How this instrument works
A cubic yard equals exactly 764,554.857984 millilitres, derived from the international yard's fixed length of 0.9144 metres — a geometric fact that never changes. What does change is what fills that yard: garden centers and landscape suppliers order mulch, topsoil, sand, and crushed stone by the cubic yard, then a delivery truck often gets billed or weighed in tons, specifically US short tons (2,000 lb) here rather than a metric tonne (1,000 kg) or British long ton (2,240 lb).
The Density field is what carries the material-specific information, and it spans a genuinely wide range. Mulch is bulky and full of air pockets, often equivalent to somewhere around 0.3–0.5 g/mL; ordinary topsoil, according to USDA soil-quality data, typically runs from about 1.0 to 1.4 g/mL for undisturbed ground, higher again once compacted or waterlogged; dry sand and crushed gravel sit noticeably denser, commonly 1.5–1.7 g/mL. Particle size, moisture, and how tightly the material has settled all push that number around, which is exactly why it's left open for you to set.
- Enter the volume you're ordering or hauling into Volume (cubic yards) — 2 is preloaded.
- Set Density (g/mL) to match your material: light for mulch, mid-range for topsoil, higher for sand or gravel.
- Mass (ton) shows the US short-ton weight for that volume.
- Ask your supplier for their material's specific density if they have one — moisture and compaction shift it noticeably from a generic table.
Worked example — 2 cubic yards at water density, then a lighter load
At the default Density of 1.00, 2 cubic yards gives Mass (ton) = 1.68555493555 — a useful anchor number even though nobody actually orders 2 yards of plain water; it simply shows what 'density exactly 1.00' means for this volume.
Real landscaping materials land in different places on that scale. Drop Density to 0.8, in the range of a light, well-aerated mulch, and the same 2 cubic yards weighs 1.34844394844 tons instead — roughly 674 lb less. Switch to gravel closer to 1.5–1.7 g/mL and that same 2 yards would run well over 3 tons; the truck's capacity, the driveway's weight tolerance, and the delivery price all hinge on which material you actually pick, not the cubic-yard figure alone.
Questions
Why do suppliers quote different tons-per-yard for mulch versus gravel?
Because the two materials pack very different amounts of mass into the same space. Mulch is shredded organic matter riddled with air pockets, so a cubic yard of it is mostly air by volume; gravel is solid mineral grains packed tightly together, with almost no air between them, so the same yard holds far more mass.
Where do I find the right density for my specific material?
Ask the supplier directly — many landscape yards print a tons-per-yard figure for each product on their price sheet or delivery ticket. Published bulk-density ranges for soils and aggregates work as a starting estimate otherwise, but remember that moisture alone can shift a topsoil's real density noticeably between a dry stockpile and one soaked by recent rain.
Is this a metric tonne or a US short ton?
It's the US short ton, 2,000 pounds, about 907.185 kg — not the metric tonne (1,000 kg exactly) and not the British long ton (2,240 lb). If a supplier's invoice uses metric tonnes instead, divide this calculator's result by 1.10231 to match it.
Does compacting the material change its weight per cubic yard?
Yes, noticeably. Compaction squeezes out air space and packs particles closer together, which raises density without changing the material itself. Loose versus compacted soil or gravel can differ by 15–25% in weight for the same volume, so measure or estimate density in the state you'll actually be hauling or spreading it.
Why does moisture matter so much for topsoil and mulch density?
Water adds real mass while adding relatively little extra volume in a porous material, since it mostly fills existing gaps between particles rather than expanding the pile. Wet topsoil or wet mulch can weigh substantially more per cubic yard than the same material dry, which is why suppliers sometimes quote a range instead of one number.
Roughly how many tons are in a cubic yard of standard gravel?
Using a density around 1.5 g/mL gives about 1.26 tons per cubic yard, and a denser gravel near 1.7 g/mL comes closer to 1.43 tons. The exact figure depends on the specific stone, its moisture content, and how it's packed, so treat this as a planning estimate rather than a delivery guarantee.