How Much Crushed Stone for a 12x18 Patio?
How much crushed stone for a 12x18 patio: at 3 inches deep you need about 2.00 cubic yards, which is roughly 2.8 tons at 1.4 tons per yard. The patio covers 216 square feet, so every inch of depth adds about 0.67 yards.
Volume and tonnage calculator →The math for a 12x18 patio
- Area: 12 × 18 = 216 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
- Cubic feet: 216 × 0.250 = 54.0 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: ÷ 27 = 2.00 yd³.
- Tons: × 1.4 = 2.8 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 | 1.33 | 1.9 | 2.1 |
| 3 in | 2.00 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
| 4 in | 2.67 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| 6 in | 4.00 | 5.6 | 6.2 |
About crushed stone
Most quarries sell crushed stone by a size number or a screen size. Clean crushed stone drains well; stone with fines packs harder but sheds water more slowly. Ask your supplier for their own tons-per-yard figure, since stone source and moisture shift it.
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. For foot traffic and furniture, 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. 3.1 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 patio as firm ground allows.
Good and poor uses for crushed stone
Good uses:
- Driveway top courses and parking pads
- Shed and hot tub bases
- Backfill behind walls when a clean size is used
Less suited to:
- 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 12x24 area at 3 inches takes about 3.7 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
Mistakes that throw off the order
- Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
- 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.
- 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 crushed stone for a 12x18 patio?
About 2.8 tons at 3 inches deep, or 3.1 tons with 10 percent extra.
How many cubic yards is a 12x18 patio at 3 inches?
About 2.00 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 12x18?
216 square feet.
Related guides
- How Much Does a Ton of Crushed Stone Cover?
- 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 Crushed Stone for a 12x14 Patio?
- How Much Crushed Stone for a 12x16 Patio?
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