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Cubic Yards to Tons Converter

Convert cubic yards to tons (or back) for gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch and concrete.

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Cubic Yards to Tons Converter

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Density varies a lot by material

Mulch is light and fluffy at roughly 0.4 tons per cubic yard, while wet concrete runs about 2 tons per cubic yard -- a 5x difference for the same volume. Always convert using the actual material, not a generic average.

Unlike a pure volume conversion, cubic yards to tons depends entirely on what material you're converting -- weight per volume (density) varies enormously between mulch, sand, gravel, topsoil and concrete. This converter uses typical average densities for each: gravel and crushed stone around 1.4 tons/cu yd, sand around 1.35, topsoil around 1.0, mulch around 0.4, and mixed concrete around 2.0.

These are planning averages. Moisture content changes a material's actual weight significantly -- wet sand or wet mulch can weigh noticeably more than the dry figures used here -- so treat this as a solid estimate for ordering, not an exact figure for billing by weight.

For the specific gravel, sand, or mulch quantity you need based on your project's dimensions, use the dedicated Gravel, Sand, or Mulch calculators, which do this same density conversion automatically as part of their output.

Where these numbers come from

Standard unit-conversion factors. Material weight figures (where used) are typical averages -- check your specific supplier for exact density.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the same volume weigh different amounts?

Density differs by material -- how tightly packed and how heavy the particles are. Mulch is bulky and light; gravel and sand are dense; wet concrete is denser still. A cubic yard of each weighs a very different amount.

Does moisture change the weight?

Yes, significantly for some materials. Wet sand, wet mulch, or wet topsoil can weigh 15-25% more than the dry averages used here, so treat this as a planning estimate rather than an exact billing figure.

Which calculator should I use instead of this converter?

If you already know your project's dimensions, the Gravel, Sand, or Mulch calculators compute the volume and weight together in one step -- this converter is for when you already have a cubic yard figure from somewhere else and need it in tons, or vice versa.

More Converters & Lookups calculators

Gravel Calculator Sand Calculator Mulch Calculator

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