How Much Does a Yard of Pea Gravel Weigh?

Use about 2,600 pounds per cubic yard of pea gravel—1.3 US tons—as an initial planning estimate. That matches the approximate conversion published by WAYS Materials for its pea gravel. It is not a guaranteed load weight: the supplier’s product and moisture condition control the actual number.

Here, a “yard” means a cubic yard, or 27 cubic feet. All tons below are US short tons of 2,000 pounds, not metric tonnes.

Pea-gravel weights vary by supplier

Published product figures illustrate why there is no single exact answer:

• Gravelshop’s 3/8-inch brown pea gravel calculator lists 2,410 lb per cubic yard, about 1.21 US tons.
• River Road Landscape Supply’s washed 3/8-inch pea gravel lists approximately 2,700 lb per cubic yard, or 1.35 US tons.

These examples put the products at roughly 2,400–2,700 lb per yard. Treat that as a comparison of supplier estimates, not a universal minimum and maximum.

Water adds weight too; WAYS specifically notes that wet material weighs more. Do not assume “washed” means dry, or apply an arbitrary wet-weight percentage when a load is close to the vehicle’s limit.

Convert pea gravel from yards to pounds or tons

Using the 2,600 lb/yd³ planning figure:

Pea-gravel volume	Estimated weight	US short tons
¼ cubic yard	650 lb	0.325
½ cubic yard	1,300 lb	0.65
1 cubic yard	2,600 lb	1.3
2 cubic yards	5,200 lb	2.6

For a supplier-specific calculation:

Weight in pounds = cubic yards × supplier’s pounds per cubic yard

US tons = weight in pounds ÷ 2,000

At the planning figure, one ton occupies approximately 0.77 cubic yard: 2,000 ÷ 2,600. A ton and a yard are not interchangeable order quantities.

For a rectangular area, calculate volume first:

Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324

For example, a 12 × 10 ft area with a specified 3-inch layer needs 1.11 cubic yards, before any project allowance. At 2,600 lb per yard, that is approximately 2,890 lb, or 1.44 US tons. The 3-inch depth is an example, not a recommended depth for every application.

Check payload before picking it up

A bed that has room for one yard does not necessarily have capacity for its weight. Even half a yard is about 1,300 lb at the planning figure, before people, tools or other cargo.

Use the actual vehicle’s payload label and owner’s manual. Ford’s payload guidance explains that payload includes passengers and cargo; added equipment reduces the available allowance, and trailer tongue weight also counts when towing. Stay within the applicable vehicle, axle and tire limits—not just the bed’s volume.

Before loading, ask the yard for the pounds per cubic yard of its current pea gravel and whether the quantity is measured by volume or weighed. If the estimate leaves little payload margin, use a weighed smaller load or arrange delivery rather than treating 2,600 lb as an exact maximum.

For other aggregate products, use the separate general gravel-weight guide; a crushed-stone conversion should not automatically replace the pea-gravel supplier’s figure.