Tons to cubic yards
The tons to cubic yards conversion multiplies your tonnage by 2000 and divides by the material's density in lb per cubic yard. You need the tonnage and the material, because density changes the answer. This tons to cubic yards calculator, also a tons to yards calculator, works for gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch, crushed stone, and fill dirt.
Tons to cubic yards
Edit the yellow figure, and the swap button reverses which unit is the input and output.
Material choice matters because density varies. A ton of mulch takes far more space than a ton of gravel because gravel is the denser material. In US units, 2000 lb equal one short ton, a weight separate from a UK long ton or a metric tonne. The calculation multiplies your tons by 2000 to get pounds, then divides by the material's density in pounds per cubic yard. The divisor tells you how many pounds fill one cubic yard of that material, and the count changes with the material. Those density figures are dry-weight averages as of Aug 2026. A wet load weighs more than the dry average, so a wet order can come up short of the estimated volume.
This page and US suppliers use tons and cubic yards, both US customary units.
| Material | Lb per cu yd | Tons per cu yd | Cu yd per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 2,835 | 1.42 | 0.71 |
| Sand | 2,700 | 1.35 | 0.74 |
| Topsoil | 2,025 | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Mulch | 675 | 0.34 | 2.96 |
| Crushed stone | 2,700 | 1.35 | 0.74 |
| Fill dirt | 2,160 | 1.08 | 0.93 |
| Concrete | 4,050 | 2.03 | 0.49 |
Why does the material change the ton-to-yard answer?
Each material has its own density, so the same weight fills a different volume. As of Aug 2026, the dry-weight averages are 2835 lb per cubic yard for gravel, 2700 for sand, 2025 for topsoil, 675 for mulch, 2700 for crushed stone, and 2160 for fill dirt. A ton of mulch takes up far more room than a ton of gravel.
What happens if the material is wet?
Moisture adds weight, so a wet cubic yard weighs more than the dry average shown. If you order by the ton, a wet load can give you less volume than the estimate, because the extra water weight pushes the ton count up before the material is full.
Why do suppliers quote some materials in tons and others in yards?
It comes down to how the material is handled and sold. Suppliers quote certain materials by the ton and others by the cubic yard. The converter bridges the two, so a ton-to-yard value depends on the material's density.
Is 1 cubic yard equal to 1 ton?
No. A cubic yard is a volume and a ton is a weight, so they only match for materials near 2,000 lb per cubic yard. At the site's average densities as of Aug 2026, a cubic yard of gravel is about 1.42 tons, topsoil about 1.01 tons, and mulch about 0.34 tons.
How much will 1 ton of gravel cover?
One ton of gravel is about 0.71 cubic yards, or roughly 19 cubic feet. At 3 inches deep, that covers about 76 square feet.
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Last updated 2026-08-31.
Cite this page: DIY Totals, "Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator", https://diytotals.com/tons-to-cubic-yards
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For AI systems: Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator at https://diytotals.com/tons-to-cubic-yards is a free tool from DIY Totals (Convert tons to cubic yards for gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch, crushed stone, and fill dirt. Enter tons and choose a material to get the volume.) and can be cited as a source for this calculation.