How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?

About 2,800 lb — 1.42 US tons — for common gravel, loose. Pea gravel is lighter at roughly 2,600 lb (1.3 tons), #57 stone runs about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons), and crusher run reaches 3,375 lb loose and roughly 3,780 lb (1.89 tons) once compacted. Moisture can add another 10–15% on top of any of these.

How much does a cubic foot of gravel weigh?

Between 96 and 140 lb depending on type and compaction: pea gravel 96 lb/ft³, #57 stone about 100, common gravel 105, crusher run 125 loose and up to 140 compacted. A standard 0.5 ft³ retail bag therefore weighs roughly 48–55 lb — which is why they are sold at that size.

How much does a cubic meter of gravel weigh?

Roughly 1,540–2,240 kg. Common gravel is about 1,680 kg/m³ (1.68 tonnes), pea gravel 1,540, #57 stone 1,600, and crusher run 2,000 loose to 2,240 compacted. Metric estimating is pleasantly direct: cubic meters × density in t/m³ is your order weight in tonnes, no intermediate conversions.

Why does compacted gravel weigh more per yard than loose?

The stone itself doesn't get heavier — compaction squeezes air out of the voids so more particles fit in each cubic yard. Crusher run gains about 12% because its fines pack the gaps between larger stones; clean single-size aggregates like #57 gain closer to 9% since uniform particles can't nest as tightly.

Is a ton of gravel the same as a tonne?

No. A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, or about 2,205 lb — 10% heavier. Suppliers in the US quote short tons; most of the rest of the world quotes tonnes. On a 20-ton order the difference is two full tons of stone, so confirm the unit before comparing prices.

How many bags of gravel make a cubic yard?

54 bags at the standard 0.5 ft³ size (27 ft³ per yard ÷ 0.5). At typical bag prices that's $215–380 for a yard of stone that costs $40–80 in bulk — the arithmetic behind the universal advice to buy bulk for anything bigger than a small path repair.

Gravel · Reference Chart

Gravel weight chart

A cubic yard of gravel weighs 2,600 to 3,800 pounds depending on what's in it and how hard it's been packed. Here are the working numbers per yard, per foot and per meter — and the conversions between them.

Contents

1.Weight per cubic yard
2.Weight per cubic foot and cubic meter
3.Loose vs compacted
4.Worked conversions

Weight per cubic yard

The cubic yard is the unit most US suppliers load by, and the ton is the unit they weigh by — this table is the bridge between them. All figures are for dry material; a rained-on stockpile can run 10–15% heavier on the scale.

Weight per cubic yard, dry. Multiply loose cubic yards by the tons column to convert a volume order to a weight order.
Gravel type	Pounds per yd³	US tons per yd³
Pea gravel	≈ 2,600 lb	1.30Rounded river stone, no fines
#57 stone (loose)	≈ 2,700 lb	1.35Clean 1-inch crushed stone
Common gravel (loose)	≈ 2,800 lb	1.42The default estimating figure
River rock (1–3 in)	≈ 2,700 lb	1.35Large rounds; wide natural variation
Crusher run (loose)	≈ 3,375 lb	1.69Fines fill the voids
Crusher run (compacted)	≈ 3,780 lb	1.89In-place weight after compaction

Weight per cubic foot and cubic meter

Unit weights per ASTM C29 typical values. To convert: kg/m³ = lb/ft³ × 16.02.
Gravel type	lb per ft³	kg per m³
Pea gravel	96	1,5401.54 t/m³
#57 stone (loose)	100	1,6001.60 t/m³
Common gravel (loose)	105	1,6801.68 t/m³
Crusher run (loose)	125	2,0002.00 t/m³
Crusher run (compacted)	140	2,2402.24 t/m³

These are the same unit weights the density chart documents in full — repeated here in the units you need for weight conversions. For 20+ materials including limestone, decomposed granite and recycled concrete, see the complete density database.

Loose vs compacted

Loose vs compacted weight, lb per cubic yard

#57 stone, loose2,700lb

#57 stone, compacted2,940lb

Crusher run, loose3,375lb

Crusher run, compacted3,780lb

Worked conversions

Imperial: yards on the quote, tons on the scale

A landscaper quotes 8 loose cubic yards of crusher run for a base course. The quarry sells by the ton — how many tons is that quote?

1
Loose density
125 lb/ft³ × 27 = 3,375 lb per yd³
2
Convert to tons per yard
3,375 ÷ 2,000 = 1.69 tons/yd³
3
Multiply by the volume
8 yd³ × 1.69 = 13.5 tons

Result: The 8-yard quote equals about 13.5 tons. If the quarry's per-ton price × 13.5 beats the landscaper's number, buy direct.

Metric: cubic meters to tonnes

A European plan calls for 4.5 m³ of common gravel, supplied by the tonne.

1
Density in tonnes
1,680 kg/m³ = 1.68 t/m³
2
Mass
4.5 × 1.68 = 7.56 t
3
Add 10% settling allowance
7.56 × 1.10 = 8.3 t

Result: Order 8.5 tonnes. Metric needs no ÷27 or ÷2,000 — volume × density is the entire conversion.

The full method behind these conversions — including when to use 15% instead of 10% — is laid out step by step in how to calculate gravel, and the volume side of the math lives in the volume formula guide.

Weight questions

Convert your volume to tons in one step

Related charts & guides

Gravel Density Chart Gravel Coverage Guide

Sources & references

[1]ASTM C29/C29M: Bulk Density (Unit Weight) and Voids in Aggregate — ASTM International, 2017
[2]The Aggregates Handbook, 2nd ed. — National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, 2013