How much gravel can a dump trailer carry?
Weight sets the limit, not bed size. Gravel runs about 2,700 lb per cubic yard, so our 7x14 dump trailer (9,820-lb payload) carries about 3.6 yards, or 4.9 tons. The 6x12 (6,800 lb) carries about 2.5 yards, or 3.4 tons. That fills each bed only about halfway, and a full 7x14 needs a truck rated to tow 14,000 lb.
Key takeaways
- Gravel, sand and stone weigh about 2,700 lb per cubic yard.
- 7x14: about 3.6 yd³ or 4.9 tons per load, about 12 inches deep in the bed.
- 6x12: about 2.5 yd³ or 3.4 tons per load, about 11 inches deep.
- A level-full 7x14 of gravel would weigh about 19,400 lb, nearly double its payload.
- Order by the ton, and tell the loader your payload before the first bucket.
Why does weight limit a gravel load, not bed size?
Because gravel is so dense that a full bed would weigh about twice what the trailer is built to carry.
| Trailer | Level-full volume | That much gravel would weigh | Rated payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7x14 (Big Tex 14LP-14) | 7.17 yd³ | ~19,400 lb | 9,820 lb |
| 6x12 (Sure-Trac 10K LP) | 4.44 yd³ | ~12,000 lb | 6,800 lb |
Overloading puts more weight on the tires, axles, hitch and brakes than they're rated for. Never go over the trailer's GVWR or any axle's rating. A half-full bed of stone looks wrong, but it's correct. The same goes for topsoil, sand, brick and broken concrete. Any material near or above 1,400 lb per yard (9,820 ÷ 7.17) will hit the 7x14's weight limit before the bed is full.
How much gravel do I need for my project?
Square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 gives cubic yards. Multiply by about 1.35 to get tons.
The 1.35 comes from 2,700 lb per yard ÷ 2,000 lb per ton. Then divide by what each trailer carries to count trips.
| Example job | Yards | Tons | 7x14 trips | 6x12 trips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway patch, 10×20 ft at 4 in | ~2.5 | ~3.3 | 1 | 1 |
| Shed pad, 12×16 ft at 6 in | ~3.6 | ~4.8 | 1 | 2 |
| Patio base, 300 sq ft at 6 in | ~5.6 | ~7.5 | 2 | 3 |
| Path, 3×60 ft at 3 in | ~1.7 | ~2.3 | 1 | 1 |
Loose stone compacts once it's tamped, so ask your supplier how much extra to order for your material and depth. Our patio guide walks through a full base, spoils and pavers job.
Check your load before you hitch up
Pick the material and amount. We'll show the weight, the fill line and how many loads it takes.
Open the load calculatorHow many tons and yards fit per load?
About 4.9 tons in the 7x14 and 3.4 tons in the 6x12, whatever the stone size.
| Material (lb/yd³) | 7x14: yards / tons | 7x14 depth in bed | 6x12: yards / tons | 6x12 depth in bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel, crushed stone, sand (~2,700) | ~3.6 / 4.9 | ~12 in | ~2.5 / 3.4 | ~11 in |
| Topsoil (~2,100) | ~4.7 / 4.9 | ~16 in | ~3.2 / 3.4 | ~15 in |
Depth is the payload's volume spread flat over the bed: 168×83 inches on the 7x14, 144×72 inches on the 6x12. Wet sand and stone weigh more than dry, so stop a little short when material is soaked. Try your own numbers in the load calculator.
How do I get the supplier to load it right?
Order in tons, tell the loader your payload, and ask for the stone spread over the axles.
- Order by weight. Most quarries and stone yards sell by the ton. Ask for 4.5–4.9 tons in the 7x14 or 3–3.4 tons in the 6x12, not "fill it up."
- Ask how much each bucket holds. Loader buckets vary, and one extra bucket can put you over.
- Get a scale ticket if the yard has a scale. It's proof you're legal.
- Spread it out. Material piled at the rear lightens the tongue and invites sway. Material piled at the very front strains the hoist.
- Tarp it. Pea gravel and sand bounce out on the highway.
If you end up over the payload, don't raise the bed and don't drive off. Have the loader take material back out, or shovel it out. A manufacturer warns against raising an overloaded dump body. At home, use the spreader gate to lay stone in a strip: set both chains to the same length and pull forward slowly as the bed rises.
Splitting a big order into two trips costs far less than a blown tire or a bent axle. A 7x14 day is $165 ($174.90 with tax). Book the 7x14 or the 6x12. For a multi-load stone job, the weekend rate (any 2–3 days) is $279 ($295.74 with tax) on the 7x14 and $199 ($210.94 with tax) on the 6x12.
What truck do I need to tow a load of gravel?
For a full load, a truck rated for 14,000 lb (7x14) or about 9,900 lb (6x12), with a brake controller.
A full 7x14 weighs 4,180 lb empty plus 9,820 lb of stone, or 14,000 lb, and puts about 1,400–2,100 lb on the hitch. A 2026 Silverado 2500HD (14,500 lb gas, brake controller standard) covers it. A 2026 F-150 without weight distribution is rated for 5,000 lb and 500 lb of tongue weight. That leaves room for only about 1,900 lb of stone in the 6x12, around 0.7 yards. That's barely worth the trip.
Maryland requires brakes on trailers over 3,000 lb, plus brakes on all wheels and a 15-minute breakaway over 10,000 lb registered. Both our dump trailers have electric brakes. If you haul for a business, commercial use at 26,001 lb or more combined, with a trailer over 10,000 lb GVWR, needs a Class A CDL. See our CDL guide, and check your truck in the tow checker. Your vehicle's manufacturer ratings and manual always win.
Can I take leftover gravel or stone to the landfill?
Sometimes, but it's expensive and often refused, so order the right amount.
Howard's Alpha Ridge lists broken paving, stone and brick at $106/ton, but it doesn't accept large quantities of stone, brick, block, asphalt or concrete from commercial customers, and rental trailers count as commercial. Anne Arundel's Millersville site charges $200/ton for concrete. Carroll's Northern Landfill refuses concrete over 6 inches. The private Baltimore Recycling Center on Edison Highway takes loads from any county at $93/ton, with a 1-ton minimum.
Weighing the whole load costs the same per ton as a small pile, so leftover stone from a big order can cost more to dump than it did to buy. Measure twice and order once.
Landfill fees, hours and rules are set by each county or site and can change without notice. We don't control them; call the site before you go. Clean leftover stone is easy to give away. A neighbor's driveway or path will usually take it.
Questions
Is crushed stone heavier than pea gravel?
Both are close to 2,700 lb a yard for planning. Use your supplier's scale ticket for the real number.
Can I fill the trailer halfway and add mulch on top?
Only if the total stays under the payload. Mulch adds about 800 lb a yard, and the two will mix when you dump.
Does the hoist lift a full load of stone?
Yes, within the rated payload. Spread the load evenly and don't pile it all at the front.