Enter your area's length, width, and depth to instantly calculate gravel or crushed stone volume in cubic yards, weight in tons, and total material cost estimate.
Free to use
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No sign-up required
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Industry-standard density factors
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Imperial & metric supported
✓ Tons and short tons output✓ Material type density selection✓ Works on any device✓ Last verified May 2026
Add 10% for standard rectangular areas. Add 15–20% for irregular shapes, slopes, or if material will be compacted.
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Leave blank to skip cost estimate. US average: $25–$75/ton depending on material and region.
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Your Gravel Estimate
Volume (with waste)
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Cubic Yards (yd³)
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Cubic Feet (ft³)
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Cubic Meters (m³)
Weight (with waste)
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Short Tons (US)
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Metric Tonnes
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Pounds (lb)
—Area (sq ft)
—Area (m²)
—Depth
—Waste Factor
Estimated Material Cost
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Material cost only. Add delivery ($75–$250 per load), spreading labor ($1–$3/sq ft), and edging or border materials for a full project budget. Use our Full Project Estimator for a complete breakdown.
Density factors: Crushed stone ≈ 1.40 t/yd³ | Pea gravel ≈ 1.35 t/yd³ | Granite ≈ 1.45 t/yd³
1 short ton = 2,000 lb | 1 metric tonne = 2,204.6 lb
How to Use This Gravel Calculator
Measure the area to be covered.
Use a tape measure to get the length and width of the area. For irregular shapes, break it into rectangles and run separate calculations, then add the results. Record measurements in whichever unit is easiest — the calculator converts for you.
Decide on the depth and select your material type.
Use the quick-select buttons to pick the most common depths (2, 3, 4, or 6 inches), or type a custom value. Then choose your material type from the dropdown — this drives the ton calculation since different stone types have different densities. If your supplier lists a specific density, select "Custom density" and enter it directly.
Set a waste factor and enter a price per ton.
The default 10% waste covers irregular edges, minor spills, and the fact that loose gravel compacts after delivery — you always need more than the raw math says. If you know your supplier's price per ton, enter it for an instant cost estimate.
Use the cubic yards figure to order — not cubic feet.
Gravel suppliers price and deliver by the ton or by the cubic yard. Give them the yd³ figure from this calculator and verify by also providing the ton estimate. Most quarries will reconcile both numbers for you. Never order by cubic feet — it's the most common ordering mistake with bulk materials.
⚠ Pro Tip: Gravel compacts 20–30% after delivery and spreading. That means a 3-inch loose gravel layer will settle to roughly 2.1–2.4 inches under traffic. If you need a finished depth of 4 inches, order for 5–5.5 inches. This is why experienced contractors routinely add 20–25% overage on base layer applications — the standard 10% waste factor is not enough for high-traffic driveways or structural base courses.
Gravel Volume & Weight Formula
The calculation converts your area dimensions to volume, then applies the selected material's density to get weight. Here's the process step by step:
Step
Formula
Example (20 × 10 ft, 3 in deep)
1. Convert depth to feet
inches ÷ 12
3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft
2. Volume in cubic feet
L × W × D
20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 ft³
3. Convert to cubic yards
ft³ ÷ 27
50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 yd³
4. Add waste factor (10%)
Volume × 1.10
1.85 × 1.10 = 2.04 yd³
5. Weight in short tons
yd³ × density (t/yd³)
2.04 × 1.40 = 2.85 tons
Common Gravel Area Reference Table
Cubic yards and tons for crushed stone (1.40 t/yd³) — no waste factor applied. Add 10% for ordering.
Area Size
Depth
Cubic Yards
Short Tons
Metric Tonnes
10 × 10 ft
2 in
0.62 yd³
0.86 t
0.78 t
10 × 10 ft
4 in
1.23 yd³
1.73 t
1.57 t
20 × 20 ft
3 in
3.70 yd³
5.19 t
4.71 t
20 × 20 ft
4 in
4.94 yd³
6.91 t
6.27 t
50 × 20 ft
4 in
12.35 yd³
17.28 t
15.68 t
100 × 20 ft
6 in
37.04 yd³
51.85 t
47.04 t
50 × 50 ft
6 in
46.30 yd³
64.81 t
58.80 t
100 × 100 ft
4 in
123.46 yd³
172.84 t
156.87 t
Density used: 1.40 t/yd³ (crushed stone). Pea gravel: multiply by 0.96; granite: multiply by 1.04.
What Depth of Gravel Do I Need?
Depth is the single biggest driver of how much material you'll need — and the most commonly under-specified variable. Too shallow and the surface won't perform; too deep and you've wasted money and weight. The table below reflects industry-standard recommendations for common applications.
Recommended gravel or crushed stone depth by application type.
Application
Recommended Depth
Best Material
Notes
Decorative garden path
2–3 inches
Pea gravel, river rock
Stable base required; edge restraints recommended
Mulch replacement (landscaping)
2–3 inches
Decorative stone, lava rock
Weed fabric underneath strongly recommended
Residential driveway (top layer)
4 inches
#57 crushed stone
Installed over compacted base layer
Residential driveway (base course)
6 inches
#21A or crusher run
Compacted; supports top layer and traffic loads
Parking area
6 inches
Crusher run / processed gravel
Compact in 3-in lifts for best stability
French drain / drainage trench
Fill to spec
#57 or clean stone
No fines — angular, washed stone only
Concrete sub-base
4–6 inches
#57 crushed stone
Compacted to 95% proctor before pouring
Railroad ballast / heavy loads
12+ inches
#3 or #4 stone
Engineer specification required
For driveways, always use two layers: a compacted base course (crusher run or #21A, 6 inches) and a top course (#57 stone, 4 inches). Skipping the base layer is the single most common reason gravel driveways rut, wash out, and require constant topping up within 2–3 seasons.
Common Mistakes When Estimating Gravel
⚠️
Ordering by cubic yards when the supplier quotes by the ton.
Most bulk stone suppliers quote and bill by the ton, not the cubic yard. If you only know your cubic yard number and call a supplier, ask them to convert — or give them both figures from this calculator. Ordering the wrong unit is how projects end up with half the material needed.
📉
Not accounting for compaction.
Gravel quoted and delivered is loose material. After spreading and compaction under foot or vehicle traffic, volume decreases 15–30% depending on stone type. For any base layer application, add a compaction factor on top of your standard waste factor — typically 20–25% total overage.
🪨
Choosing the wrong stone type for the application.
Rounded pea gravel looks great in a garden path but is a terrible driveway surface — it shifts under tires and never compacts. Angular crushed stone with fines (crusher run) locks together and compacts. Using the wrong product means continuous top-ups and frustration, regardless of how much you ordered.
📐
Measuring the wrong dimension as depth.
"3 inches of gravel" means 3 inches of final installed depth, not the depth of the hole you're filling. If you're filling a depression or excavated area, measure from subgrade to finished grade — not just the visible surface thickness. A 3-inch fill over a 4-inch excavation gives you 7 inches total depth to calculate.
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Ordering one load when you need two — and not planning access.
A standard dump truck carries 10–14 tons of gravel. Larger projects may need multiple deliveries. Plan the access route, gate widths, and where the loads will be dumped before you order. A dump truck that can't reach your site means hand-moving tons of stone by wheelbarrow — a serious miscalculation many homeowners make.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the driveway dimensions and depth. A typical residential driveway might be 12 feet wide by 50 feet long. At a 4-inch top layer depth, that's 12 × 50 × (4÷12) = 200 ft³ ÷ 27 = 7.4 yd³. At 1.40 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone, that's about 10.4 tons — plus 10% overage = 11.4 tons. For a full two-layer driveway (6-inch base + 4-inch top), double the top layer calculation for the base and use crusher run density (~1.45 t/yd³). Enter your specific dimensions in the calculator above for an exact figure.
Cubic yards measure volume — the space the gravel occupies. Tons measure weight. Gravel suppliers may price or quote in either unit. To convert between them, you need the material's density. Standard crushed stone weighs approximately 1.40 short tons per cubic yard (loose). So 5 cubic yards ≈ 7 tons. Pea gravel is slightly lighter at about 1.35 t/yd³; crushed granite is heavier at about 1.45 t/yd³. Always confirm the density with your specific supplier since quarry stone densities vary by source.
One ton of crushed stone (at 1.40 t/yd³) equals approximately 0.71 cubic yards or about 19.3 cubic feet. Spread at 3 inches deep, 1 ton covers roughly 77 square feet. Spread at 4 inches deep, it covers about 58 square feet. Spread at 2 inches deep, about 116 square feet. These figures are for loose material before compaction. Use this calculator for your specific dimensions — it's faster and more accurate than manual back-calculations from coverage rules of thumb.
For the base course (bottom 6 inches): crusher run, #21A, or processed gravel — angular stone with fines that compact into a solid mass. For the top course (surface layer): #57 crushed stone — clean, angular, 3/4-inch nominal size that drains well and locks together under traffic without being too loose. Avoid rounded river rock or pea gravel as a driveway surface — they never compact and will scatter under vehicle tires. Never use decorative stone on a driveway unless contained in a rigid border system.
For any load-bearing application — driveways, parking areas, sub-bases for concrete or asphalt — yes, compaction is essential. Use a plate compactor and compact in lifts no deeper than 3–4 inches at a time. For decorative or landscaping applications without vehicle traffic, compaction is optional but still reduces long-term settling and top-up frequency. Angular crushed stone with fines (crusher run) compacts well. Clean rounded stone compacts poorly and is better suited for drainage applications or decorative use.
Bulk gravel delivery by dump truck typically adds $75–$250 per load in the US, depending on haul distance and local market rates. A standard dump truck holds 10–14 tons. Some suppliers offer free delivery above a minimum order. For small quantities, landscaping suppliers may deliver by the cubic yard in smaller trucks for $50–$150. Always get delivery quotes separately from material quotes — the all-in delivered price per ton is what you should be comparing between suppliers, not just the stone price at the gate.
For decorative landscape beds: yes, geotextile fabric under gravel reduces weed growth and slows stone migration into soil. Use woven geotextile — the cheap spun-bond fabric breaks down quickly. For driveways and parking areas: no. Woven fabric under a driveway base can trap water and prevent drainage, weakening the base over time. For French drains: use geotextile sock around perforated pipe and optionally fabric around the drain trench to prevent fine soil migration into the aggregate.
For a circle: calculate the area using π × radius² (in square feet), then multiply by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. For example, a 10-foot diameter circle (5 ft radius) at 3 inches deep = 3.14 × 25 × 0.25 = 19.6 ft³ ÷ 27 = 0.73 yd³. For irregular shapes, break the area into multiple rectangles, calculate each separately using this calculator, and add the results. Always add 10–15% overage for irregular shapes since edges waste more material than a straight rectangle.
A well-installed gravel driveway with a proper base course lasts indefinitely as an infrastructure — but the surface stone needs periodic top-dressing every 5–10 years as stone migrates to edges or compacts down. The initial investment in a properly compacted two-layer system (base + top course) dramatically reduces ongoing maintenance. Poorly installed gravel driveways — thin stone over uncompacted clay, no edging, wrong stone type — need annual attention and never look or perform well.
#57 stone is a clean, washed, angular crushed stone approximately 3/4 inch in size with virtually no fines (dust or small particles). It drains freely, doesn't compact well, and is ideal for drainage applications, concrete sub-base, and top dressing driveways for appearance. Crusher run (also called processed gravel or #21A) is a blend of crushed stone and stone dust — it does contain fines. Those fines allow it to bind and compact into a hard surface, making it the correct choice for driveway base courses, parking areas, and anywhere you need structural load-bearing compacted fill.
