Gravel Calculator
Measure your area, pick a depth, and this tool returns gravel volume in cubic yards plus weight in tons — the unit most suppliers quote by. It accounts for the 1.4–1.7 tons-per-yard density range of common crushed stone, so your driveway or French drain order lands right the first time.
Gravel required
| Cubic yards | |
| Cubic feet | |
| Cubic metres | |
| Metric tonnes | |
| Material cost | — |
Rounding: displayed to two decimals; the cost is computed from the unrounded tonnage, in whole cents.
Why gravel is estimated in tons, not yards
You measure a driveway with a tape, but a quarry weighs your order on a loader scale. Between those two facts sits the one conversion this calculator is built around: unit weight. A cubic yard of angular crushed stone tips the scale near 2,800 lb, a yard of rounded pea gravel noticeably less, and a moist bank-run mix noticeably more — so two identical-looking orders can differ by hundreds of pounds and dollars purely on material choice.
Unit weight also carries the hidden cost of moisture. Stone stockpiled outdoors after rain can weigh several percent more than the same stone dry, and because you pay by the ton, wet material is literally money evaporating from the pile. Ordering from volume with a stated density keeps the negotiation honest: you know what the geometry demands, the supplier knows what the truck weighs, and the delivery ticket reconciles the two.
How to use the gravel calculator
- Set the unit system. Feet-and-inches or metres-and-centimetres — the depth field switches between inches and centimetres, since gravel depth is almost never specified in whole feet.
- Measure the area. Length times width of the surface being covered. For an L-shaped drive, split it into rectangles, run each one through, and add the tonnages.
- Pick the depth for the job. Depth is the load-bearing decision: 2–3 in refreshes an existing drive, 4 in suits a new residential driveway base course, and drainage trenches often run 6 in or more.
- Choose the material. Crushed stone, pea gravel and sand-gravel mix carry different unit weights, which changes tonnage — and gravel is bought by the ton, not the yard, at most quarries.
- Add an extra allowance. 5% covers spreading loss and minor grade dips on prepared ground; rutted or unshaped sub-grade justifies more.
- Price it. Enter your quarry's per-ton rate to turn the tonnage straight into a materials budget, before delivery fees.
Key formulas
- Volume: V (ft³) = length × width × (depth in inches ÷ 12)
- With allowance: Vorder = V × (1 + extra%)
- Cubic yards: yd³ = ft³ ÷ 27
- Weight: tons = (ft³ × unit weight in lb/ft³) ÷ 2,000
Worked example
A 30 ft × 12 ft driveway topped with 3 in of crushed stone at 105 lb/ft³ and a 5% allowance: V = 30 × 12 × 0.25 = 90.00 ft³; with allowance, 94.50 ft³ = 3.50 yd³. Weight = 94.5 × 105 ÷ 2,000 = 4.96 tons. At $45 per ton the stone costs 4.9613 × 45 = $223.26. Feed the same inputs above and every line reproduces.
Material weight reference
| Material | lb/ft³ | lb/yd³ | tons/yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone / gravel | 105 | 2,835 | 1.42 |
| Pea gravel | 96 | 2,592 | 1.30 |
| Sand & gravel mix | 110 | 2,970 | 1.49 |
Typical placed values from supplier data; moisture and gradation move real-world weights either way. Your quarry's conversion governs the invoice.
Things to keep in mind
- Depth beats area for accuracy. Coverage falls off inversely with depth — an inch of optimism across a whole drive is a truckload.
- Geotextile under new drives. Fabric between soil and base stone stops the two mixing, which is the main way gravel drives "disappear" into mud over a couple of winters.
- Delivery minimums matter. Many suppliers charge a flat delivery fee and set a minimum load; two small orders often cost more than one slightly generous one.
- Crowning sheds water. Shape the surface with a slight centre crown as you spread — standing water, not traffic, is what breaks up a gravel surface fastest.
- Check aggregate size for the use. Drainage voids want clean open-graded stone; a driving surface wants fines that lock. "Gravel" on a price list covers both.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Typical crushed stone runs about 105 lb per cubic foot placed, which is 2,835 lb — roughly 1.42 short tons — per cubic yard. Pea gravel is lighter at around 1.30 tons per yard, while a bank-run sand-and-gravel mix approaches 1.49. Suppliers quote their own conversion because moisture and stone type shift the figure, so treat 1.4 t/yd³ as the planning number and the quarry ticket as the final one.
What depth of gravel does a driveway need?
A new residential gravel drive is normally built in courses: about 4 in of larger base stone, then 2–3 in of smaller surface gravel, compacted in lifts. A refresh of an existing drive usually needs only 2 in of surface material. Going thin on the base is the false economy — it is the base course, not the top dressing, that stops rutting under car wheels.
Should I order gravel by the yard or by the ton?
Most quarries sell by weight because a loader scale is more accurate than a heaped bucket. That is why this tool converts volume to tons using the material's unit weight: you measure the job in feet and inches, but you will phone the order in as tonnage. If your supplier does quote by the yard, use the cubic-yard figure directly and skip the density step.
How much area does one ton of gravel cover?
At a 2 in depth, one ton of typical crushed stone covers roughly 115 square feet; at 3 in, about 76; at 4 in, near 57. The relationship is inverse — double the depth, halve the coverage — which is why depth deserves more attention than area when the estimate looks larger than expected.
Do I need to compact gravel, and does it change the quantity?
Yes on both counts. Compaction locks angular stone together and is what makes a drive hold shape, but it also reduces placed volume by several percent as particles seat. The extra-allowance field exists partly for this: the 5% default absorbs normal compaction and spreading loss, while thick multi-lift construction over soft ground merits 10% or more.
What is the difference between crushed stone and pea gravel for drainage?
Crushed stone is angular, interlocks, and stays put — the right choice under slabs, in driveways, and around French-drain pipe where you want structure. Pea gravel is rounded and migrates underfoot, which makes it comfortable for paths and decorative beds but poor as a structural base. For drainage voids both work hydraulically; for anything bearing load, angular wins.
Last updated: 24 July 2026