Tonnage Calculator: Tons of Gravel, Stone & Soil

Convert an area and depth to tons or tonnes of gravel, stone, sand, soil, asphalt and more, using an editable density for each material.

Quarries and landscape suppliers often sell by weight, so you need to turn the size of a job into tons or tonnes. Weight is volume × density: a 12 × 10 ft area of gravel 3 inches deep is 1.11 cubic yards, and at about 1.35 tons per cubic yard that's 1.5 US tons. Pick a material, enter the area and depth, and this calculator gives the weight in US tons (2,000 lb), metric tonnes (1,000 kg), pounds and kilograms, along with the volume. Every material starts at a typical loose density that you can change to your supplier's figure.

Units
Bag sizes
Area
ft
ft
in
Feet and inches work too: type 12'6 or 12.5.
t/yd³
%
Weight
1.58 tons

3,150 lb · 1.43 tonnes

Volume
1.17 yd³

31.5 ft³ · 0.892 m³

Bags
63

0.5 ft³ bag

Bags needed by size
0.5 ft³ bag63
25 kg bag58
20 kg bag72
850 kg bulk bag2
1 tonne bulk bag2
How it was worked out
  1. Area: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 ft²; × 3 in (0.25 ft) deep = 30 ft³
  2. 30 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.11 yd³
  3. Plus 5% extra = 1.17 yd³
  4. 1.17 yd³ × 1.35 tons per yd³ = 1.58 tons (3,150 lb)
  5. 31.5 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³ per bag = 63, rounded up to 63 bags
Typical weights of common materials
Materialt/m³tons/yd³lb/ft³
Concrete2.402.02150
Gravel1.601.35100
Pea gravel1.601.35100
Crushed stone / crushed rock1.601.35100
River rock1.501.2694
Landscape rock / pebbles1.501.2694
Crushed limestone1.601.35100
Decomposed granite1.501.2694
Crusher run1.601.35100
Road base1.701.43106
Crusher dust1.501.2694
Aggregate (20 mm)1.601.35100
All-in ballast1.651.39103
MOT Type 1 sub-base1.801.52112
Sand1.601.35100
Topsoil1.301.1081
Garden soil1.301.1081
Fill dirt1.401.1887
Mulch0.350.2922
Bark chippings0.300.2519
Asphalt (compacted)2.321.96145

Loose, as-delivered figures; asphalt and concrete are as laid. Moisture, stone size and source change the real weight, so use your supplier's figure when you have it. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).

Common use cases

  • Order gravel, crushed stone or sand by the ton
  • Check whether a load is within your truck or trailer's payload
  • Convert a supplier's price per ton into a cost for the job
  • Compare suppliers who price by weight and by volume

How to use

  1. Choose the material. Its typical density fills in automatically.
  2. Enter the area's size and depth, adding more areas if needed.
  3. Change the density if your supplier gives one, and check the extra allowance.
  4. Read the weight in tons or tonnes, and add a price per ton or tonne for a cost.

FAQ

What's the difference between a ton and a tonne?

A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb (907 kg). A metric tonne is 1,000 kg (2,205 lb), about 10% heavier. The UK long ton, 2,240 lb, is rarely used for building materials now. This calculator shows US tons in feet-and-inches mode and tonnes in metric mode, with the other alongside.

How do I convert cubic yards to tons?

Multiply by the material's weight per cubic yard: about 1.35 tons for gravel, crushed stone and dry sand, 1.1 for topsoil, and 2 for concrete. Moisture and stone size change the real figure.

Why does my supplier's figure differ?

Density depends on the rock, the sizes in the mix and how wet it is. Wet sand and gravel can be 10 to 20% heavier than dry. Use the figure your supplier gives whenever you can.

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