Stone Dust Density
Stone dust weighs about 104 lbs per cubic foot loose — but that figure changes with compaction and moisture, and getting it wrong is what leaves you short on delivery day.
Quick Answer
Loose stone dust is about 104 lbs per cubic foot, or 1.4 tons per cubic yard (roughly 2,800 lbs per yard). Compacted in place it rises to around 125–135 lbs per cubic foot.
Stone dust — also sold as screenings, crusher dust, quarry dust or stone screenings depending on where you are — is the fine material left over when rock is crushed. Because the particles are small and angular, it packs far tighter than clean stone, and that single property drives everything about how you order it.
Stone Dust Density Chart
| State | Lbs per ft³ | Lbs per yd³ | Tons per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loose / as delivered | ≈ 104 | ≈ 2,800 | 1.40 |
| Compacted in place | ≈ 125–135 | ≈ 3,400–3,600 | 1.70–1.80 |
| Wet / saturated | ≈ 110–120 | ≈ 2,950–3,250 | 1.48–1.62 |
These are typical values. Actual density depends on the parent rock — dust crushed from granite or trap rock is heavier than dust from limestone — so a quarry in one region can be 10% off a quarry in another. Ask your supplier for their figure if you are ordering by the truckload.
Why Compacted Density Is the Number That Matters
Stone dust is bought loose and installed compacted. That gap is the single most common reason people run short. A plate compactor drives the fine particles into the voids between the larger ones, and the same material occupies roughly 30% less volume once it is properly compacted.
Order volume = Finished compacted volume × 1.30
Example: a 10 × 10 ft paver base, 1 inch deep
100 ft² × 0.083 ft = 8.3 ft³ = 0.31 yd³ finished
0.31 × 1.30 = 0.40 yd³ to order (about 0.56 tons)
Our stone compaction calculator applies this factor automatically, and the stone dust calculator converts your area straight into tons.
Converting Density to an Order
Suppliers price stone dust by the ton, so every project ends with the same conversion:
Cubic yards = (Length ft × Width ft × Depth ft) ÷ 27
Tons = Cubic yards × 1.40
Running that in reverse tells you what a ton covers: one ton of stone dust is about 0.71 cubic yards, or 19.3 cubic feet, which spreads to roughly 116 sq ft at 2 inches or 58 sq ft at 4 inches before compaction.
How It Compares to Other Aggregates
| Material | Tons per yd³ | Compaction allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Stone dust | 1.40 | +30% |
| Crushed stone | 1.50 | +25% |
| Gravel | 1.40 | +15% |
| Sand | 1.60 | +10% |
| Pea gravel | 1.35 | +5% |
Stone dust is not the heaviest aggregate by loose weight, but it has the largest gap between loose and compacted density — which is exactly why it makes such a good bedding and levelling layer, and why it is the material people most often under-order. For the difference between the terms, see stone dust vs crusher dust.
Sources
- Pavements and Pavement Design — U.S. Federal Highway Administration — federal guidance on aggregate base layers and compaction.
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association — industry reference for aggregate unit weights and yields.
Reviewed by the Stone Calculator editorial team · Last updated July 28, 2026