Tons of Road Base per Mile of 20 ft Road
Tons of road base per mile of 20 foot road: about 2,933 tons at 6 inches deep. The strip is 20 ft × 5,280 ft = 105,600 square feet. Shoulders, pullouts and turnarounds add to the total; measure them separately.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Tons by depth
| Depth | Tons | Truckloads (~14 t) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in | 1,467 | 105 |
| 4 in | 1,956 | 140 |
| 6 in | 2,933 | 210 |
| 8 in | 3,911 | 280 |
The math
- Area: 20 × 5,280 = 105,600 sq ft.
- Volume at 6 in: 105,600 × 0.500 = 52,800 cu ft (1,956 cubic yards).
- × 1.5 tons per yard = 2,933 tons.
Building a road this width
At 20 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.
Where road base fits
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.
Common estimating mistakes
- Using inches as if they were feet. Depth has to be divided by 12 before you multiply; skipping that step inflates the order twelvefold.
- Forgetting that compaction shrinks loose material. A loose 4-inch spread of a dense-graded stone may finish closer to 3 inches after rolling.
- Ordering exactly the math. Uneven ground and spillage nearly always need a little more than the flat calculation.
- Measuring only the main rectangle. Aprons, turnouts and curved edges add real square footage.
Questions people ask
How many tons of road base per mile of 20 ft road?
About 2,933 tons at 6 inches.
How many truckloads is that?
About 210 loads at roughly 14 tons each.
How many square feet is mile of 20 ft road?
105,600 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 18 ft Road
- Tons of Road Base per 100 Feet of 18 ft Road
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