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How Many Yards In A Ton Of Gravel?

Another name for gravel is crushed stone. It’s made of different shape and size rock fragments. Typically the rocks are warn and not too jagged. Different types of rocks make up gravel which is why they come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors. The most common types of rock used to make gravel are sandstone, limestone, and basalt. Gravel has a wide variety of uses ranging from home building to landscaping, gardening and walkways. You can buy gravel either in bags or loose. It’s typically categorized as either granular (coarse) or pebble (fine). When Gravel suppliers ask how many yards you need, they’re talking about a cubic yard. Which is a measurement that’s 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. A cubic yard measures volume where a ton measures weight. A yard of gravel usually weighs about 2,800 pounds which is about 1 1/2 tons.

To figure out how many yards are in a ton of gravel, you need to do some simple math. Gravel and crushed stone usually weighs around 2800 pounds per cubic yard. 1 ton of gravel weighs 2000 pounds. So to find out how many yards are in 1 ton of gravel, you divide 2000/ 2800 = 0.714 cubic yard. There are 0.714 cubic yards in a ton of gravel.

If you’re doing a large project at home and need a lot of gravel, it’s usually best to order it by the truck load. Usually gravel is ordered by the ton, 1/2 ton or 1/4 ton. Most landscape and masonry suppliers will deliver loose gravel. For small projects, you can buy it by the bag at Home Depot, Lowes and most landscaping centers. Gravel is typically cheaper when you buy it in bulk but you have to buy a lot of it.

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How Many Yards Of Gravel Per Ton?

In the construction industry, we generally buy gravel by the ton and not the bag. But first, we have to convert tons into yards to figure out how much gravel, or how many tons, we actually need.

The way we change tons of gravel into yards in the building industry is by multiplying tons by 0.714. For example, 1 ton of gravel = 0.714 yards of gravel. 2 tons of gravel = 1.428 yards. 3 tons of gravel = 2.142. etc.

But what about if we want to convert yards into tons? This is actually the more common way of figuring out how much gravel you need for a job.

How Much Does A Yard Of Gravel Cover?

You can easily convert yards of gravel into tons at home for either a bulk gravel order or when buying bags. Remember yards is a volume measurement. a 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft. box full of gravel is one cubic yard. A cubic yard of gravel will cover 100 square feet (10×10 foot area) at 3 inches of depth. At one inch of depth, a cubic yard of gravel will cover a 300 sq. ft. area. At 1 1/2 inches of depth, a cubic yard of gravel will cover a 200 sq. ft. area.

Once you calculate how many yards of gravel you need, you can convert it to tons using math.

One cubic yard of gravel is equal to approximately 1.13 tons. Multiply the cubic yards of gravel you need by 1.13 to convert the measurement to tons.

Once you know the calculation, figuring out how many yards, or tons, of gravel you need for a project is easy.

Calculating Material Step By Step

First, measure the area you want to cover with gravel. This will give you the square footage. But remember, yards is a volume measurement. So you also have to figure out how deep you want the gravel.

Remember, 1 yard of gravel = 100 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep. That’s 300 sq. ft. at 1 inch deep or 200 sq. ft. at 1 1/2 inches deep.

Using these numbers, you can calculate how many yards of gravel you need to cover the area you want at the proper depth. I recommend always buying a little more just in case.

Once you know how many yards of gravel you need, multiply it by 1.13. This will tell you roughly how many tons of material you have to order to complete the job.

How Many Tons Per Yard Of Gravel

The average full yard of gravel = approximately 2,800 lb. or just over 1 1/4 tons. This is more weight than the average full size pickup can carry in a truck bed. For orders this size I recommend buying a bulk delivery from a masonry or landscape supply house.

The average pickup has a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton or 1 ton weight limit. This equals out to:

  • 0.357 yards of gravel in a 1/2 ton pickup.
  • 0.5355 yards in a 3/4 ton pickup.
  • 0.714 yards in a 1 ton pickup.

Most pickup trucks can tow a lot more weight than they can safely haul in the truck bed. If you want to pickup a large amount of gravel by yourself, make multiple trips or rent a heavy duty trailer.

How Many Cubic Yards Does A Ton Of Gravel Cover?

A ton of gravel is equal to 0.714 cubic yards of gravel. 1 full yard of gravel is equal to 300 sq. ft. at 1 inch depth. So a ton of gravel covers approximately 214 sq. ft. at 1 inch of depth.

Remember, yards is a measurement of volume and not just square footage. You have to factor in the depth of the gravel. Here are some measurements I’ve done to help you figure out your job.

  • A ton of gravel 1 inch deep covers 214 sq. ft.
  • 1 ton of gravel 1 1/2 inches deep covers 142 sq. ft.
  • A ton of gravel 3 inches deep covers 71 sq. ft.

The deeper you pour the gravel, the less square footage a ton or yard will cover.

How Many Cubic Yards in 3 Tons Of Gravel?

There are 2.142 cubic yards in 3 tons of gravel.

Each ton of gravel equals 0.714 cubic yards. When you multiply 3 x 0.714 you get 2.142. This same calculation can be applied to any tonnage. For example, if you want to know how many yard are in 5 tons of gravel, simply multiply 5 x 0.714. The answer is 3.57.

When figuring materials for a gravel pour, I recommend always rounding up and ordering more than you think you’ll need. This extra gravel will account for spillage and uneven ground.

How Many Tons Of Gravel In A Dump Truck?

On average, large dump trucks can carry approximately 28,000 pounds of gravel or about 14 tons. Smaller dump trucks can carry about 13,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds or 6.5 to 7.5 tons of gravel.

In yards, this works out to approximately 10 yards of gravel for large dump trucks and about 5 yards in a small dump truck.

Pickup trucks can carry between 1000 – 2000 pounds which is equal to approximately 1/4 yard to 3/4 yards of gravel.

How Many Yards of 3/4 Inch Gravel In A Ton?

A ton of 3/4 inch gravel covers 0.714 cubic yards or just under 3/4 of a yard. This amount of 3/4 gravel will cover 100 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep, 200 sq. ft. at 1 1/2 inches deep or 300 sq. ft. at 1 inch deep.

A yard of gravel fills a container 3 foot wide x 3 foot long x 3 foot high. But a ton of gravel only fills a container 3 foot wide x 3 foot long x 27 inches high. This is because a ton of 34 inch gravel only equals 0.714 yards or about 3/4 of a yard.

3/4 inch gravel is also referred to as #57 crushed limestone gravel. It’s commonly used as a fill material under retaining walls, footings, driveways, patios, sidewalks, etc. or as an ingredient used to make concrete.

How Many Yards Is 5 Tons of Gravel?

5 Tons of gravel is 3.57 yards or about 3 1/2 yards. This is for gravel ranging from 1/2 inch to 1 inch with an average size of 3/4 inch.

How Many Yards In A Ton Of Limestone?

Crushed limestone is also called #57 crushed limestone gravel. It ranges in size from 1/2 inch to 1 inch with an average size of 3/4 inch. It’s also referred to as 3/4 gravel. Crushed limestone is commonly used as a fill material under retaining walls, footings, driveways, patios, sidewalks, etc. or as an ingredient used to make concrete.

A ton of 3/4 inch limestone gravel covers 0.714 cubic yards or just under 3/4 of a yard. This amount of 3/4 gravel will cover 100 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep, 200 sq. ft. at 1 1/2 inches deep or 300 sq. ft. at 1 inch deep.

A yard of gravel fills a container 3 foot wide x 3 foot long x 3 foot high. But a ton of gravel only fills a container 3 foot wide x 3 foot long x 27 inches high. This is because a ton of 34 inch gravel only equals 0.714 yards or about 3/4 of a yard.

Summary: How Many Yards In A Ton Of Gravel?

Another name for gravel is crushed stone. It’s made of different shape and size rock fragments. Typically the rocks are warn and not too jagged. Different types of rocks make up gravel which is why they come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors. The most common types of rock used to make gravel are sandstone, limestone, and basalt. Gravel has a wide variety of uses ranging from home building to landscaping, gardening and walkways. You can buy gravel either in bags or loose. It’s typically categorized as either granular (coarse) or pebble (fine). When Gravel suppliers ask how many yards you need, they’re talking about a cubic yard. Which is a measurement that’s 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. A cubic yard measures volume where a ton measures weight. A yard of gravel usually weighs about 2,800 pounds which is about 1 1/2 tons.

To figure out how many yards are in a ton of gravel, you need to do some simple math. Gravel and crushed stone usually weighs around 2800 pounds per cubic yard. 1 ton of gravel weighs 2000 pounds. So to find out how many yards are in 1 ton of gravel, you divide 2000/ 2800 = 0.714 cubic yard. So, there are 0.714 cubic yards in a ton of gravel.

If you’re doing a large project at home and need a lot of gravel, it’s usually best to order it by the truck load. Usually gravel is ordered by the ton, 1/2 ton or 1/4 ton. Most landscape and masonry suppliers will deliver loose gravel. For small projects, you can buy it by the bag at Home Depot, Lowes and most landscaping centers.

If you have any questions or comments about gravel, email any time.

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