How Much Road Base for a 12x80 Driveway?
How much road base for a 12x80 driveway is a quick volume problem. 960 square feet at 4 inches comes to 11.85 cubic yards. Road base usually weighs about 1.4 to 1.65 compacted tons per cubic yard, so plan on roughly 17.8 tons.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 12x80 driveway
- Area: 12 × 80 = 960 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
- Cubic feet: 960 × 0.333 = 320.0 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 11.85 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.5 = 17.8 tons.
The volume and tonnage calculator does this for any size.
Road base needed by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | Tons (approx.) | Tons +10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in | 11.85 | 17.8 | 19.6 |
| 6 in | 17.78 | 26.7 | 29.3 |
| 8 in | 23.70 | 35.6 | 39.1 |
About road base
Road base is meant to be compacted at close to the right moisture. Dry base rock does not lock up well; a light spray of water before rolling helps. Ask your supplier for their own tons-per-yard figure, since stone source and moisture shift it.
Preparing the driveway
Strip sod and soft topsoil, grade for drainage and compact the subgrade before any stone goes down. Gravel drives last longer with a compacted base layer under the top stone and a slight crown so water runs off. Since the driveway carries car and truck traffic, a little extra depth is cheap insurance.
Ordering tips
- Round up. Compaction and uneven ground eat material. Adding about 10 percent is common.
- Delivery size. 19.6 tons may take more than one typical dump truck load; small loads may carry a delivery fee. See how many tons of gravel in a dump truck.
- Bulk vs bags. At this size bulk delivery is usually the practical choice.
- Where it drops. Have the truck dump as close to the driveway as firm ground allows.
When to choose road base
Best suited to:
- Base under asphalt and concrete
- Gravel roads and drives
- Equipment and shed pads
Less suited to:
- Drainage layers
- Decorative surfaces
- Surfaces that will stay uncompacted
Quick reference numbers
- Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.46 tons of road base (0.31 cubic yards).
- Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.6 tons.
- Another size for comparison: a 20x25 area at 3 inches takes about 6.9 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
Common estimating mistakes
- Ignoring the base. A thin surface layer over soft soil fails early no matter how much material is on top.
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
- Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
Questions people ask
How many tons of road base for a 12x80 driveway?
About 17.8 tons at 4 inches deep, or 19.6 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 12x80 driveway at 4 inches?
About 11.85 cubic yards.
How much does a cubic yard of road base weigh?
Usually around 1.4 to 1.65 compacted tons, depending on stone size, fines and moisture.
How deep should road base be for a driveway?
The table above shows 4 to 8 inches. Shallower depths suit top dressing; deeper depths suit new installs and heavier use.
How many square feet is 12x80?
960 square feet.
Related guides
- Crushed Stone vs Gravel: Differences and Best Uses
- Tons to Cubic Yards for Gravel: Conversion Chart
- How Many Tons of Gravel in a Dump Truck? Loads and Coverage
- How Much Does a Ton of Gravel Cover? Depth Chart
- How Much Road Base for a 12x70 Driveway?
- How Much Road Base for a 12x75 Driveway?
As an Amazon Associate, AsphaltTons.com earns from qualifying purchases. Product links below are sponsored.