From this site

One project, every trade

Each calculator adds its lines to a single estimate — consolidated BOM, schedule and cash-flow included.

Open My Project →

Recycled Aggregate Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator

Convert a recycled aggregate volume into short tons for ordering, haulage and storage planning.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Figures are presented for United States against IRC 2024, and every formula is cited under regulatory standards below.

Last verified 2026-08-26 · v1.0.0

Market
Imperial · sales tax

Approximate weight

13 short tons

High confidence

About 1.3 short tons per cubic yard for crushed recycled aggregate; slightly lighter than virgin stone. A planning figure, not a specification. Confirm the density with your supplier before ordering by weight.

Conversion factor applied
1.3 short tons per cu yd

Recycled aggregate is crushed demolition arisings graded for reuse as sub-base and fill, and it converts slightly lighter than virgin crushed stone because the crushed concrete and brick within it are less dense than natural rock. It is substantially cheaper and avoids both landfill and quarrying, which is why specifications increasingly permit or require it. The trade-off is variability: what goes into it depends on what was demolished, so consistency between loads is lower than with quarried material.

Add the equipment this sizes

This result is a specification — 13 short tons — not a quantity. Put the thing it sizes into your project: how many, what you call it, and your supplier’s price.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — confirmed fixes become pinned regression tests.

[Schema Verified] Computed in alignment with American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-19) formulas and International Residential Code (IRC 2024) spatial boundaries.

Regulatory standards & verification citations

  • Typical bulk density used here: approximately 1.3 short tons per cubic yard
  • Density varies with moisture, grading and composition — the supplier's ticket weight governs

Your workspace

Most jobs need more than one number. Add the calculators you need next and they open right here, underneath this one — your figures stay on screen and nothing is lost to a page change.

Frequently asked questions

Is recycled aggregate as good as virgin stone?
For many sub-base and fill applications, yes, and specifications increasingly permit it. It is more variable, so grading and contaminant limits matter more than they do with quarried material.
What is actually in it?
Crushed concrete, brick and sometimes asphalt from demolition, screened and graded. The proportions vary with what was demolished, which is the main source of its variability between loads.
Why is it cheaper?
Because the raw material is a waste stream someone was paying to dispose of. Using it avoids both landfill and quarrying, which is why it often carries an environmental credit as well as a price advantage.