Material Calculator:
Estimate Tons & Cubic Yards
Calculate how much dirt, gravel, road base, sand, topsoil, asphalt millings, or aggregate material your project may need. Fast, free, and built for San Antonio & Central Texas contractors.
Calculate Your Material
Your Estimate
Estimated truckloads vary by material, moisture, site access, and legal weight limits.
Need help confirming your material quantity?
How to Calculate Material
Follow these six steps to estimate how much material your project needs.
The Formulas
What Is Material Density?
Material density is how much a cubic yard of material weighs. Heavier materials like road base and gravel usually weigh more per cubic yard than mulch or topsoil. The same volume of different materials can weigh very different amounts — this is why the material type matters when converting cubic yards to tons.
Moisture content, compaction, rock size, gradation, and material source all affect the actual weight of a load. The values in this calculator are industry-standard estimates and should be used for planning purposes. Always confirm quantities with your supplier or call O'Leary Development Group before placing a large order.
Material Density Reference Chart
| Material | Approx. Tons per Cubic Yard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fill Dirt | 1.15 | Varies with clay content & moisture |
| Topsoil | 1.10 | Lighter due to organic matter |
| Sand | 1.30 | Higher when wet |
| Gravel | 1.40 | Varies by gradation and rock type |
| Road Base | 1.50 | Dense compactable aggregate |
| Asphalt Millings | 1.35 | Recycled asphalt, varies by condition |
| Landscape Rock | 1.40 | Varies widely by rock size |
| Mulch | 0.40 | Very light; moisture adds weight |
Disclaimer: These are estimates. Actual material weights vary by moisture, compaction, gradation, and supplier source. Contact us to confirm values for your specific project.
Ordering Tips
Follow these tips to avoid running short or over-ordering on your project.
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Order slightly more than your exact calculation. A small overage is cheaper than a second delivery. Five to ten percent extra is standard practice on most projects.
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Account for compaction. Granular materials like road base and gravel compact when driven over or tamped. You may need more material than your raw calculation suggests.
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Uneven ground takes more material. Low spots and depressions require extra fill before you can achieve a uniform depth across the entire area.
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Site access affects delivery method. Narrow driveways, soft ground, or overhead obstructions may limit which truck types can access your site. Call us to discuss delivery options before ordering.
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Call to confirm material amount before delivery. Our dispatch team can review your project details and help confirm the right quantity, material type, and truck configuration for your site.
Need Help Confirming Your Material Quantity?
O'Leary Development Group serves San Antonio, New Braunfels, Schertz, Seguin, and surrounding Central Texas communities. Our dispatch team can verify your quantity, recommend the right material grade, and schedule delivery for your project.
Material Calculator for San Antonio & Central Texas
This free material calculator helps homeowners, contractors, builders, landscapers, and site prep specialists estimate how much fill dirt, gravel, road base, sand, topsoil, asphalt millings, or aggregate material a project requires. Whether you're grading a residential lot, building a commercial pad, or topping off a driveway, knowing your cubic yard and tonnage requirements before you call helps speed up the quoting process.
O'Leary Development Group provides bulk material delivery throughout the San Antonio metro area and Central Texas, including New Braunfels, Seguin, Schertz, Converse, Universal City, Kyle, Buda, and surrounding communities. Our fleet includes tandem, tri-axle, quad, quint, end dump, and belly dump trucks to match the right equipment to your site.
Our cubic yard calculator and tons calculator use industry-standard density values for common construction and landscaping materials. The gravel calculator, fill dirt calculator, and road base calculator results include a 10% waste factor to account for compaction, spillage, and uneven ground — giving you a realistic order quantity rather than a bare minimum.
For aggregate calculator needs, custom material density values, or questions about material delivery in San Antonio and Central Texas, call our dispatch team or submit a quote request online. We offer same-day quotes for most standard material orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply length × width × depth (all in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. If your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first to convert to feet. For example: a 50 ft × 30 ft area at 6 inches deep is 50 × 30 × 0.5 = 750 cubic feet, or 750 ÷ 27 = 27.8 cubic yards.
Multiply your cubic yard total by the material's density (tons per cubic yard). For example, gravel has a density of approximately 1.40 tons per cubic yard. 27.8 cubic yards × 1.40 = 38.9 tons. Use the calculator above for instant results.
A cubic yard of gravel weighs approximately 1.40 tons (2,800 lbs), though this varies depending on the gravel type, gradation, and moisture content. Pea gravel, crushed limestone, and #57 stone may differ slightly. When in doubt, ask your supplier for the weight per yard for the specific material you're ordering.
Density changes based on moisture content, particle size, gradation, and compaction. Wet sand weighs significantly more than dry sand. Freshly screened topsoil weighs less than compacted clay-heavy fill dirt. The values in this calculator are industry-standard estimates — your actual material may weigh slightly more or less.
Yes. We recommend ordering 5–10% more than your calculated quantity to account for compaction, spillage, uneven ground, and measurement variations. This calculator automatically adds a 10% waste factor to the "Recommended Order Amount" result. It's always less expensive to order slightly more than to pay for a second delivery.
Absolutely. Our dispatch team is available to review your project details and confirm material quantities, grades, and delivery logistics. Call us at 210-983-8005 or submit a quote request online. We serve San Antonio and all of Central Texas.
It depends on the truck type and legal weight limits. Common capacities: Tandem axle: ~14 tons; Tri-axle: ~16 tons; Quad axle: ~18 tons; Quint axle: ~20 tons; End dump or belly dump: ~24 tons. Actual loads vary by material density, moisture content, site access, and highway weight restrictions. Our dispatch team will match the right truck to your material and site conditions.
