Tons of Road Base per Mile of 18 ft Road
Tons of road base per mile of 18 foot road: about 2,640 tons at 6 inches deep. The strip is 18 ft × 5,280 ft = 95,040 square feet. On a job this long, half an inch of extra depth adds a lot of tons.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Tons by depth
| Depth | Tons | Truckloads (~14 t) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in | 1,320 | 95 |
| 4 in | 1,760 | 126 |
| 6 in | 2,640 | 189 |
| 8 in | 3,520 | 252 |
The math
- Area: 18 × 5,280 = 95,040 sq ft.
- Volume at 6 in: 95,040 × 0.500 = 47,520 cu ft (1,760 cubic yards).
- × 1.5 tons per yard = 2,640 tons.
What goes into the section
At 18 feet wide, two cars can meet with care. 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. Crown the surface so water sheds to ditches on both sides.
Practical notes
- Phasing. Large tonnages are delivered over days; schedule spreading and compaction to keep up with trucks.
- Waste. Allow 5 to 10 percent.
- Hauling. Distance from the quarry or plant often costs as much as the material on long jobs; see asphalt hauling cost per ton.
Check other sizes with the volume and tonnage calculator.
When to choose road base
Best suited to:
- Base under asphalt and concrete
- Gravel roads and drives
- Equipment and shed pads
Less suited to:
- 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 8x16 area at 4 inches takes about 2.4 tons.
- Weight used here: about 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
Mistakes that throw off the order
- Using inches as if they were feet. Depth has to be divided by 12 before you multiply; skipping that step inflates the order twelvefold.
- Ignoring the base. A thin surface layer over soft soil fails early no matter how much material is on top.
- Mixing up cubic yards and tons. Yards are volume, tons are weight; convert with the product’s weight per yard.
- 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 per mile of 18 ft road?
About 2,640 tons at 6 inches.
How many truckloads is that?
About 189 loads at roughly 14 tons each.
How many square feet is mile of 18 ft road?
95,040 square feet.
Should I add extra for waste?
Yes, 5 to 10 percent is common.
Does this include the shoulders?
No. Measure shoulders and pullouts separately and add them.
Related guides
- How Many Tons of Gravel in a Dump Truck? Loads and Coverage
- Asphalt Hauling Cost Per Ton: What Drives the Delivered Price
- Crushed Stone vs Gravel: Differences and Best Uses
- Tons of Road Base per Mile of 16 ft Road
- Tons of Road Base per 100 Feet of 16 ft Road
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