Tonnage Calculator
Convert an area into tons of material. Enter length and width in feet and depth in inches, pick gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, fill dirt, or asphalt, and get cubic yards, pounds, and US tons — with a waste allowance.
Example: with Length (ft) 20 · Width (ft) 10 · Depth (in) 3 · Material Gravel (~2,800 lb/yd3) · Waste factor (%) 10 → US tons to order: 2.85 US tons.
- Cubic yards2.04 yd3 (incl. 10% waste)
- Total weight5,704 lb
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Tons = cubic yards × unit weight ÷ 2,000. Most landscape aggregates run 1.3–1.4 tons per cubic yard; hot-mix asphalt is nearly 2.
From square feet to tons in two steps
Bulk material is quoted two ways — by the cubic yard at the landscape yard, by the ton at the quarry — and the conversion between them is just density. First get volume: length × width in feet, times depth in inches divided by 12, divided by 27 for cubic yards. Then multiply by the material's weight per cubic yard and divide by 2,000 for US (short) tons.
Density is the number to respect. A yard of dry sand is about 1.3 tons, gravel 1.4, and hot-mix asphalt nearly 2 — so 'a few yards' can mean anywhere from 3 to 6 tons on the truck. Moisture matters too: wet sand or topsoil can weigh 15–25% more than the dry figures used here.
How it’s calculated
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27, times (1 + waste ÷ 100). Tons = cubic yards × unit weight ÷ 2,000 lb. Typical unit weights used: gravel 2,800 lb/yd3, crushed stone 2,700, dry sand 2,600, loose topsoil 2,100, fill dirt 2,200, hot-mix asphalt 3,900 (≈145 lb/cu ft) — standard estimating figures.
Unit weights are dry, loose-to-placed averages; moisture and gradation shift real-world weight by roughly ±10%, so confirm tons per yard with your supplier.
Weight per cubic yard by material
| Material | lb per yd3 | Tons per yd3 |
|---|---|---|
| Topsoil (loose, dry) | 2,100 | 1.05 |
| Fill dirt | 2,200 | 1.10 |
| Sand, dry | 2,600 | 1.30 |
| Crushed stone | 2,700 | 1.35 |
| Gravel | 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Hot-mix asphalt | 3,900 | 1.95 |
Typical US estimating values; actual quarry weights vary with moisture and rock type.
Common mistakes
- Confusing short tons (2,000 lb) with metric tonnes (2,205 lb) — US quarries sell short tons.
- Entering depth in feet: a 3 in layer typed as 3 ft multiplies the order by 12.
- Using one density for everything — topsoil to asphalt nearly doubles the weight for the same volume.
- Ordering exact volume with no waste factor; spillage, grading, and settling usually eat 5–10%.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate tonnage from square feet?
Tons = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × unit weight ÷ 2,000. Example: 200 sq ft at 3 in of gravel = 1.85 cubic yards × 2,800 ÷ 2,000 ≈ 2.6 tons before waste.
How many tons is a cubic yard?
It depends entirely on the material: about 1.05 tons for loose topsoil, 1.3 for dry sand, 1.35–1.4 for stone and gravel, and 1.95 for hot-mix asphalt.
Is this US tons or metric tonnes?
US short tons of 2,000 lb, which is how American quarries and haulers quote. A metric tonne is 2,204.6 lb, about 10% heavier.
How many tons fit in a dump truck?
A standard tandem-axle dump truck legally hauls about 13–15 tons; a single-axle truck around 6–8. Over roughly 15 tons, plan on multiple loads or a larger transfer trailer.