Find out how much gravel you need for a driveway, path, patio base, drain or yard. Pick the type of stone, enter the size and depth, and this gravel calculator gives you tons, cubic yards and bags, with an allowance for compaction and the cost. This free online gravel calculator works on any phone or computer, with no sign-up or download.
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Gravel needed
— tons
Quick answer: tons of gravel ≈ length × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 × 100 ÷ 2,000. That is about 1.35 tons per cubic yard of crushed stone, and one ton covers about 80 sq ft at 3 in deep.
Tons = L × W × D (ft) × density (lb/cu ft) ÷ 2,000
A path 40 ft long and 4 ft wide, 3 in of crushed stone.
40 × 4 × 0.25 = 40 cu ft = 1.48 cu yd.
40 × 100 ÷ 2,000 = 2 tons; with 5% waste, 2.1 tons.
Quarries usually sell by the ton, landscape yards often by the yard. These are typical loose, dry weights; moisture and grading change them, so ask your supplier for theirs and enter it as a custom density for the most accurate order.
| Material | lb per cu ft | lb per cu yd | Tons per cu yd | Cu yd per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (#57, #67) | ≈ 100 | ≈ 2,700 | ≈ 1.35 | ≈ 0.74 |
| Crusher run / road base | ≈ 110 | ≈ 2,970 | ≈ 1.49 | ≈ 0.67 |
| Pea gravel | ≈ 100 | ≈ 2,700 | ≈ 1.35 | ≈ 0.74 |
| River rock | ≈ 95 | ≈ 2,565 | ≈ 1.28 | ≈ 0.78 |
| Decomposed granite | ≈ 100 | ≈ 2,700 | ≈ 1.35 | ≈ 0.74 |
| Gravel, general | ≈ 105 | ≈ 2,835 | ≈ 1.42 | ≈ 0.71 |
| Depth | 1 ton of crushed stone covers | 1 cu yd covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | ≈ 120 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | ≈ 80 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | ≈ 60 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | ≈ 40 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in | ≈ 20 sq ft | 27 sq ft |
| Gravel | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| #3 stone | ≈ 1½–2½ in | Driveway base layer, drainage |
| #57 stone | ≈ ½–1 in, clean | Driveways, drainage, under sheds, concrete base |
| #67 stone | ≈ ¼–¾ in, clean | Paths, drainage, base for pavers in some regions |
| #411 / #57 with dust | Mixed with stone dust | Driveway top layer that packs hard |
| Crusher run (road base, ABC, ¾ in minus) | ¾ in down to dust | Compacted base under pavers, slabs and driveways |
| Pea gravel | ≈ ⅛–⅜ in, round | Paths, play areas, dog runs (see the pea gravel calculator) |
| River rock | ¾ in to several inches, round | Decorative beds, dry creek beds |
| Decomposed granite | Fine, sandy | Natural-looking paths and patios |
A gravel driveway that lasts is built in layers, each compacted, on firm, well-drained ground. Depths vary with the soil and traffic; this is a common build for a home driveway.
| Layer | Typical material | Typical depth | Tons for 12 × 60 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | #3 stone or crusher run | 4–6 in | ≈ 12–20 |
| Middle | #57 stone | 3–4 in | ≈ 9–12 |
| Top | Crusher run, #411 or #57 | 2–3 in | ≈ 6–10 |
Work out each layer separately with the right material and add them to the project total, so the shopping list shows each product and its tonnage.
| Project | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Decorative bed | 2–3 in |
| Walking path | 3–4 in over a firm base |
| Base under pavers, walkway or patio | 4–6 in compacted |
| Base under pavers, driveway | 8–12 in compacted |
| Base under a concrete slab | About 4 in compacted |
| Shed pad | 4–6 in |
| New gravel driveway | 8–12 in in layers |
| Refreshing a driveway | 2–3 in |
The depths above are finished depths. Crushed base material arrives loose and packs down under a plate compactor or roller, so you need more loose stone than the finished volume. Clean stone like #57 compacts only a little; crusher run with fines compacts a lot.
| Material | Typical allowance |
|---|---|
| Clean stone (#57, #67), pea gravel, river rock | 0–10% |
| Crusher run, road base, decomposed granite | 15–25% |
Also: rectangular prism, bed, trench, room
V = L × W × H
L = length, W = width, H = height or depth.
Example: A driveway 60 ft long and 12 ft wide with a 4 in top layer: 60 × 12 × 0.333 = 240 cu ft = 8.9 cu yd, about 12 tons of crushed stone.
Also: square feet to cubic feet
V = A × d
A = area, d = depth or thickness.
Example: A 500 sq ft side yard covered 3 in deep: 500 × 0.25 = 125 cu ft = 4.63 cu yd, about 6.3 tons.
Also: round hole, post hole, tank, planter
V = π × r² × h
r = radius (half the diameter), h = height.
Example: A round fire-pit patio 12 ft across, 4 in deep: π × 6² × 0.333 = 37.7 cu ft = 1.4 cu yd, about 1.9 tons.
Also: ditch, berm, swale, trapezoidal prism
V = (a + b) ÷ 2 × h × L
a = top width, b = bottom width, h = depth, L = length.
Example: A drainage trench 12 in wide, 18 in deep and 50 ft long: 1 × 1.5 × 50 = 75 cu ft = 2.78 cu yd, about 3.75 tons before taking out the pipe.
Also: ramp, uneven depth, tapered bed
V = L × W × (h₁ + h₂) ÷ 2
L = length, W = width, h₁ and h₂ = depth at each end.
Example: Filling a low driveway section 40 × 10 ft from 6 in deep at one end to 3 in at the other: 40 × 10 × (0.5 + 0.25) ÷ 2 = 150 cu ft, about 8.25 tons of road base at 110 lb per cu ft.
Also: around a tree, donut bed, circle with a hole
V = π × (R² − r²) × d
R = outer radius, r = inner radius (the part left bare), d = depth.
Example: A gravel ring 2 ft wide around a 6 ft round fire pit (10 ft outside), 4 in deep: π × (5² − 3²) × 0.333 = 16.8 cu ft, about 0.84 tons.
A 12 × 16 ft patio needs 6 in of compacted crusher run: 12 × 16 × 0.5 = 96 cu ft. Add 15% for compaction: 110.4 cu ft = 4.09 cu yd. At 110 lb per cu ft, that is 6.1 tons. Then add the bedding layer with the sand calculator.
A 10 × 12 ft shed on 4 in of #57 stone: 10 × 12 × 0.333 = 40 cu ft = 1.48 cu yd = 2 tons. Make the pad a foot wider than the shed on every side (12 × 14 ft) and it is 56 cu ft, 2.8 tons.
Refreshing a 10 × 100 ft driveway with 2 in of crusher run: 10 × 100 × 0.167 = 167 cu ft. At 110 lb per cu ft, 9.2 tons, about one tri-axle dump truck load.
Ask for the scale weight. Gravel by the ton is weighed at the quarry, so you pay for what leaves the yard. Moisture adds weight; dry stone gives more volume per ton.
Truck sizes. Single-axle dump trucks often carry around 5–8 tons and tri-axles around 15–20 tons, depending on local weight limits. Plan the number of loads with your hauler.
Lifts. Place and compact crusher run in lifts of about 2–4 in for a firm base; one thick lift rarely compacts all the way through.
Fabric under base. Geotextile over soft subgrade keeps stone from pushing into the mud, saving stone and reducing ruts.
Multiply length × width in feet by the depth in inches ÷ 12 to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, and multiply cubic yards by about 1.35 (or cubic feet by 0.05) for tons of crushed stone. A 60 × 12 ft driveway at 4 in deep is 240 cu ft, 8.9 cu yd or about 12 tons.
Most gravel and crushed stone weighs about 1.3–1.5 tons per cubic yard (2,600–3,000 lb). Crusher run and road base with fines sits at the heavy end, and wet gravel is heavier than dry. The calculator lets you choose the type or enter your supplier’s figure.
A ton of crushed stone is about 20 cu ft. That covers about 120 sq ft at 2 in deep, 80 sq ft at 3 in, 60 sq ft at 4 in and 40 sq ft at 6 in.
A new gravel driveway is usually built in layers 8–12 in deep in total: a base of large stone or crusher run, a middle layer such as #57, and a 2–3 in top layer. Refreshing an existing driveway usually takes 2–3 in.
Angular crushed stone locks together and stays put. Common choices are crusher run (also called road base, ABC or ¾ in minus) for the base and top, and #57 stone for the middle or top. Round pea gravel and river rock roll under tires and are better for paths and beds.
Walkways and patios commonly use 4–6 in of compacted base under pavers, and driveways 8–12 in. Concrete slabs on grade usually sit on about 4 in of compacted gravel. Choose a compaction allowance in the calculator so you order enough loose stone.
Crushed base material packs down when you run a plate compactor over it, often losing 15–25% of its loose height. If you need 4 in after compaction, order enough loose stone to place about 5 in. The calculator adds the percentage you pick.
A 50 lb bag usually holds about 0.5 cu ft, so a cubic yard is roughly 54 bags. For more than about a yard, bulk gravel by the ton is almost always cheaper.
They are size grades. #57 is about ½–1 in clean stone, #67 is about ¼–¾ in, #3 is about 1½–2½ in and #411 is #57 mixed with stone dust. Names and grades vary by region, so describe your job to the quarry.
Yes. The CalcWall Gravel Calculator is completely free and works online in any browser, on a phone, tablet or computer. There is nothing to download and no account to create, and the math runs right in your browser, so results appear as you type.