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Gravel Calculator
Work out how much gravel, crushed stone or sand you need for a driveway, walkway, patio base or drainage trench. The calculator gives both cubic yards and tons, because quarries sell by weight and many yards sell by volume.
Results are estimates. Soil, stone and mulch settle, weigh differently and vary by supplier. Confirm quantities and local requirements before ordering.
How to calculate it
Start with the volume: length × width × depth, all in feet, then divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. To convert to weight, multiply cubic yards by the material's density in tons per cubic yard.
Formula: tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard.
Most crushed stone, pea gravel and road base weigh roughly 1.3–1.5 US tons per cubic yard, and dry sand is a little lighter. Moisture, particle size and the type of rock all change the figure, so use your supplier's number if you have it and pick "custom" to enter it.
Worked example
A 40 ft × 12 ft driveway section with 4 inches of crushed stone and 10% extra:
| Area | 480 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Volume (no extra) | 160 cu ft 5.93 cubic yards |
| Gravel to order (volume) | 6.52 cubic yards includes 10% extra |
| Gravel to order (weight) | 9.13 tons at 1.4 tons per cubic yard (US short tons) |
| Pounds | 18,252 lb |
| 0.5 cu ft bags (about 50 lb) | 352 bags |
| Metric tonnes | 8.28 t |
Typical weights (US short tons per cubic yard)
| Material | Approx. tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Crushed stone / road base | 1.4 |
| Pea gravel | 1.4 |
| #57 stone | 1.3 |
| Dry sand | 1.3 |
| River rock | 1.4 |
Tips
- Walkways and garden paths usually need 2–3 inches. Driveways need 4–6 inches or more, on a compacted base.
- Add 10–15% for compaction if you will be tamping the stone down. It settles noticeably.
- Gravel is often priced per ton. Weight is what the truck actually carries, so check the figure with your supplier.
- Landscape fabric under the gravel helps keep the base from mixing into the soil.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
About 1.3–1.5 US tons for most crushed stone and gravel. This calculator defaults to 1.4 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone and lets you enter your own figure.
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
A 12 ft × 40 ft driveway at 4 inches deep needs about 6 cubic yards, or roughly 8 tons. Use the calculator above for your exact size and depth.
How deep should a gravel path be?
2–3 inches for foot traffic, 4–6 inches for vehicles. A compacted base below the top layer is usually recommended for driveways.
Is a ton of gravel the same everywhere?
This calculator uses US short tons (2,000 lb). Metric tonnes (1,000 kg) are slightly heavier. The results include a tonne figure for reference.