with volumes, try the cubic yard calculator.

Before you order by the ton or by the yard

Moisture and compaction change the weight of a cubic yard. Wetter material weighs more per cubic yard.
Ask which unit the quote, the delivery ticket and the truck limit use, then convert with the density of that exact product.
Use the range shown under the result to see how far the answer can move. Order with your supplier’s figure when you have it.
Asphalt in the list is compacted mix in place, not loose mix in a truck, so ask the plant for the figure of the mix you are buying.

Frequently asked questions

How many tons are there in one cubic yard?

It depends on the material. In the sources we checked in October 2026, gravel and stone run about 1.30 to 1.70 short tons per cubic yard in the GoodGravel pages, topsoil about 0.75 to 1.30 and compacted asphalt about 1.94 to 2.16. Pick your material in the calculator or type your own density.

How do I convert cubic yards to tons?

Multiply the cubic yards by the weight of one cubic yard in pounds, then divide by 2,000. Five cubic yards of a material that weighs 2,200 pounds per cubic yard is 5 × 2,200 ÷ 2,000 = 5.5 short tons.

How do I convert tons to cubic yards of gravel?

Multiply the tons by 2,000, then divide by the pounds per cubic yard of your gravel. With 2,900 pounds per cubic yard, the midpoint of the 2,700 to 3,100 range one source gives for crushed stone, 10 tons is 10 × 2,000 ÷ 2,900 = 6.90 cubic yards.

Is 20 tons the same as 20 yards?

No. A ton measures weight and a cubic yard measures volume. 20 short tons of crushed stone at 2,900 pounds per cubic yard fill 13.79 cubic yards, and 20 tons of screened topsoil at 2,200 pounds per cubic yard fill 18.18.

How many cubic yards are in 5 tons or 100 tons?

At 2,900 pounds per cubic yard, 5 tons is 3.45 cubic yards and 100 tons is 68.97. The table on this page shows the same tonnages for other densities.

What is the difference between a short ton and a metric ton?

A short ton is the US ton of 2,000 pounds, which is 907.18 kilograms. A metric ton is 1,000 kilograms, which is 2,204.62 pounds, so it is about 10% heavier. Pick the right one in the unit menu before you convert.

Why does the number of tons per cubic yard change?

Because the weight of a cubic yard depends on the material, on how much water it holds and on how tightly it is packed. The sources we used give ranges for that reason. Ask your supplier for the figure of the exact product you are buying.

Is material sold by the ton or by the cubic yard?

Some suppliers quote one unit and some the other, and a delivery ticket can show either. Ask which unit the quote and the load use, then convert with the density of that product.