Gravel Calculator

Work out how much gravel a driveway, path, patio base or bed needs, in cubic yards and in tons, with an allowance for compaction. Add a price per ton or per yard to estimate the cost. Your inputs stay in your browser.

Your area and material

The area

Shape

5% to 10% is common; more for a base that will be compacted.

The material

Many gravels are about 1.4 to 1.7 tons per cubic yard. Ask your supplier for yours.

Cost (optional)

Suppliers sell by the ton or by the yard; enter whichever you were quoted.

2.85 tons · 2.04 cu yd. See full results

Example: a 20 × 10 ft area, 3 inches deep, with 10% extra, at 1.4 tons per cubic yard (a typical figure; ask your supplier). Enter your numbers to update.

Your gravel estimate

Gravel to order
2.85 tons
About 5,704 lb at 1.4 tons per cubic yard
Volume
2.04 cu yd
55.0 cu ft, including 10% extra
Area
200 sq ft
One ton covers about 77 sq ft at 3 in deep

Add a price per ton or per cubic yard to estimate the cost.

Densities vary with the stone, size and moisture. Confirm the tons per cubic yard with your supplier before ordering.

How to calculate gravel

  1. Area: length × width, or π × (diameter ÷ 2)² for a circle. The example is 200 square feet.
  2. Volume: area × depth in feet (inches ÷ 12), then ÷ 27 for cubic yards, since a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet (NIST: tables of units of measurement). With 10% extra, the example is 2.04 cubic yards.
  3. Weight: cubic yards × tons per cubic yard. A US ton is 2,000 pounds. The example is 2.85 tons.

Why tons per yard matters

Suppliers often sell gravel by the ton, but you measure the area in feet, so the stone's density links the two. The same example at 1.7 tons per cubic yard is 3.46 tons instead of 2.85. Crushed stone, pea gravel and base materials differ, and wet stone weighs more, so use the figure your supplier gives you.

Depth and compaction

Depth drives the total: at 4 inches instead of 3, the example needs 3.80 tons. Base layers that are compacted settle, so order some extra; the right depth for a driveway or patio base depends on the soil and the load.

What this calculator does not include

  • Landscape fabric, edging, excavation and labor.
  • Irregular shapes. Split them into rectangles and circles and add the results.
  • Delivery minimums or truck sizes, which vary by supplier.

Methodology and testing

Automated tests compare areas, volumes, tons, coverage and costs with an independent calculation, including a 9 × 9 ft area 4 inches deep that is exactly one cubic yard. How we build and test calculators.

Sources

  • Concrete Calculator

    Cubic yards and bags of concrete for slabs, footings and post holes, with a waste allowance and a bags-vs-ready-mix cost check.

  • Asphalt Calculator

    Tons and cubic yards of asphalt from length, width and thickness, with waste and cost.

  • Mulch Calculator

    Cubic yards and bags of mulch for rectangular and round beds, coverage by depth, and bags vs. bulk cost.

  • Home Equity Loan Calculator

    Monthly payment, borrowing limit at common CLTV caps, cash received after closing costs, term comparison and amortization.

  • Cubic Yard Calculator

    Cubic yards for rectangles, circles and triangles, or the area a delivery covers, in cubic feet, cubic meters, bags and truckloads.