How Much Does a Cubic Metre of Gravel Weigh?

Understanding Gravel Weight Per Cubic Metre

Gravel is one of the heaviest landscape materials you'll work with, and knowing its weight is essential for delivery planning and safe trailer loading. Standard blue metal gravel weighs approximately 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre. This makes gravel significantly heavier than mulch and noticeably heavier than most soils, which affects both handling and transport considerations.

The calculator above shows that one cubic metre of blue metal gravel comes to approximately 1.5 tonnes (1,500 kilograms). This weight density means that what might look like a manageable pile actually requires serious equipment to move.

Weight Variations by Gravel Type

Different gravel products have varying densities based on their source rock and processing. Blue metal, crushed from basalt, typically weighs 1.4 to 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre. Crusher dust is slightly heavier at around 1.5 to 1.7 tonnes because the fine particles pack more densely. Decorative pebbles vary widely from 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes depending on the stone type, with river pebbles generally lighter than quarried aggregate.

Trailer Capacity Limits

Understanding gravel weight is critical if you're planning to collect material yourself. A standard 6x4 box trailer rated at 750kg can safely carry only about half a cubic metre of gravel. A tandem trailer rated at 2 tonnes handles just over one cubic metre. These limits mean that DIY collection of even moderate gravel quantities requires multiple trips. For quantities over one cubic metre, bulk delivery is almost always more practical and often more economical when you factor in your time and fuel.

Planning a specific gravel project? Use our main gravel calculator to enter your area dimensions and get volume and weight figures.