How Much Road Base for a 16x20 Shed Base?
How much road base for a 16x20 shed base is a quick volume problem. 320 square feet at 4 inches comes to 3.95 cubic yards. Road base usually weighs about 1.4 to 1.65 compacted tons per cubic yard, so plan on roughly 5.9 tons.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 16x20 shed base
- Area: 16 × 20 = 320 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
- Cubic feet: 320 × 0.333 = 106.7 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 3.95 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.5 = 5.9 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 | 3.95 | 5.9 | 6.5 |
| 6 in | 5.93 | 8.9 | 9.8 |
| 8 in | 7.90 | 11.9 | 13.0 |
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. If the yard sells by the cubic yard instead of the ton, use the cubic-yard column directly.
Preparing the shed base
Level the footprint, extend the stone a foot or so beyond the shed walls for drip and drainage, and compact in lifts. A timber or block border holds the pad shape. This shed base sees a shed floor frame, so match the depth to that load rather than to the minimum.
Ordering tips
- Round up. Compaction and uneven ground eat material. Adding about 10 percent is common.
- Delivery size. 6.5 tons fits in a single 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 shed base as firm ground allows.
Good and poor uses for 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 15x30 area at 3 inches takes about 6.2 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
Common estimating mistakes
- Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
- 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.
- Ignoring the base. A thin surface layer over soft soil fails early no matter how much material is on top.
Questions people ask
How many tons of road base for a 16x20 shed base?
About 5.9 tons at 4 inches deep, or 6.5 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 16x20 shed base at 4 inches?
About 3.95 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 shed base?
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 16x20?
320 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 16x14 Shed Base?
- How Much Road Base for a 16x16 Shed Base?
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