Pick a material or enter your own bulk density. The calculator gives the weight of a volume and the volume of a weight.
Weight of the volume
t
In short tons
US tons
Volume of the weight
m³
In cubic yards
yd³
How to convert volume to weight
Weight equals volume times bulk density. Bulk density is the weight of one cubic metre of loose material, including the air between the grains:
m = V · ρbulk
V = m ÷ ρbulk
With m in tonnes, V in cubic metres and ρbulk in t/m³. Example: 10 m³ of gravel at 1.7 t/m³ weigh 17 t. A 25 t truckload of the same gravel is 25 ÷ 1.7 = 14.7 m³.
Typical bulk densities
Material
Bulk density (t/m³)
lb/ft³
Sand, dry
1.4 – 1.7
87 – 106
Sand, wet
1.8 – 2.0
112 – 125
Gravel
1.5 – 1.9
94 – 119
Crushed stone
1.4 – 1.6
87 – 100
Topsoil
1.1 – 1.4
69 – 87
Coal, bituminous
0.75 – 0.95
47 – 59
Iron ore
2.1 – 2.9
131 – 181
Cement, loose
1.1 – 1.4
69 – 87
Wheat
0.72 – 0.82
45 – 51
Wood chips
0.2 – 0.4
12 – 25
Wood pellets
0.6 – 0.7
37 – 44
Values are typical ranges for loose material. Moisture, grain size and compaction move them up or down.
Loose, compacted and in place
The same material has different densities depending on its state. Soil dug out of the ground swells by 20 to 30 % because air gets in. When it is compacted again, it shrinks below its loose volume. Excavation is usually measured in place (bank volume), deliveries in loose volume, and fills in compacted volume. Make sure your density matches the state you are measuring.
Unit conversions
1 m³ = 1.308 cubic yards
1 metric tonne = 1.102 short tons (US) = 0.984 long tons (UK)
1 t/m³ = 62.43 lb/ft³ = 1,686 lb/yd³
Questions and answers
How many tonnes is one cubic metre of sand?
Dry sand weighs about 1.5 to 1.7 tonnes per cubic metre. Wet sand is heavier, around 1.9 to 2.0 t/m³, because water fills the gaps between the grains.
What is the difference between bulk density and particle density?
Particle density is the density of the solid material itself, for example about 2.65 t/m³ for quartz. Bulk density includes the air between the particles, so it is always lower. For loading, storage and transport you need the bulk density.
Why does my delivery weigh more or less than calculated?
Bulk density changes with moisture, grain size and compaction. Material settles during transport and becomes denser. Use the calculator for planning and weigh real loads when the amount is billed by weight.
How do I convert cubic yards to tonnes?
One cubic yard is 0.7646 m³. Multiply the cubic yards by 0.7646 to get cubic metres, then by the bulk density in t/m³ to get metric tonnes.