Gravel Calculator

How do you calculate gravel in cubic yards and tons?

Multiply net area by compacted depth to get volume, keeping units consistent. A 600 ft² driveway at 4 in is 600 × 0.333 = about 200 ft³; divide by 27 for 7.41 yd³. Weight is volume × bulk density. Using the calculator's crushed-stone planning density of 1,600 kg/m³ (about 100 lb/ft³), that volume weighs roughly 20,000 lb or 10 US short tons before waste. Supplier scale tickets are more accurate because quarry source, grading, moisture, and compaction change bulk density.

Volume and weight answer different ordering questions. Cubic yards describe the space the aggregate occupies; tons describe mass. A landscape yard may quote pea gravel by the yard while a quarry quotes #57 stone, crusher run, or road base by the ton. Keep short tons (2,000 lb) separate from metric tonnes (1,000 kg, about 2,205 lb), and never convert between yards and tons without a stated density.

What depth of gravel do you need for a driveway or path?

A decorative path may use a 2–3 in surface layer, while a residential driveway commonly starts with a deeper compacted base and a separate surface course. The correct section depends on soil support, drainage, frost, vehicle loading, aggregate grading, and local practice. FHWA describes granular base as the load-bearing layer below pavement and notes that base materials are commonly spread in 6–8 in lifts before compaction on larger pavement work [3]. That is construction guidance, not a universal driveway prescription.

Calculate each layer separately when the design uses different materials. Four inches of compactable road base plus 2 inches of decorative gravel is not one 6-inch layer with one density. Run the base area and depth with its density, then run the surface course separately. ASTM D2940 covers quality-controlled graded aggregate for highway and airport bases and emphasizes spreading and compaction on prepared grade [1]; a local supplier or designer should specify the residential product.

What is the difference between gravel, crushed stone, and road base?

Natural gravel usually has rounded particles; crushed stone has angular fractured faces; road base or crusher run blends coarse particles with fines so the layer can knit together under compaction. Pea gravel drains and feels comfortable on paths but moves under tires. Clean #57 stone is a common washed or open-graded product name, yet gradations vary by region. Ask for the supplier's sieve specification and intended use instead of relying only on a nickname.

USGS reports that 1.5 billion metric tons of crushed stone were produced in the United States in 2024 and that about 72% was used as construction aggregate, mostly for roads [2]. The scale explains why aggregate is sold through local quarries with local names. Material type changes density and performance, not the geometric volume required to fill a measured space.

How much extra gravel should you order for compaction?

Enter the finished compacted depth, then use an allowance that reflects how the supplier quotes loose material. Five percent may cover a clean, contained area with reliable dimensions; 10–15% may be appropriate for irregular excavation, low spots, edge loss, and uncertain subgrade. Do not blindly add a generic compaction percentage if the supplier has already converted your compacted target to loose tons.

Prepare and verify the subgrade before delivery. Soft pockets and ruts can consume much more aggregate than a normal waste factor. Geotextile, drainage, edging, excavation, and unsuitable-soil replacement are separate design decisions and are not included. For load-bearing work, follow the project specification and compact in suitable lifts rather than placing the full depth at once.

How much gravel is needed for an irregular 750 square foot driveway?

Treat a 60 ft × 12 ft drive as 720 ft² and add a triangular flare 10 ft wide by 6 ft long: 10 × 6 ÷ 2 = 30 ft², for 750 ft² total. At a 4 in compacted depth, 750 × 0.333 = 250 ft³ = 9.26 yd³. At 100 lb/ft³, the estimate is 25,000 lb = 12.5 short tons. Add 10% for grade variation and handling: 10.19 yd³ or 13.75 tons. Ask the quarry whether to round to 14 tons and whether its product density changes the conversion.

If the quarry quotes 1.45 tons per cubic yard instead of the planning value of about 1.35, then 10.19 yd³ converts to 14.78 tons. The geometry did not change; the density input improved. Confirm truck payload, split-load fees, minimum charges, access width, overhead clearance, and a stable dump location. A large order may require several trucks.

For two layers, repeat the calculation at each depth. A 6 in base over 750 ft² equals 13.89 yd³ before allowance; a 2 in surface layer equals 4.63 yd³. Do not average densities when products are sold separately. Record material, compacted depth, allowance, density, and rounded order for each delivery.

How many cubic yards of gravel cover 100 square feet?

Weight uses the calculator's crushed-stone planning density; confirm actual tons per yard with the supplier.

How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?

Planning values used by this calculator, not quarry certifications. Moisture and gradation change bulk density.

Which gravel should you use for each project?

Work these out first

• driveway or path areaSquare Footage Calculator

What to do with this result

• concrete poured over the gravel baseConcrete Slab Calculator
• tonnage and delivery pricingMaterial Cost Calculator

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