How Much Road Base for a 30x30 Parking Pad?
A 30 by 30 foot parking pad is 900 square feet. How much road base for a 30x30 parking pad depends on depth: at 4 inches it is about 11.11 cubic yards or 16.7 tons. Suppliers usually sell by the ton, so the tonnage is the number to give them.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 30x30 parking pad
- Area: 30 × 30 = 900 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
- Cubic feet: 900 × 0.333 = 300.0 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 11.11 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.5 = 16.7 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 | 11.11 | 16.7 | 18.3 |
| 6 in | 16.67 | 25.0 | 27.5 |
| 8 in | 22.22 | 33.3 | 36.7 |
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. Weight per yard is a planning number; the scale ticket at the yard is the real one.
Preparing the parking pad
Dig out organic soil, compact the subgrade and set an edge so the stone does not migrate onto the lawn. A pad that holds parked weight for long periods benefits from a dense base under the surface stone. For parked vehicles, the depths in the table above are a reasonable starting range.
Ordering tips
- Round up. Compaction and uneven ground eat material. Adding about 10 percent is common.
- Delivery size. 18.3 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 parking pad as firm ground allows.
Where road base fits
Good uses:
- 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 14x28 area at 2 inches takes about 3.6 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
Where estimates go wrong
- Using inches as if they were feet. Depth has to be divided by 12 before you multiply; skipping that step inflates the order twelvefold.
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
- Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
- 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 30x30 parking pad?
About 16.7 tons at 4 inches deep, or 18.3 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 30x30 parking pad at 4 inches?
About 11.11 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 parking pad?
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 30x30?
900 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 30x20 Parking Pad?
- How Much Road Base for a 30x24 Parking Pad?
As an Amazon Associate, AsphaltTons.com earns from qualifying purchases. Product links below are sponsored.