Gravel Tonnage Calculator
Gravel is priced and delivered by the ton, but most people measure a driveway or path in square feet. Enter your area and depth to get both cubic yards and tons, for five common gravel types.
Measure straight across the widest point.
Adjust depth below if needed.
Covers spillage and compaction. 5–10% is normal.
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Bags or bulk delivery?
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Coverage & weight
Material profile
A standard 2-car driveway base, 20×24 ft at 4″ deep, needs about 8 tons of crushed stone (5.93 cubic yards) using a typical 2,700 lb/yd³ density — actual tonnage scales directly with your area and depth.
Gravel needed for common project sizes
Cubic yards and tons for typical driveway, path, patio and drainage projects at their standard depths. All rows use crushed stone (2,700 lb/yd³) except the drainage bed, which uses clean drainage gravel (2,500 lb/yd³).
| Project | Depth | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden path, 3×20 ft | 2″ | 0.37 | 0.50 |
| Driveway topping, 10×20 ft | 2″ | 1.23 | 1.67 |
| Double driveway base, 20×24 ft | 4″ | 5.93 | 8.00 |
| Patio base, 12×16 ft | 4″ | 2.37 | 3.20 |
| Drainage bed, 30×2 ft | 3″ | 0.56 | 0.69 |
| Long rural driveway base, 100×12 ft | 4″ | 14.81 | 20.00 |
Gravel types, density and best use
| Type | Weight per yd³ | Best for | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone / crusher run | 2,700 lb | Driveway & paver base | Moderate |
| Pea gravel | 2,700 lb | Paths, playgrounds, patios | Good |
| Road base (Type 1 / MOT) | 2,900 lb | Driveway sub-base | Low |
| River rock | 2,700 lb | Borders, drainage beds | Good |
| Clean drainage gravel | 2,500 lb | French drains, leach fields | Excellent |
Figures are for dry material. Wet or freshly delivered material can weigh noticeably more.
How to calculate gravel you need
- Measure your area. Multiply length × width for rectangles, or use the circle/triangle option for other shapes, to get square feet.
- Set your depth. Pick a preset — 4″ for driveway base, 2″ for topping or paths, 3″ for drainage beds — or enter a custom depth.
- Choose your gravel type. Crusher run and road base compact well for structural bases; pea gravel and river rock suit paths and decorative beds; clean drainage gravel suits French drains.
- Calculate cubic yards and tons. Convert depth to feet, multiply by area, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by the material’s density and divide by 2,000 for tons.
- Add waste and confirm the order. Add 10% for compaction and spillage, then round to your supplier’s minimum ton or bag count.
Worked example
A 50×10 ft driveway section (500 sq ft), 4″ deep, filled with crushed stone / crusher run at 2,700 lb/yd³, with a 10% waste allowance.
- Area50 × 10 = 500 sq ft
- Depth in feet4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft
- Raw volume500 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 6.17 cubic yards
- MaterialCrushed stone / crusher run, 2,700 lb/yd³
- Weight6.17 × 2,700 ÷ 2,000 = 8.33 tons
- With 10% waste8.33 × 1.10 = 9.17 tons (6.79 cubic yards)
- Estimated cost9.17 tons × $45 + $75 delivery ≈ $488
Recommended depth by project
| Project | Recommended depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Project type | Depth | Notes |
| Driveway base (new construction) | 4″–6″ | Compact in 2″ lifts over geotextile fabric on soft subgrade. |
| Driveway topping / resurface | 1″–2″ | Thin refresh layer over an already-compacted base. |
| Walkway or garden path | 2″ | Enough for foot traffic over a compacted subgrade. |
| Patio or paver base | 4″ | Matches the compacted base most paver manufacturers specify. |
| Drainage bed | 3″–4″ | Use clean, no-fines drainage gravel here, not crusher run. |
Bags or bulk delivery?
A 0.5 cu ft bag covers a 3×3 ft area at 2″ deep, so bags are realistic for small patch jobs but not for a full driveway or patio base. Once a project needs more than about 1–1.5 tons, bulk delivery is almost always cheaper per ton and saves dozens of bag trips.
- Small patch or edging (under 0.5 tons)Bags are practical — expect 20–25 bags of 0.5 cu ft gravel.
- Medium path or small patio (0.5–2 tons)Compare bagged cost to a bulk minimum load; bulk usually wins above 1 ton.
- Driveway or large patio (2+ tons)Always order bulk by the ton — a dump-and-spread delivery beats hundreds of bags.
Common mistakes
- Ordering loose volume instead of compacted depthA 4″ compacted base needs more than 4″ of loose gravel dumped and spread — order the finished depth, not the loose pile depth.
- Using the wrong material for the layerCrusher run and road base compact into a solid structural base; pea gravel and river rock stay loose and shift under vehicle weight.
- Skipping the waste allowanceGravel spilled during spreading, uneven subgrade, and compaction settling routinely eat 10% or more of the raw volume.
- Confusing cubic yards with tonsGravel yards sell and deliver by the ton, not the yard, and density varies by material — always convert before calling for a quote.
- Guessing depth instead of checking project standardsA patio base and a driveway base look similar but need different depths — check the load and drainage requirements before ordering.
- Not verifying supplier densityDensities vary by quarry and moisture content; a supplier’s actual tons-per-yard figure can be 10%+ off generic averages.
What this calculator assumes
Adjust your result if your project differs from these.
- Densities are averages for dry, settled aggregate — actual quarry densities vary by source.
- Depth is measured as the finished, compacted layer thickness, not the loose dumped depth.
- Area is treated as a flat, uniform-depth surface with no slope correction.
- 10% waste covers spreading loss and normal compaction settling.
- Bag estimates assume 0.5 cu ft bags; check the actual size at your store.
- Pricing assumes one delivered load; multiple smaller loads typically cost more per ton.
Common questions
How many tons of gravel do I need per square foot?
At 4″ deep with crusher run (2,700 lb/yd³), figure about 0.017 tons per square foot — multiply your area by that factor for a rough estimate.
How much does a ton of gravel cover?
One ton of crusher run at 4″ deep covers about 60 sq ft. The same ton spreads over 120 sq ft at 2″ deep.
What's the difference between gravel and crushed stone?
‘Gravel’ often refers to naturally rounded stone like pea gravel or river rock, while ‘crushed stone’ (crusher run) is mechanically crushed and angular, which locks together for a stable base.
How deep should a gravel driveway base be?
4″–6″ of compacted crusher run or road base is standard for passenger vehicles; heavier trucks or poor soil may need 8″ or more.
Do I need to compact the gravel?
Yes, for any structural base — driveways, patios, paver bases. Compacting in 2″ lifts prevents rutting and settling later.
Can I use the same gravel for base and topping?
You can, but many driveways use crusher run for the compacted base and a smoother material like pea gravel or a finer crusher run for the visible top layer.
How much extra should I order for waste?
10% is a standard allowance for spreading loss, compaction settling, and uneven subgrade — order more for irregular or sloped areas.
Why does my supplier quote a different tons-per-yard number?
Density varies by quarry, moisture content and stone type — always ask your specific supplier’s conversion factor for large orders.
Is it cheaper to buy gravel by the ton or by the bag?
By the ton, once you need more than about 1–1.5 tons. Bagged gravel typically costs 2–3x more per ton than a bulk delivery.
What gravel is best for drainage?
Clean, no-fines gravel like 3/4″–1.5″ drainage stone drains best — crusher run and road base contain fines that reduce drainage.
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Project
| Shape | — |
| Dimensions | — |
| Depth | — |
| Area | — |
| Material | — |
| Waste allowance | — |
Volume & weight (incl. waste)
| Cubic yards | — |
| Cubic feet | — |
| Weight | — |
| Tons (rounded up) | — |
Shopping list
| Bulk order | — |
| Bagged alternative (0.5 cu ft) | — |
| Estimated cost | — |
Notes
Estimate generated by materialcalculate.com. Assumes uniform depth and standard dry material densities. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.