Gravel weighs about 1.4 US tons (2,800 lb) per cubic yard and 104 lb per cubic foot, so a 0.5 ft³ retail bag comes in near 50 lb. A full cubic yard equals roughly 56 bags.
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What Gravel Weighs — Per Yard, Per Foot, Per Bag
Gravel is bought by weight but planned by volume, so at some point every project needs the exchange rate. For common 3/4-inch gravel it’s 1.4 US tons per cubic yard — 2,800 lb. Scale that down and the everyday numbers fall out: about 104 lb per cubic foot, roughly 50 lb in a 0.5 ft³ retail bag, and around 70 lb in a heaped 5-gallon bucket. Enter any amount above in any unit and this converter returns all the others.
The reason a single “gravel weight” number doesn’t exist is gradation. True gravel is rounded stone with air between the pieces, and how much air depends on the mix of sizes. Uniform pea gravel traps more void space and weighs less per yard; a blend of sizes lets small stones nest between big ones and weighs more.
How Much Does a Yard of Each Gravel Type Weigh?
| Material | Tons per yd³ | lb per yd³ | lb per ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 1.35 | 2,700 | 100 |
| Gravel (3/4 in) | 1.40 | 2,800 | 104 |
| #57 crushed stone | 1.45 | 2,900 | 107 |
| River rock | 1.50 | 3,000 | 111 |
| Crushed stone | 1.50 | 3,000 | 111 |
| Crusher run | 1.55 | 3,100 | 115 |
| Lava rock | 0.65 | 1,300 | 48 |
The spread between pea gravel and crusher run looks small — 1.35 vs 1.55 — but on a 15-yard driveway order it’s a full three tons of difference. Always convert with the density of the material you’re actually buying, and treat lava rock as its own universe: at less than half the weight of everything else, it’s the one material where a “yard” feels light in the truck.
Weight-Smart Ordering and Hauling
- Payload beats bed size. A half-ton pickup’s rating covers about 1,000–1,500 lb — half a yard of gravel, even though the bed could physically hold double. Springs sagging to the bump stops is the roadside tell of this mistake.
- Trailers have the same trap. A common 5 × 8 single-axle trailer rated at 2,000 lb gross carries barely half a yard once you subtract the trailer’s own weight.
- Delivery scales are honest; volume estimates aren’t. Bulk gravel crosses a certified scale, so a “10-ton” delivery is 10 tons. A “7-yard” loader estimate can vary by half a yard either way — order by weight when precision matters.
- A tandem dump truck maxes near 13–15 tons. That’s 9–10 yards of gravel per trip; bigger orders mean multiple loads and a dump zone you can reuse.
To turn a measured area into a gravel order rather than convert an amount you already know, use the gravel calculator. If you’re deciding between bagged and bulk purchasing, the gravel bags calculator finds the crossover for your quantity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
About 2,800 lb — 1.4 US tons — for common 3/4-inch gravel. Pea gravel is slightly lighter at 2,700 lb per yard, while washed river rock reaches 3,000 lb because the rounded stones pack tighter.
How much does a 5-gallon bucket of gravel weigh?
A 5-gallon bucket holds about 0.67 cubic feet, which is roughly 70 lb of gravel. It is a handy field unit: three buckets make about 2 cubic feet, and forty buckets approximate a cubic yard.
Does gravel weight change when it rains?
Less than you might expect — clean washed gravel drains almost immediately and only holds 1–2% surface moisture. Gravel with fines or crusher dust can hold noticeably more water, which is one reason quoted densities vary between quarries.
How much gravel can my truck or trailer carry?
Check the payload rating, not the bed size: a half-ton pickup should carry about 1,000–1,500 lb (roughly half a yard), and a 3,500-lb-rated single-axle trailer just over a yard. Overloading on weight is the most common gravel-hauling mistake.