How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel typically weighs 2,700–3,400 pounds — 1.35 to 1.7 short tons — depending on the stone, its fines content, and how wet it is. Here is the per-material breakdown and why it matters for trucks and trailers.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh? A cubic yard of typical gravel weighs 2,700–3,400 lb — 1.35 to 1.7 US short tons — with crusher run at about 3,200 lb and lava rock near 1,400 lb. Moisture adds up to a few hundred pounds per yard. Full per-material table below; convert any project to tons with the gravel calculator.
Weight by material: the table
Weight per cubic yard is density times volume: multiply the tons-per-yard figure by 2,000 lb. These are the industry-typical densities this site uses everywhere (see methodology); actual loads vary with stone source and moisture.
| Material | Tons per cu yd | Pounds per cu yd | Pounds per cu ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusher run (QP/DGA) | 1.6 | 3,200 | ≈119 |
| Crushed stone #411 | 1.5 | 3,000 | ≈111 |
| Pea gravel | 1.4 | 2,800 | ≈104 |
| Crushed stone #57 | 1.4 | 2,800 | ≈104 |
| Decomposed granite | 1.4 | 2,800 | ≈104 |
| River rock | 1.35 | 2,700 | ≈100 |
| Lava rock | 0.7 | 1,400 | ≈52 |
Why the spread? Fines and grading (how tightly pieces pack), parent rock (granite is denser than sandstone), and voids (big stone leaves more air). As a cross-check, the Engineering ToolBox's widely referenced solids-density table lists crushed stone at about 100 lb per cubic foot — 2,700 lb per yard, matching the middle of this range.
Wet gravel is heavier gravel
Expect rain-soaked gravel to weigh noticeably more than the dry figures — typically 5–10% more, a few hundred pounds per yard. Water fills the voids between stones without adding volume. If you're near a payload limit, weigh the decision accordingly: a yard that was 2,800 lb at the quarry can be 3,000+ lb after a storm, and washed stone arriving wet is common.
Sand-moist "pit run" materials swing harder still. For anything being loaded onto a personal trailer, ask the quarry for the as-loaded weight and keep a margin under your axle rating — see the pickup math below.
Will it fit in your truck?
Payload, not bed size, stops most pickup loads: a half-ton truck typically handles 1–1.5 yards of gravel safely — about 1.5–2 tons. Bed dimensions tempt you toward two yards, but a full-size half-ton payload rating is usually 1,200–2,000 lb, and a single yard already weighs more than most ratings.
| Vehicle | Safe gravel load | Yards (typical stone) |
|---|---|---|
| Utility trailer (2,000 lb axle) | up to ~1,800 lb | 0.6 yd |
| Half-ton pickup (1500 class) | ~1,200–1,800 lb payload | 0.4–0.65 yd |
| ¾-ton pickup (2500 class) | ~2,500–4,000 lb payload | 0.9–1.4 yd |
| Dump delivery (single-axle) | 5–10 tons | 3–6 yd |
| Tandem dump truck | 15–20 tons | 9–13 yd |
Those payload figures are typical ranges — check the sticker on your own door jamb. Lava rock doubles the yardage per ton, which is exactly why the lava rock calculator exists separately.
From weight to cost
Because suppliers price by the ton or by the yard, weight-per-yard is the bridge between the two quote styles. A $40-per-ton quote on #57 (1.4 t/yd³) equals $56 per yard; a $55-per-yard quote on the same stone equals about $39 per ton. Divide or multiply by the density from the table above and quotes become comparable.
The gravel calculator on the homepage accepts either pricing mode — enter dimensions once, then toggle $/ton versus $/yard to see both totals. Typical US price ranges by material are in the gravel cost guide.
Last updated: October 2026