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Construction & Home
Gravel Calculator — Cubic Yards & Tons of Crushed Stone
Cubic yards and tons of gravel for driveways, paths, French drains and base layers
Gravel and crushed stone are sold two ways — by the cubic yard (volume) when you order bulk from a quarry, and by the ton (weight) when a dump truck delivers it. This calculator works out both, so you can order whichever way your supplier prices it and not end up short halfway through spreading a driveway.
The math is volume first. Measure the area you want to cover in square feet (length × width), pick a depth in inches, and convert that volume to cubic yards. Because depth is usually a couple of inches and yardage is the unit suppliers use, the formula is:
Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27.
The ÷ 27 step converts cubic feet to cubic yards (there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard). Depth has to be in feet, so a 3-inch layer is 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft. Example: a 200 sq ft area at 3 inches deep is 200 × 0.25 = 50 cubic feet, and 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards.
To get tons, multiply cubic yards by the density of the stone. Typical gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard; crushed stone runs 1.4–1.5 tons/cu yd depending on the size and how dry it is. So 1.85 cu yd × 1.4 = about 2.6 tons. That is the headline number this calculator returns.
Depth is the choice that drives everything. For a decorative ground cover or a path, 2 inches is plenty. For a walkway or patio base, 2–3 inches. For a driveway, plan on 4–6 inches total, often built in layers of larger base stone topped with a finer surface. Going an inch deeper than you planned can add tons to the order, so measure twice.
Gravel also settles and compacts, and some is always lost to spillage and uneven ground, so order roughly 5–10% extra. This calculator adds a waste factor, rounds the order up to whole tons (you can't buy a fraction of a truckload), and — if you enter a price per ton — gives you the delivered material cost. It does not include delivery fees, which most quarries charge separately by distance.
📖 See also: How to Calculate a Tip (and Split the Bill)
Calculator
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📰 Formula
• Area (sq ft) = length (ft) × width (ft) • Depth in feet = depth (in) ÷ 12 • Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27 • Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per cubic yard) Material constants: • Typical gravel / pea gravel ≈ 1.4 tons per cubic yard • Crushed stone (¾" base, #57, etc.) ≈ 1.4–1.5 tons per cubic yard • 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet • Suggested waste factor: 5–10% for spillage, settling and compaction
📰 Formula
• Area (sq ft) = length (ft) × width (ft) • Depth in feet = depth (in) ÷ 12 • Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27 • Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per cubic yard) Material constants: • Typical gravel / pea gravel ≈ 1.4 tons per cubic yard • Crushed stone (¾" base, #57, etc.) ≈ 1.4–1.5 tons per cubic yard • 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet • Suggested waste factor: 5–10% for spillage, settling and compaction
🧪 Worked examples
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Example 3
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Example 4
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Leaving depth in inches instead of converting to feet — a 3-inch layer is 0.25 ft, not 3.
- Dividing by 9 (square yards) instead of 27 (cubic yards) — gravel is a volume, not an area.
- Using mulch or topsoil density (~1 ton/cu yd) for gravel, which is ~1.4× heavier per yard.
- Forgetting a 5–10% waste allowance for spillage, settling and compaction.
- Ordering in cubic yards when the quarry quoted by the ton, or vice versa, and getting the wrong amount.
💡 Tips
- Match the unit your supplier prices in — bulk quarries quote cubic yards, dump-truck delivery quotes tons.
- Go 4–6 inches deep for a driveway, 2–3 inches for a walkway or patio base, 2 inches for decorative cover.
- Add 10% for spillage and compaction, then round up to a whole ton — you can't buy a partial truckload.
- For a layered driveway, calculate the base stone and the surface stone separately, then add them.
- Ask whether the quoted price includes delivery; most quarries add a haul fee by distance on top of the stone.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much gravel I need?
Multiply length × width to get square feet, multiply by depth in feet (inches ÷ 12), then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply cubic yards by about 1.4 to get tons. A 200 sq ft area at 3 inches deep is 1.85 cu yd, or roughly 2.6 tons.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
Most gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, and crushed stone runs 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard depending on size and moisture. So a cubic yard of gravel is roughly 1.4 tons, or about 2,800 pounds.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
Plan on 4 to 6 inches of total depth for a residential driveway, often built as a coarse base layer topped with a finer surface stone. Lighter foot paths and patio bases only need 2 to 3 inches.
How much gravel does a ton cover?
At 2 inches deep, one ton of gravel covers roughly 100 square feet. At 3 inches it covers about 65 sq ft, and at 4 inches about 50 sq ft. Coverage drops as the layer gets thicker because the same ton spreads over less area.
Should I order gravel by the yard or by the ton?
It depends on your supplier. Bulk quarries usually price by the cubic yard, while dump-truck delivery is often quoted by the ton. This calculator gives you both numbers so you can order in whichever unit you're quoted.
Do I need to add extra gravel for waste?
Yes — add about 5 to 10% extra. Gravel settles and compacts after it's spread, some is lost to spillage, and uneven ground swallows more than a flat estimate predicts. Rounding up to the next whole ton usually covers it.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel cost?
Bulk gravel commonly runs $15 to $75 per ton, or roughly $20 to $100 per cubic yard, before delivery. Decorative stone like pea gravel costs more than plain crushed base rock. Enter your supplier's price per ton for a material estimate.
What's the difference between gravel and crushed stone?
Gravel is naturally rounded stone from riverbeds and pits; crushed stone is mechanically broken rock with angular edges that lock together better for driveways and bases. Crushed stone is usually slightly denser, around 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard.
How do I convert cubic yards of gravel to tons?
Multiply the cubic yards by the density in tons per cubic yard — about 1.4 for typical gravel and up to 1.5 for crushed stone. For example, 3 cubic yards × 1.4 = 4.2 tons. Use 1.5 if your supplier confirms a heavier crushed product.