Gravel calculator
Work out how much gravel to order for a driveway, path, patio base or drainage trench. Pick the stone, enter the size and depth, and get cubic yards, tons, bags and a material cost.
How this gravel calculator works
Gravel is measured by volume but usually sold by weight, so the calculator does it in two steps. First it multiplies the area by the depth to get cubic feet and divides by 27 to get cubic yards. Then it multiplies the yards by the weight of the stone you picked, in tons per cubic yard, to get the tonnage a quarry ticket will show.
The densities in the menu are planning numbers for loose, dry stone. Clean washed stone such as #57 has gaps between the pieces and weighs less per yard than crusher run, whose fines pack into those gaps. Wet stone weighs more, so a load that sat in the rain can scale heavier than this estimate. If your supplier quotes a different weight, choose Custom density and enter theirs.
Picking a depth
- Walkways and garden paths: 2–3 inches of pea gravel or small crushed stone over landscape fabric.
- New gravel driveway: 4–6 inches of larger base stone topped with 2–3 inches of finer surface stone. Run the calculator once per layer.
- Refreshing an existing drive: 1–2 inches of surface stone is usually enough to fill ruts and potholes.
- French drains and trenches: use the trench width as the width and the stone depth as the depth.
Add waste for uneven subgrade, spreading losses and compaction. 10% is a sensible default. Use 15–20% where the ground is soft or the stone will be rolled hard.
Related guides
How much a yard of gravel weighs · Driveway gravel sizes by layer · Limestone gravel driveways · Stone dust driveways · Cheapest driveway material · Asphalt vs gravel driveway. For stone under new asphalt, use the asphalt base calculator; for converting a quote between yards and tons, use the crushed stone and yards-to-tons converter.
Gravel calculator FAQ
How much gravel do I need for a 50 × 12 ft driveway?
At 4 inches deep that is about 7.4 cubic yards. In #57 stone at 1.40 tons per yard it comes to roughly 10.4 tons, or about 11.4 tons with 10% extra.
How many tons are in a yard of gravel?
Most gravel falls between about 1.3 and 1.55 tons per cubic yard when dry. Clean, round stone sits at the low end and crusher run with fines sits at the high end.
How many 50 lb bags of gravel make a ton?
Forty. A cubic yard at 1.4 tons is 2,800 lb, which is 56 bags. For more than about a yard, bulk delivery is usually far cheaper than bags.
Should I add extra for compaction?
Yes. Stone that is rolled or driven on settles. The waste setting covers this; use 10% for light use and 15–20% for a driveway base that will be compacted.
Is the cost estimate a delivered price?
No. It multiplies your price by the quantity. Delivery fees, short-load charges and tax are extra, so ask your yard for those separately.