Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator
Use this tons to cubic yards calculator to convert a supplier quote either way, using published densities for crushed stone, sand, topsoil, mulch, asphalt and concrete.
By CalcBuilt Editorial TeamUpdated September 9, 2026Formulas checked against manufacturer specs, see how we calculate.
Results
- Cubic yards
- 7.14 cu yd
- 10 tons at 1.4 tons per cubic yard, loose as delivered
- Conversion factor
- 1 ton = 0.71 cu yd
- 1 cu yd = 1.4 tons
- Weight of the load
- 20,000 lb
- 104 lb per cubic foot
- Covers at 4 in deep
- 578.6 sq ft
- Loose spread depth; dense-graded stone and soil settle 15 to 20 percent once they are rolled
- 200 sq ft at 4 in deep needs
- 3.46 tons
- 2.47 cu yd loose, before any compaction allowance
Tons to Cubic Yards formula
Cubic yards = Tons / Density (tons per cubic yard)
Tons = Cubic yards x Density (tons per cubic yard)
Density (tons per cu yd) = Density (lb per cu ft) x 27 / 2,000
Cubic yards for an area = Area (sq ft) x Depth (in) / 12 / 27Worked example
A quarry quotes 21 tons of crusher run for a driveway. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard that is 21 / 1.4 = 15 cubic yards, or 15 x 27 = 405 cubic feet. Spread 6 inches deep it covers 405 / 0.5 = 810 sq ft.
Going the other way for topsoil: a 54 by 18 ft bed is filled 4 inches deep. That is 54 x 18 x (4 / 12) = 324 cubic feet, or 324 / 27 = 12 cubic yards. At 1.1 tons per cubic yard the yard bills 12 x 1.1 = 13.2 tons.
Quick reference
| Material | State | lb per cu ft | Tons per cu yd | Cu yd per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bark mulch, dry | Loose | 30 | 0.40 | 2.50 |
| Screened topsoil | Loose | 81 | 1.10 | 0.91 |
| Fill dirt | Loose | 89 | 1.20 | 0.83 |
| Fill dirt | Compacted | 111 | 1.50 | 0.67 |
| Concrete or masonry sand, dry | Loose | 96 | 1.30 | 0.77 |
| #57 stone, clean | Loose | 95.4 | 1.29 | 0.78 |
| #57 stone, clean | Vibrated | 109 | 1.47 | 0.68 |
| Pea gravel, 3/8 in washed | Loose | 100 | 1.35 | 0.74 |
| Crusher run, 3/4 in minus | Loose | 104 | 1.40 | 0.71 |
| Crusher run, 3/4 in minus | Compacted | 130 | 1.75 | 0.57 |
| Hot-mix asphalt | Compacted | 145 | 1.96 | 0.51 |
| Concrete, normal weight | In place | 150 | 2.03 | 0.49 |
Why tons and cubic yards do not convert on their own
A ton is 2,000 lb of weight and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet of space. Bulk density is the only thing that links them. Ten tons is 7.14 cubic yards of crushed stone, 9.09 cubic yards of topsoil, or 25 cubic yards of bark mulch. Quarries run every load across a certified scale and bill in tons. The job, though, is laid out in yards: an area at a depth. NIST Handbook 130, Section 2.29, lets a yard sell topsoil, fill dirt, aggregate and sand by volume or by weight. That is why one quote arrives in tons and the next in yards.
Ask the yard for its own tons per cubic yard before you convert anything. The number moves with the rock. Limestone crusher run is heavier than a washed river gravel, and screened topsoil gains weight after rain. Most yards will read the figure off their product sheet, and the scale ticket settles the rest. A delivery fee, typically $75 to $150 per load in 2026 US retail, does not scale with tonnage, so combine materials onto one truck where the yard allows it.
Loose, compacted and in place
Every density in the list is loose, as the truck dumps it, except asphalt and concrete, which are quoted in place. The gap is wider than the spread between most materials. FHWA measured No. 57 stone at 95.4 lb per cubic foot scooped loose into the mold and 108.7 lb per cubic foot on a vibrating table. That is 1.29 tons per cubic yard against 1.47, a 14 percent swing from compaction alone. Dense-graded crusher run, which carries fines that lock up, gives up about 20 percent of its loose depth under a roller.
Order loose, then carry the compaction in the depth rather than in the density. For a base that has to finish 6 in thick, divide the compacted volume by 0.80 and convert the result at the loose density. Adding 20 percent instead gives a factor of 1.20 where the division gives 1.25, which leaves the job about 4 percent short. Open-graded stone such as #57 or #8 keys down rather than compacting, so 5 percent covers it.
What this calculator leaves out
The conversion is material only. The delivery fee is extra, typically $75 to $150 per load in 2026 US retail. So is the yard's minimum order, often 1 ton bagged or 3 tons bulk, and any short-load surcharge. Geotextile under a base, plate compactor rental at typically $80 to $140 a day, and the labor to move a pile by wheelbarrow all sit outside the number. Moisture is outside it too. A yard quotes a dry or damp density, and the scale weighs whatever sits in the bucket. Saturated topsoil can reach 1.4 tons per cubic yard against the 1.1 published dry.
Code limits that apply
- NIST HB 130 2.18.2checked
Mulch is sold only by volume: the cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic meter or liter.
If you miss it: A mulch price per ton cannot be checked against the method of sale, so the volume you actually receive is unverifiable.
- NIST HB 130 2.29(a)
Topsoil, fill dirt, aggregate, sand and landscape rock: by the cubic meter or cubic yard, or by weight.
If you miss it: Volume and weight are both legal, so a quote that names neither leaves you converting at a density the seller never stated.
- NIST HB 130 2.29(b)
Flagstone must be sold by weight, not by the pallet or the piece.
If you miss it: A pallet price hides the tonnage, and coverage per ton swings with the thickness of the stone.
- NIST HB 130 2.5.1
Peat and peat moss may be declared in weight units or in cubic measure units.
If you miss it: Peat is excluded from the mulch rule, so a peat quote in pounds is legal and will not convert at a mulch density.
Rows marked checked produce a warning in the results when an entry crosses the limit. The others are on the plans or on site and this calculator does not test them. Local amendments can be stricter; the adopted edition and the inspector govern.
Mistakes that cost money
- Converting at a compacted density when the truck delivers loose stone under-orders dense-graded crusher run by about 20 percent.
- Scale tickets weigh water, so stone loaded out of a rained-on stockpile gives you less rock per ton than a dry load.
- Rounding 0.71 cubic yards per ton up to 0.75 overstates a 20 ton order by 0.71 cubic yards, about 5 percent.
- States that adopt NIST Handbook 130 require mulch to be sold by volume, so a ton price on mulch means the yard is guessing.
- Weight limits the truck, not volume: one cubic yard of crushed stone is 2,800 lb and exceeds a half-ton pickup payload.
- Concrete and asphalt densities are in place, not loose, so never use them to convert a pile sitting in a driveway.
Key facts
- Vibrating No. 57 stone lifts it from 95.4 to 108.7 lb per cubic foot in FHWA tests, which is 1.29 tons per cubic yard loose against 1.47 compacted.
- A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and a US short ton is 2,000 lb, so tons per cubic yard equals pounds per cubic foot times 0.0135.
- NRMCA gives normalweight concrete a density of 140 to 150 lb per cubic foot, which is 1.89 to 2.03 tons per cubic yard.
- USGS valued crushed stone at $18.50 per metric ton at the quarry in 2025, which is $16.78 per short ton before any hauling.
- One ton of bark mulch is 2.5 cubic yards; one ton of normal-weight concrete is 0.49 cubic yards, a five to one difference in volume.
- NIST Handbook 130, Section 2.18.2 requires mulch to be sold by volume, while Section 2.29 lets topsoil, sand and aggregate be sold by volume or by weight.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards are in a ton?
It depends on the material. A ton of crushed stone at 1.4 tons per cubic yard is 0.71 cubic yards. A ton of topsoil is 0.91 cubic yards and a ton of bark mulch 2.5.
How many tons is 10 cubic yards?
For dense-graded crushed stone, 10 x 1.4 = 14 tons. The same 10 yards is 13 tons of sand, 11 tons of topsoil and 19.6 tons of compacted hot-mix asphalt.
Does a supplier's ton mean 2,000 pounds?
In the United States, yes. A short ton is 2,000 lb. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, or 2,205 lb, about 10 percent heavier, so check the unit on an imported spec sheet.
Should I convert at the loose or the compacted density?
Use the loose density, because the truck delivers loose material. Handle the compaction in the depth: spread crusher run about 25 percent deeper than the finished thickness, so 6 in finished goes down 7-1/2 in loose.
Sources and references
- Handbook 130, IV.B Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities (2.18.2 mulch, 2.29 sand, rock, gravel and stone sold in bulk) (NIST)
- Strength Characterization of Open-Graded Aggregates for Structural Backfills, Chapter 3, Table 7 (minimum and maximum dry unit weight by ASTM D448 size) (Federal Highway Administration)
- CIP 36: Structural Lightweight Concrete (density of normalweight concrete, 140 to 150 lb per cubic foot) (NRMCA)
- Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Stone (Crushed): average unit value per metric ton (U.S. Geological Survey)
Next steps for this project
The usual order for a measurement & cost project. See all measurement & cost calculators.
Results are estimates based on standard formulas and typical product specifications. Confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.