Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator: Free Online Weight to Volume Converter

Use this tons to cubic yards calculator to convert a material's weight into volume, based on its density. Suppliers price and weigh material by the ton, but you plan hauling, spreading, and stockpile space by the cubic yard. Enter the tonnage and the material's density in pounds per cubic foot to get results in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters. It works for any bulk aggregate, soil, or paving material, as long as you know (or can look up) the material's approximate density.

How to use this calculator.

1. Enter the weight. Input the total tons of material you have or are ordering.
2. Enter the material density. Type the density in pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft³). Typical values: asphalt ≈145, crushed stone ≈150, gravel ≈105, sand ≈100, topsoil ≈90. Check with your supplier for an exact figure.
3. Click calculate. Cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters appear instantly.
4. Cross-check against your takeoff. Compare the converted volume against the area × depth math you used to plan the job before you commit to an order.

How do you calculate volume conversions from tons?

This calculator converts weight to volume in stages: it turns tons into pounds, divides by density to get cubic feet, then converts cubic feet into cubic yards and cubic meters.

Pounds = Tons × 2,000

Cubic Feet = Pounds ÷ Density (lb/ft³)

Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet ÷ 27

Cubic Meters = Cubic Feet ÷ 35.3147

Where:

• Tons: the weight of material, in US short tons (2,000 lb).
• Density: the weight per cubic foot of the specific material, in lb/ft³. This is the single biggest variable in the conversion — the wrong density produces the wrong volume even if the arithmetic is correct.
• Cubic Feet: the intermediate volume figure used to derive both cubic yards and cubic meters.

Example calculation.

Scenario: A yard is spreading 15 tons of gravel with a density of 105 lb/ft³, and needs to know how many cubic yards that covers to schedule loader passes.

1. Convert tons to pounds: 15 × 2,000 = 30,000 lb
2. Divide by density: 30,000 ÷ 105 = 285.71 cu ft
3. Convert to cubic yards: 285.71 ÷ 27 = 10.58 cu yd
4. Convert to cubic meters: 285.71 ÷ 35.3147 = 8.09 m³

Result: 15 tons of gravel at 105 lb/ft³ equals approximately 10.58 cubic yards (8.09 m³).

For comparison, the same 15 tons of denser crushed stone (150 lb/ft³) would only cover 30,000 ÷ 150 ÷ 27 = 7.41 cubic yards — a reminder that tonnage alone doesn't tell you how much ground a load will cover until you factor in density.

Tips from the field.

• Get the real density, not a guess. Density ranges from around 90 lb/ft³ for loose topsoil to over 150 lb/ft³ for crushed stone or asphalt. A 20% error in density means a 20% error in your volume result.
• Account for moisture. Wet material weighs more, so the same tonnage converts to fewer cubic yards. If your density figure is for dry material, expect the actual delivered volume to run a little short on wet days.
• Ask for the weigh ticket. Reputable suppliers provide a scale ticket showing loaded and empty truck weights, confirming the actual tonnage delivered and letting you back-calculate the real density if you already know the volume.
• Run the numbers before the truck arrives. If a delivery is quoted by cubic yardage, convert it to tons (or vice versa) ahead of time so a shortfall doesn't stall the crew mid-shift.
• Keep a density cheat sheet on hand. Densities shift with gradation and source quarry, but rough figures — sand ≈100 lb/ft³, gravel ≈105–120 lb/ft³, crushed stone ≈150 lb/ft³ — are close enough for planning purposes and can save a call to the supplier.

Disclaimer: Density values are industry averages and vary by source, gradation, moisture content, and compaction. Always confirm the actual density with your material supplier. PavementCalculator.com assumes no liability for estimation errors.