Weight per cubic yard
| Material | Pounds per yd³ | Tons per yd³ | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mulch (bark, dry) | 700–900 lb | 0.4 tons | Light enough for 2 yd³ in a half-ton pickup |
| Compost | 1,000–1,600 lb | 0.7 tons | Varies hugely with moisture |
| Topsoil (screened, dry) | 2,000–2,400 lb | 1.1 tons | Add 20% after rain |
| Topsoil (wet) | 2,600–3,000 lb | 1.4 tons | One yard exceeds a half-ton payload |
| Sand (dry) | 2,400–2,800 lb | 1.3 tons | |
| Gravel / crushed stonecommon | 2,600–3,000 lb | 1.4 tons | The most common driveway base |
| Fill dirt | 2,200–2,600 lb | 1.2 tons | |
| Asphalt (compacted) | 3,800–4,000 lb | 2.0 tons | 145 lb/ft³ standard hot mix |
| Concrete (ready-mix) | 3,900–4,100 lb | 2.0 tons | About 4,050 lb/yd³ |
| Reinforced concrete | 4,000–4,200 lb | 2.1 tons |
Moisture is the biggest variable. The same material can gain 15–25% in weight after heavy rain, which is why buying soil by the ton on a wet day costs you money.
What a vehicle can actually carry
| Vehicle | Typical payload | Soil / gravel | Mulch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-ton pickup (F-150 class)common | 1,500–2,000 lb | 0.5–1 yd³ | 2 yd³ |
| Three-quarter-ton pickup | 2,500–3,500 lb | 1–1.5 yd³ | 3 yd³ |
| One-ton dually | 4,000–6,000 lb | 2 yd³ | 4+ yd³ |
| Single-axle dump truck | 15,000–20,000 lb | 7–10 yd³ | Volume-limited |
| Tandem dump truck | 30,000–40,000 lb | 14–18 yd³ | Volume-limited |
Payload is what the vehicle can carry including passengers and equipment, not just the load. Overloading a half-ton pickup with soil is common, unsafe and will destroy the suspension.
Converting yards to tons
Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000. Some suppliers sell by volume and others by weight, and the same material can appear on two quotes in two different units.
Worked example: 5 cubic yards of gravel at 2,800 lb/yd³ is 14,000 lb, or 7 tons. If one yard quotes $40 per yard and another quotes $30 per ton, the first is $200 and the second is $210 — closer than it looks.
Ask which basis a quote uses before comparing. A price per ton on wet material is a price that includes water.
Practical consequences
- Volume is rarely the limit on a pickup — weight is. A truck bed holds around 2.5 cubic yards by volume, but one yard of wet topsoil already exceeds a half-ton payload.
- Never haul ready-mix concrete in a pickup. At 4,050 lb per yard, a single yard is roughly double a half-ton payload, and it sets while you drive.
- Delivery is charged per trip, not per yard. One full load nearly always beats two partial ones, so order the full amount at once.
- Check driveway access before ordering a tandem load. A fully loaded tandem weighs 25–30 tons and will crack a residential driveway, and many will not reverse down a long drive.
- Buy mulch by volume, never by weight. Wet mulch can weigh double dry mulch for identical coverage, so a per-ton price tells you nothing useful about how far it goes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 2,200 lb dry and up to 3,000 lb wet — roughly one to one and a half tons.
How many cubic yards fit in a pickup truck?
A half-ton pickup safely carries about one cubic yard of soil or gravel, or two of mulch. The bed holds more by volume, but you would exceed the payload rating.
How do I convert cubic yards to tons?
Multiply cubic yards by the material weight per yard, then divide by 2,000. Five yards of gravel at 2,800 lb/yd³ is 7 tons.
How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
About 4,050 lb, or just over two tons. That is why concrete is delivered by mixer truck rather than dropped in a pile.