How to Use This Density Chart
Bulk material density connects volume takeoffs to hauling weight. If a trench, driveway base, or backfill zone is measured in cubic meters or cubic yards, density gives you the estimated tonnes or tons that trucks and suppliers normally plan around. The same idea powers the m3 to tonnes calculator and the gravel weight calculator.
The values below are drawn from the calculator material datasets so the guide does not introduce a second set of defaults. They are planning densities, not laboratory test results or supplier guarantees.
Construction Material Density Reference
Base density means dry, loose material unless the note says otherwise. Damp and compacted columns apply the same calculator multipliers used for conversion planning: damp material adds about 10%, and compacted material adds about 15% density per unit volume. Wet material uses about a 15% adjustment in the converter when a saturated estimate is more appropriate.
| Material | Dry loose density | Damp estimate | Compacted estimate | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 1.80 t/m³ 1.52 tons/yd³ | 1.98 t/m³ | 2.07 t/m³ | General clean gravel default for volume-to-weight conversion. |
| 20mm gravel | 1.80 t/m³ 1.52 tons/yd³ | 1.98 t/m³ | 2.07 t/m³ | Common aggregate calculator preset. |
| 40mm gravel | 1.85 t/m³ 1.56 tons/yd³ | 2.04 t/m³ | 2.13 t/m³ | Larger stone with more void space between pieces. |
| Pea gravel | 1.60 t/m³ 1.35 tons/yd³ | 1.76 t/m³ | 1.84 t/m³ | Rounded small drainage or bedding aggregate. |
| Crushed stone | 1.60 t/m³ 1.35 tons/yd³ | 1.76 t/m³ | 1.84 t/m³ | Angular stone used for base, bedding, and drainage layers. |
| Road base | 2.00 t/m³ 1.69 tons/yd³ | 2.20 t/m³ | 2.30 t/m³ | Dense graded base material with fines that compact tightly. |
| Crusher run | 2.05 t/m³ 1.73 tons/yd³ | 2.25 t/m³ | 2.36 t/m³ | Crushed aggregate and fines; often denser than clean stone. |
| Drainage rock | 1.45 t/m³ 1.22 tons/yd³ | 1.59 t/m³ | 1.67 t/m³ | Open-graded rock with larger voids for water movement. |
| Recycled concrete | 1.45 t/m³ 1.22 tons/yd³ | 1.59 t/m³ | 1.67 t/m³ | RCA preset used by aggregate calculators. |
| Sand | 1.50 t/m³ 1.26 tons/yd³ | 1.65 t/m³ | 1.72 t/m³ | Dry loose sand default for converter estimates. |
| Coarse sand | 1.60 t/m³ 1.35 tons/yd³ | 1.76 t/m³ | 1.84 t/m³ | Slightly heavier aggregate calculator sand preset. |
| Topsoil | 1.40 t/m³ 1.18 tons/yd³ | 1.54 t/m³ | 1.61 t/m³ | Soil default for stripping, import, and export estimates. |
| Clay | 1.80 t/m³ 1.52 tons/yd³ | 1.98 t/m³ | 2.07 t/m³ | Dense soil default; moisture can change actual weight sharply. |
| Loam | 1.30 t/m³ 1.10 tons/yd³ | 1.43 t/m³ | 1.49 t/m³ | Mixed soil default for general earthwork conversion. |
Loose Density vs Compacted Density
Loose density describes material as it is dumped, stockpiled, or loaded into a truck with air voids still between particles. This is the right state for most hauling estimates and for the first pass through a truckload estimator.
Compacted density describes the same material after mechanical placement removes some of those voids. A compacted base course can weigh more per cubic meter than a loose stockpile because the particles have been packed into a smaller volume. For trench restoration, the backfill calculator handles the extra order quantity needed to place loose material and compact it to the required finished volume.
Why Moisture Changes the Weight
Water fills voids and coats particles, increasing the weight of a measured volume. Damp sand, wet clay, and saturated road base can be noticeably heavier than dry material. That added weight matters most when trucks reach their payload limit before the bed is full.
The converter defaults use a simple moisture adjustment for planning. Real moisture content depends on rainfall, drainage, stockpile storage, fines content, and whether the material was measured before or after drying.
Why Density Ranges Vary
Two loads with the same material name can still weigh differently. Gradation, particle shape, fines content, source rock, organic content, contamination, and compaction effort all change density. Clean drainage rock has larger voids than dense road base. Crusher run and road base include fines that fill gaps, so they often produce higher compacted densities than open-graded stone.
Soil labels are even broader. Topsoil can contain roots and organic matter, loam is a blend of sand, silt, and clay, and clay weight changes significantly with moisture. Treat calculator defaults as consistent estimating assumptions, then use project test results, supplier data sheets, or weighbridge tickets when the exact weight controls the job.
From Volume to Truckloads
To estimate hauling, convert the measured volume to weight, then compare that weight with the truck payload and bed volume. The gravel truckloads calculator is useful for aggregate deliveries where you know the area, depth, material density, and truck size. For excavation spoil, use the loose volume and check both volume and payload limits with the dump truck load calculator.
For backfill and base layers, compacted volume is usually the finished requirement, while ordered material may arrive loose. This is why density, moisture, compaction factor, and truck payload should be considered together instead of as separate one-line assumptions.
Calculator Handoff
Start with the m3 to tonnes calculator when you already know the material volume and need a consistent weight estimate from the same density defaults shown here. Use the gravel truckloads calculator when you want that weight carried forward into delivery or hauling load counts.