Formula
Volume is the plan shape times the depth, in feet. Waste multiplies that volume. Tons are the order yards times the tons-per-yard figure for the stone you picked.
rectangle = length × width × depth
circle = π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth
triangle = ½ × base × height × depth
yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
order = yards × (1 + waste ÷ 100)
tons = order yards × tons per yard
A 4 inch depth is 4/12 of a foot. #57 on this page is 1.40 ton/yd³, about 2,800 lb. Dry laboratory weights are often nearer 1.35. Crusher run is the loose delivered weight, 1.50. Compacted in place it is heavier, and this page does not add a compaction factor for it. Use the cubic yard calculator when you only want the volume.
Worked examples
10 × 20 ft × 4 in of #57, no waste. 66.67 ft³ ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³. At 1.40 ton/yd³ that is 3.46 tons. One 10-yard truck, as a planning count.
The same pad with 10% waste. 2.47 × 1.10 = 2.72 yd³ and 3.80 tons.
A 4 ft circle, 6 in deep. π × 2² × 0.5 = 6.28 ft³, which is 0.23 yd³ before waste.
Reference
Loose ordering densities. The delivery ticket overrides the row.
| Material | ton/yd³ | lb/yd³ | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| #57 crushed stone | 1.40 | 2,800 | Loose ordering figure, about 2,800 lb/yd³. Dry lab weight is often nearer 1.35. |
| Pea gravel | 1.30 | 2,600 | Rounded 3/8 in stone, about 2,600 lb/yd³. |
| Crusher run, loose | 1.50 | 3,000 | Dense-graded base as delivered loose, about 3,000 lb/yd³. Compacted in place is heavier. |
| River rock, 1–3 in | 1.35 | 2,700 | About 2,700 lb/yd³. Size and moisture move this. |
Questions
How many tons is a 10 by 20 foot pad, 4 inches deep, in #57?
2.47 cubic yards measured, 2.72 yards with 10% waste, and 3.80 tons at 1.40 ton per yard. 10 × 20 × 4/12 = 66.67 cubic feet. Divide by 27.
How heavy is a yard of gravel?
This page uses 1.40 ton/yd³ for #57 (about 2,800 lb), 1.30 for pea gravel, 1.50 for loose crusher run, and 1.35 for 1–3 inch river rock. Those are ordering figures. The quarry ticket is the weight you pay for.
What is a truckload?
A planning count of 10 cubic yards. It is not a legal payload, and a truck rated for 10 yards of mulch may not take 10 yards of stone.
Sources
- Volume geometry, and 27 cubic feet per cubic yard.
- #57 at 1.40 ton/yd³, pea gravel at 1.30, loose crusher run at 1.50, river rock at 1.35. Planning figures gathered from supplier calculators, not a single quarry specification. Moisture moves all four.