How Much Road Base for a 18x80 Driveway?
How much road base for a 18x80 driveway is a quick volume problem. 1,440 square feet at 4 inches comes to 17.78 cubic yards. Road base usually weighs about 1.4 to 1.65 compacted tons per cubic yard, so plan on roughly 26.7 tons.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 18x80 driveway
- Area: 18 × 80 = 1,440 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
- Cubic feet: 1,440 × 0.333 = 480.0 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 17.78 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.5 = 26.7 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 | 17.78 | 26.7 | 29.3 |
| 6 in | 26.67 | 40.0 | 44.0 |
| 8 in | 35.56 | 53.3 | 58.7 |
About road base
Road base (also called base rock, ABC, or Class 2 base in different states) is a graded mix of stone and fines made to compact into a load-bearing layer. Weight per yard is a planning number; the scale ticket at the yard is the real one.
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. 29.3 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.
Where road base fits
Works well for:
- Base under asphalt and concrete
- Gravel roads and drives
- Equipment and shed pads
Poor fit for:
- 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 12x24 area at 4 inches takes about 5.3 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
Where estimates go wrong
- 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.
- Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
- Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
Questions people ask
How many tons of road base for a 18x80 driveway?
About 26.7 tons at 4 inches deep, or 29.3 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 18x80 driveway at 4 inches?
About 17.78 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 18x80?
1,440 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 18x70 Driveway?
- How Much Road Base for a 18x75 Driveway?
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