How Much Crushed Stone for a 10x10 Patio?

A 10 by 10 foot patio is 100 square feet. How much crushed stone for a 10x10 patio depends on depth: at 3 inches it is about 0.93 cubic yards or 1.3 tons. Suppliers usually sell by the ton, so the tonnage is the number to give them.

Volume and tonnage calculator →

The math for a 10x10 patio

Area: 10 × 10 = 100 sq ft.
Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
Cubic feet: 100 × 0.250 = 25.0 cu ft.
Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 0.93 yd³.
Tons: × 1.4 = 1.3 tons.

The volume and tonnage calculator does this for any size.

Crushed stone needed by depth

Depth	Cubic yards	Tons (approx.)	Tons +10%
2 in	0.62	0.9	1.0
3 in	0.93	1.3	1.4
4 in	1.23	1.7	1.9
6 in	1.85	2.6	2.9

About crushed stone

Crushed stone has fractured faces, so the pieces interlock when compacted. That is why it holds a driveway or pad shape better than round stone of the same size. If the yard sells by the cubic yard instead of the ton, use the cubic-yard column directly.

Preparing the patio

Remove sod, level the area with a slight slope away from the house, and lay landscape fabric if weeds are a concern. Edging keeps loose material inside the patio footprint. This patio sees foot traffic and furniture, 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. 1.4 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 about 1.3 tons this job is small enough that bagged material could work; a 0.5 cubic foot bag holds about 1/54 of a yard, so compare the bag count with a bulk minimum.
Where it drops. Have the truck dump as close to the patio as firm ground allows.

Good and poor uses for crushed stone

Best suited to:

Driveway top courses and parking pads
Shed and hot tub bases
Backfill behind walls when a clean size is used

Poor fit for:

Barefoot areas, since angular stone is rough
Play areas
Places that need a smooth rolling surface for wheels

Quick reference numbers

Per inch over 100 sq ft: about 0.43 tons of crushed stone (0.31 cubic yards).
Per inch over 1,000 sq ft: about 4.3 tons.
Another size for comparison: a 8x16 area at 3 inches takes about 1.7 tons.
Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Where estimates go wrong

Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
Assuming every supplier uses the same weight. Two yards selling the same product name can quote different tons per yard.
Skipping drainage. Water sitting under any surface softens the base and leads to ruts and potholes.
Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.

Questions people ask

How many tons of crushed stone for a 10x10 patio?

About 1.3 tons at 3 inches deep, or 1.4 tons with 10 percent extra.

How many cubic yards is a 10x10 patio at 3 inches?

About 0.93 cubic yards.

How much does a cubic yard of crushed stone weigh?

Usually around 1.35 to 1.5 tons, depending on stone size, fines and moisture.

How deep should crushed stone be for a patio?

The table above shows 2 to 6 inches. Shallower depths suit top dressing; deeper depths suit new installs and heavier use.

How many square feet is 10x10?

100 square feet.

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