How Much Does a Ton of Crushed Stone Cover?

How much does a ton of crushed stone cover? At a typical 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton of crushed stone is about 19 cubic feet. Spread 2 inches deep, it covers roughly 115 square feet. At 3 inches it covers about 75 square feet, and at 4 inches about 55 to 58 square feet. Dense-graded base that will be compacted covers less in the finished layer, so plan an extra 10 to 20 percent for compaction.

Volume and tonnage calculator →

Coverage chart

Depth	Coverage per ton (approx.)
1 in	about 230 sq ft
2 in	about 115 sq ft
3 in	about 77 sq ft
4 in	about 58 sq ft
6 in	about 38 sq ft
8 in	about 29 sq ft

These assume 2,800 pounds per cubic yard, loose. Heavier stone covers a little less, lighter stone a little more.

How to estimate tons

Measure the area in square feet.
Multiply by the depth in feet (inches divided by 12).
Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
Multiply by your supplier’s tons-per-yard factor.
Add 10 to 20 percent for compaction if it is base material.

Example: a 12x30-foot pad at 4 inches is 360 square feet x 0.333 = 120 cubic feet, or 4.4 cubic yards. At 1.4 tons per yard, that is about 6.2 tons, or about 7 tons with compaction allowance. The asphalt base calculator does this automatically.

Compaction matters

Dense-graded base like crusher run shrinks as it is compacted, often by 15 to 20 percent. A 5-inch loose layer may compact to about 4 inches. Clean stone settles less. Compact base in lifts of about 4 inches for the best results. See compacting gravel base in lifts.

Common project depths

Project	Typical depth
Walkway	2 to 4 in
Patio base	4 to 6 in
Shed pad	4 to 6 in
Driveway base	6 to 8 in, more on soft soil
Driveway topping	2 to 3 in

Comparing with gravel

Rounded gravel and crushed stone weigh about the same per yard, so coverage per ton is similar. See how much does a ton of gravel cover.

Buying by the ton

Quarries sell by the ton, and trucks have weight limits. A tandem dump truck often carries about 13 to 16 tons, enough for roughly 750 to 900 square feet at 4 inches before compaction. For driveways, see gravel base calculator for a driveway.

Bottom line

A ton of crushed stone covers about 115 square feet at 2 inches, 77 at 3 inches, and about 58 at 4 inches, based on 1.4 tons per yard. Add 10 to 20 percent for compaction with dense-graded base, and use your supplier’s weight factor for the best estimate.

Questions people ask

How many square feet does a ton of crushed stone cover?

About 115 square feet at 2 inches and 58 at 4 inches.

How many tons of crushed stone do I need for a driveway?

Multiply area by depth, divide by 27, then multiply by about 1.4 tons per yard.

Should I add extra for compaction?

Yes, about 10 to 20 percent for dense-graded base.

How deep should crushed stone be for a patio?

Usually 4 to 6 inches of compacted base.

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