Material Calculators
Material calculators are the bread and butter of cubic yard calculator. Pick a material, the calculator pre-sets the right density and compaction factor, and you get the cubic yards, tons, and truck loads for your project.
Density chart (all 13 materials)
| Material | lb / yd³ | tons / yd³ | Compaction | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---| | Mulch | 800 | 0.4 | ×1.0 | Landscape beds, no compaction | | Compost (alt: limestone) | 1,000 | 0.5 | ×1.0 | Soil amendment | | Fill dirt | 2,000 | 1.0 | ×1.25 | Building grade, hole fill | | Topsoil | 2,160 | 1.08 | ×1.10 | Lawn and bed prep | | Sand | 2,700 | 1.35 | ×1.15 | Paver base, sandbox, pool base | | Limestone | 2,700 | 1.35 | ×1.25 | Driveway base, slab base | | Stone (decorative) | 2,700 | 1.35 | ×1.0 | Landscaping, drainage | | Pea gravel | 2,800 | 1.4 | ×1.0 | Dog runs, walkways | | Gravel (#57 crushed) | 2,835 | 1.42 | ×1.25 | Driveways, base | | Crushed #57 stone | 2,900 | 1.45 | ×1.25 | Structural base | | Rip rap | 2,900 | 1.45 | ×1.0 | Erosion control | | Asphalt | 3,240 | 1.62 | ×1.25 | Driveways, patches | | Concrete | 4,050 | 2.025 | ×1.0 | Slabs, footings, posts |
Densities are typical US mid-range values, last reviewed August 2026. Compaction factors are the right starting point for residential work; adjust up for heavily compacted applications or down for decorative.
How to choose a material
- Mulch for landscape beds (no compaction needed)
- Topsoil for lawns and garden beds (10% compaction)
- Fill dirt for raising grade or filling holes (25% compaction)
- Sand for paver base, sandbox, pool base (15% compaction)
- Gravel (crushed #57) for driveways and base under slabs (25% compaction)
- Limestone (#53) as an alternative driveway base (25% compaction)
- Decorative stone or pea gravel for landscaping, dog runs, walkways (no compaction)
- Concrete for slabs, footings, post holes
- Asphalt for driveways and patches
Calculator defaults
Each material calculator pre-sets the right defaults:
- Density: loaded automatically from the material data
- Compaction factor: starts at the material's typical compaction
- Shape: defaults to rectangle
- Depth placeholder: "4 in" for soil/sand/mulch, varies for stone/asphalt/concrete
You can override any of these with the "More options" disclosure.