Find the cubic yards, weight in tons, and bags needed for gravel, mulch, topsoil, sand, or limestone — enter the area and depth to get an instant material estimate.
Volume = length × width × (depth ÷ 12), converted from cubic feet to cubic yards by dividing by 27. Weight is estimated using an average density for the selected material.
Landscaping materials like gravel, mulch, topsoil, and sand are sold by volume (cubic yards) or weight (tons), so estimating how much to order starts with the area you're covering and how deep you need the layer to be.
For a 20 ft × 10 ft garden bed at 3 inches (0.25 ft) deep: 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cubic feet, which is about 1.85 cubic yards.
| Material | Approx. weight per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Gravel | ≈ 2,800–3,000 lb (1.4–1.5 tons) |
| Sand | ≈ 2,600–2,900 lb (1.3–1.45 tons) |
| Topsoil / dirt | ≈ 2,000–2,600 lb (1.0–1.3 tons) |
| Limestone (crushed) | ≈ 2,400–2,600 lb (1.2–1.3 tons) |
| Mulch | ≈ 400–800 lb (0.2–0.4 tons) |
These are averages — actual density varies with moisture content, particle size, and how tightly the material is compacted, so suppliers may quote slightly different figures.
| Material | Typical retail bag size |
|---|---|
| Mulch | 2 cubic feet |
| Topsoil | 0.75 cubic feet (≈40 lb) |
| Gravel, sand, limestone | 0.5 cubic feet (≈50 lb) |
A cubic yard (27 cubic feet) of mulch needs about 13–14 standard 2-cubic-foot bags. For gravel or sand at 0.5 cubic feet per bag, a cubic yard needs about 54 bags — which is why gravel and sand are usually ordered in bulk (by the yard or by the ton) rather than by the bag for larger projects.
Example 1 — Mulch bed: A 15 ft × 8 ft flower bed at 3 inches deep needs 15 × 8 × 0.25 = 30 ft³, or about 1.1 cubic yards — roughly 15 bags of 2-cubic-foot mulch, and weighing around 555 lbs total.
Example 2 — Gravel driveway topping: A 40 ft × 12 ft driveway at 2 inches deep needs 40 × 12 × 0.167 = 80 ft³, or about 2.96 cubic yards — around 4.4 tons of gravel.
Example 3 — Topsoil for a raised bed: A 6 ft × 4 ft raised bed filled 8 inches deep needs 6 × 4 × 0.667 = 16 ft³, or about 0.6 cubic yards — roughly 22 bags at 0.75 cubic feet each, weighing about 1,300 lbs.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel? About 0.67 cubic yards, since gravel weighs roughly 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
How much does 1 cubic yard of gravel weigh? About 2,800–3,000 lbs (roughly 1.4–1.5 tons), depending on the gravel type and packing.
How much does 1/2 yard of gravel weigh? About 1,400–1,500 lbs — half the weight of a full cubic yard.
How much does 1 yard of mulch weigh? About 400–800 lbs, averaging around 500 lbs (0.25 tons), since mulch is much lighter than gravel or soil.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard? About 13–14 standard 2-cubic-foot bags (27 ÷ 2 ≈ 13.5).
How many bags of mulch equal 3 yards? About 40–41 standard 2-cubic-foot bags (3 × 13.5 ≈ 40.5).
How many cubic yards is 1 ton of material? It depends on density — about 0.67 cubic yards for gravel or sand, around 0.9 cubic yards for topsoil, and closer to 4 cubic yards for lightweight mulch.
How much does a 2 cubic foot bag of mulch weigh? About 35–45 lbs, depending on the mulch type and moisture content.
A 25 ft × 10 ft gravel path at 2 inches (0.167 ft) deep needs 25 × 10 × 0.167 ≈ 41.7 cubic feet, or about 1.54 cubic yards — around 2.3 tons of gravel, before adding a waste margin.
Cubic yard: A standard volume unit (27 cubic feet) used for ordering bulk landscaping materials in the US.
Density: How much a material weighs per unit of volume — the main reason equal volumes of gravel and mulch weigh very differently.