How Much #57 Stone Under a 12x12 Deck?
A 12 by 12 foot deck covers 144 square feet. At 3 inches of #57 stone, plan on 1.33 cubic yards, or about 1.8 tons, which answers how much #57 stone under a 12x12 deck.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math
- Area: 144.0 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
- Cubic yards: 144.0 × 0.250 ÷ 27 = 1.33 yd³.
- Tons: × about 1.35 tons per yard = 1.8 tons.
The crushed stone calculator does this for any size.
Related: How Much Pea Gravel Under a 12x12 Deck?
#57 stone needed by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | Tons of #57 stone | Tons +10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.89 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| 3 in | 1.33 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| 4 in | 1.78 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| 6 in | 2.67 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
Building the deck base
Under a deck, stone is a weed and moisture barrier rather than a structural layer. Slope the soil away from the house, lay fabric and spread 2 to 3 inches of washed stone that drains quickly.
Related: How Much #57 Stone Under a 12x20 Deck?
Prep
Remove sod and roots, level the area and slope it slightly for drainage. Install edging so the stone stays inside the footprint.
Ordering and delivery
If you haul it yourself, a typical half-ton pickup should carry only about half a cubic yard of stone, well under what the bed looks like it can hold. #57 is a washed stone of roughly 1/2 to 1 inch with few fines; it drains fast but stays a little loose on its own. The scale ticket is the real weight; tons per yard here is a planning figure.
Common mistakes
People often forget that compaction reduces volume, so they come up short. Others order clean, round stone where a packable crushed stone with fines would have stayed put. Finally, dumping the whole load in one pile far from the work area adds hours of wheelbarrow trips.
Measuring the area
Use a long tape and measure each side twice. If the ground slopes, measure depth at the high and low ends and average them. Irregular outlines can be broken into simple rectangles, triangles and circles; add the pieces for the total square footage before converting to tons.
Questions people ask
How many tons of #57 stone under a 12x12 deck?
About 1.8 tons at 3 inches deep.
How many yards of #57 stone under a 12x12 deck?
About 1.33 cubic yards.
How many tons of #57 stone are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.35 tons for planning, but suppliers vary with stone size and moisture.
Do I need to compact it?
Yes for anything that carries weight. Compact in lifts of a few inches with a plate compactor.
Related guides
- Gravel Under a Deck: Weeds, Drainage, and Depth
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- Crushed Stone vs Gravel: Differences and Best Uses
- Geotextile Fabric for Driveways: Woven vs Nonwoven and How Much You Need
- Compacting a Driveway Gravel Base in Lifts
- How Much Gravel Under a 12x12 Deck?
- How Much Crushed Stone Under a 12x12 Deck?
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