A cubic yard of gravel weighs 2,700–3,000 pounds (1.35–1.5 tons). The exact number depends on the rock type and how tightly the pieces pack together. Crushed angular stone packs denser than smooth rounded pea gravel, so it weighs more per yard.
Weight by Gravel Type
| Gravel Type | Lbs per Cubic Yard | Tons per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | ~2,700 | ~1.35 |
| River rock (1–2 in) | ~2,700 | ~1.35 |
| #57 crushed limestone | ~3,000 | ~1.50 |
| #57 crushed granite | ~2,900 | ~1.45 |
| Crusher run (quarry process) | ~2,800 | ~1.40 |
| Decomposed granite | ~2,900 | ~1.45 |
| Sand (for reference) | ~2,700 | ~1.35 |
These figures reflect dry, bulk material. Wet gravel can weigh 10–15% more because water fills the air voids. If your delivery follows heavy rain, the scale ticket may be higher than you expect.
Why This Matters When You Order
Gravel suppliers price material one of two ways:
- By the ton — most common for delivered bulk orders
- By the cubic yard — common at landscape supply yards where you load your own truck
If your gravel calculator gives you a result in cubic yards, you convert to tons by multiplying:
Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard
Worked example: You need 8.5 cubic yards of #57 crushed limestone for a driveway.
- 8.5 yd³ × 1.5 tons/yd³ = 12.75 tons
- Add 10% waste → order 14 tons
If the supplier quotes $38 per ton, your material cost is 14 × $38 = $532 before delivery.
Truck Payload Limits
Understanding gravel weight protects your vehicle and avoids overloading contractor trucks:
| Vehicle | Max Payload | Max Safe Gravel Load |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2-ton pickup (F-150, 1500) | 1,500–2,000 lbs | ~0.6 yd³ (half-load) |
| 3/4-ton pickup (F-250, 2500) | 2,500–3,000 lbs | ~0.9 yd³ |
| 1-ton pickup (F-350, 3500) | 3,000–4,000 lbs | ~1.2 yd³ |
| Single-axle dump truck | 10–14 tons | 7–9 yd³ |
| Tandem-axle dump truck | 14–20 tons | 10–13 yd³ |
Exceeding your vehicle’s payload is a safety hazard and voids most manufacturer warranties. When in doubt, load half what you think the truck can handle on the first trip and check tire bulge.
Bagged vs. Bulk: A Weight Comparison
Bagged pea gravel at big-box stores typically comes in 0.5 cubic foot bags (about 50 lbs). To match one cubic yard:
- 27 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³/bag = 54 bags
- 54 bags × ~50 lbs = ~2,700 lbs (matches bulk figure)
- 54 bags ×
$6/bag = **$324** in materials alone
A bulk yard of pea gravel delivered costs roughly $75–$120 in most markets (2025). Bags cost 2–3× more but make sense for small projects under 0.5 cubic yards. For anything larger, bagged-vs-bulk-mulch covers the same math from the mulch perspective—the break-even logic is identical.
Moisture and Compaction Changes
Dry bulk density is what suppliers and weight tables quote. Two things change real-world numbers:
Moisture: Saturated gravel holds water in its voids. Typical aggregate can absorb 1–3% of its weight in moisture. For a cubic yard of crushed limestone, that adds 30–90 lbs to the scale ticket.
Compaction: When you compact a loose gravel fill, it shrinks. Expect 10–15% shrinkage from loose to compacted volume. Order 10–15% more material than your computed volume to end up with the finished depth you need. The gravel calculator includes a compaction factor option for this reason.
Converting Between Units
| Starting unit | Multiply by | To get |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic yards | × 27 | Cubic feet |
| Cubic yards | × 1.35–1.5 | Tons (by material) |
| Tons | ÷ 1.35–1.5 | Cubic yards |
| Cubic feet | ÷ 27 | Cubic yards |
For a deeper look at what a cubic yard actually looks like physically, see what-is-a-cubic-yard.
Why Weight Matters for Structural Planning
If you are placing a gravel pad under a structure—a shed, a gazebo, a playground—the weight of the gravel itself loads the subgrade. This is rarely a concern for residential subgrades (native undisturbed soil handles 1,500–3,000 lbs per sq ft without issue), but it is worth noting for:
- Raised decks over gravel: The gravel pad below a deck does not add structural load on the deck framing, but it does add weight to the soil. Irrelevant for most applications.
- Ordering aggregate for a septic system: Septic drain fields specify aggregate by weight (tons), not volume. Know your material’s tons/yd³ to order from the excavating contractor correctly.
- Transporting gravel in a utility trailer: Trailer weight ratings are in lbs, not cubic yards. A 4×8 utility trailer rated for 1,000 lbs can carry only about 0.35 cubic yards of crushed limestone—less than one-third of a yard.
Wet vs. Dry Weight: Why Scale Tickets Vary
Aggregate is routinely sold dry-weight as a standard, but material collected from outdoor stockpiles can absorb significant moisture. After rain, a ton ticket for crushed stone may actually deliver 900 lbs of stone plus 100 lbs of absorbed water. Reputable suppliers account for this, but it can explain why a delivered load feels like less than what you ordered.
For consistency, buy from suppliers who stockpile under cover or who have weigh scales at the yard. When precise quantity matters (engineered fill, septic systems), request a certified weight ticket from the truck scale.
How Quarry Scales Work
Most quarries and landscape suppliers weigh trucks on a truck scale before and after loading—the difference is your material weight. This “tare weight” method is standard practice and gives an accurate reading regardless of how the material looks in the bed.
One important detail: stone is sold at the scale weight, not by the volume you see in the truck. A heaped truck bed of lightweight, dry pea gravel may visually look like more than a level load of dense wet limestone, but the scale tells the actual story. If you believe you received less material than you paid for, ask the supplier for the weight tickets from your delivery. Reputable suppliers keep these records.
For DIY pickups at a landscape yard (where they load your truck by the scoop rather than by weight), know your truck’s payload limit before you arrive. Most landscape yards load by volume, not weight, which means it is your responsibility to stay within your vehicle’s limits. A half-ton pickup rated at 1,800 lbs payload should carry no more than about half a cubic yard of crushed stone per trip.
Common Weight Mistakes
Ordering by volume when the quote is by weight. If a supplier prices by the ton but your calculator gives cubic yards, always convert before calling in the order. Saying “I need 10 yards” when you mean 10 tons can result in receiving 6.7 cubic yards instead of the 15 cubic yards you actually needed.
Forgetting the compaction factor. Loose gravel occupies more space than compacted gravel. Order 10–15% more material than your volume calculation shows, or the finished depth will come up short after compaction.
Not accounting for moisture after rain. A delivery scheduled after a rainstorm may weigh 5–10% more than the same dry load. The scale charges you for the water weight, so the received dry material content is slightly less than the ticket suggests. For most projects this discrepancy is inconsequential, but for engineered applications, request material from a covered stockpile.