Construction
Gravel Calculator
Crushed stone, pea gravel, road base, or sand — gravel gets sold two ways: by the cubic yard (volume) and by the ton (weight). This calculator gives you both. Pick the material type, enter your area and depth, and you'll know exactly how many yards to ask for and how many tons will hit your driveway.
How the math works
Gravel volume math is simple — the hard part is the unit conversion from inches to yards. The formula:
- Cubic feet = length (ft) × width (ft) × (depth in inches ÷ 12)
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
- Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per yard)
A 20-ft × 10-ft driveway at 4 inches deep = 200 ft² × 0.33 ft = 67 ft³ = 2.47 cubic yards. At crushed stone's density of ~1.4 tons/yd³, that's about 3.5 tons. Most landscape yards sell by the cubic yard for small loads and by the ton for dump-truck-sized deliveries.
Material density reference
| Material | Tons/yd³ | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (#57) | 1.40 | General driveways, drainage |
| Pea gravel | 1.35 | Walkways, landscape, drains |
| Road base / crusher run | 1.50 | Driveway base, compacts hard |
| River rock | 1.45 | Decorative landscape |
| Sand (mason / play) | 1.60 | Paver base, sandbox, mortar mix |
Depth guidelines by project
- Residential driveway: 4-6 inches total (2-3" crusher run base + 2-3" #57 surface stone)
- Walking path: 2-3 inches of pea gravel or crushed stone over landscape fabric
- Paver patio base: 4-6 inches of compacted crusher run + 1 inch of bedding sand
- French drain: 6-12 inches of pea gravel surrounding the perforated pipe, depending on flow needs
- Drip line / foundation drainage: 3-4 inches of pea gravel or river rock
- Heavy commercial driveway: 8-12 inches base + 2-4 inches surface
How to use this calculator
- Measure the actual area. For irregular shapes, break the area into rectangles, calculate each, and add them up.
- Pick depth from the guidelines above. Going deeper than necessary just wastes money; going shallower means you'll be re-doing it.
- Pick the right material. Crusher run for compacted bases, #57 stone for free-draining surfaces, pea gravel for foot traffic and decoration.
- Add 10% for compaction and waste. Gravel compacts when rolled, and you always lose some to spreading and overspill. The calculator gives loose volume — order at least 10% more.
- Check the supplier's pricing. Bulk-delivered crushed stone runs $25-$60/ton in most US markets in 2025. Bagged gravel from a home center is 3-5x more expensive per ton.
Common scenarios
50 ft × 12 ft new gravel driveway, 6 inches total. 300 ft³ = 11.1 yd³. With crusher run base (5.5 yd³) + #57 surface (5.6 yd³), you're at roughly 16-17 tons of material. At $45/ton delivered: ~$750 in stone before any grading or labor.
3-ft wide × 40-ft walkway, 3 inches pea gravel. 30 ft³ = 1.1 yd³ ≈ 1.5 tons. Most yards have a 1-2 ton minimum, so you'd order 2 tons. Material cost: $80-$150 depending on regional pricing.
10 ft × 10 ft paver patio base, 5 inches. 41.7 ft³ of crusher run + ~8 ft³ of bedding sand. That's 1.54 yd³ of stone ≈ 2.3 tons. Plus 0.3 yd³ of sand. Combined material: under $200 in most markets.