Gravel Calculator
Enter an area and a depth, pick a material, and get the cubic yards and tons of gravel to order, plus a bag count and a 2026 cost. It weighs each material correctly and handles compaction for a base, and it works for a driveway, a pad, a path, or a fill. Free to use with no signup.
Drainage, driveway top course, paver and slab base, under concrete. About 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
The finished depth after compaction. A driveway top is 3 to 4″, a walkway 2 to 3″, and a compacted base 4 to 6″ per layer.
5% for a clean, flat job; 10% for spillage, an uneven subgrade, and over-excavation.
Illustration, not to scale
Illustration, not to scale
Gravel to order (with 10% waste)
5.4cu yd7.6 tons
400 sq ft × 4″ deep, at 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
Order by the ton or the cubic yard, whichever your supplier quotes. Round up to whole units and check the delivery minimum. Tonnage is an estimate; density shifts with the material and moisture. A full gravel driveway is layered, not one dump of stone.
You typed in the area to cover?
Measure the real drive or pad off your site plan instead. Easy Takeoffs measures area straight from the PDF to scale, so your yards and tons match the drawing. 14-day trial, no card.
How much does gravel cost?
Gravel costs about $25 to $60 a ton for most materials in 2026, or roughly $40 to $75 a cubic yard, plus delivery. Crusher run and #57 stone are the cheapest at about $25 to $50 a ton; pea gravel is a little more; and river rock and decomposed granite are the priciest at $45 to $150 a ton. Delivery runs $10 to $25 a ton or a flat $50 to $150 a load, usually with a minimum. Installed as a driveway, figure $1 to $3 a square foot spread, or $4 to $10 fully built.
What gravel costs (2026 US)
| Material | Per ton | Per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone #57 | $25 to $50 | $40 to $75 |
| Crusher run / road base | $24 to $34 | ~$50 |
| Pea gravel | $28 to $55 | $40 to $75 |
| River rock | $45 to $150 | $50 to $160 |
| Sand (fill / concrete) | $20 to $50 | $25 to $50 |
| Decomposed granite | $55 to $85 | $40 to $100 |
| Riprap | $30 to $100 | $25 to $75 |
2026 US material-only figures from HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Angi, and supplier pricing. Add delivery of $10 to $25 a ton or a flat $50 to $150 a load, with a 5 to 10 ton minimum common. Decorative and larger stone carry a premium. Prices are regional and move with fuel, so confirm a local quote.
What a gravel driveway costs by size (installed, 2026)
| Driveway | Spread only | Fully installed |
|---|---|---|
| 200 sq ft | $200 to $600 | $800 to $2,000 |
| 400 sq ft | $400 to $1,200 | $1,600 to $4,000 |
| 600 sq ft (2 car) | $600 to $1,800 | $2,400 to $6,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 to $3,000 | $4,000 to $10,000 |
Spread-only is material and delivery dumped and raked at $1 to $3 a square foot. Fully installed at $4 to $10 a square foot adds excavation, a geotextile fabric, a compacted base, and grading. A real driveway is built in layers, not one dump of stone. 2026 aggregator ranges, regional.
How much does a ton or a yard of gravel cover?
A cubic yard of gravel covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep, and a ton covers about 77 square feet at 3 inches, or 116 at 2 inches, for a typical gravel at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Coverage halves as the depth doubles. Tons depend on the material: crushed stone and pea gravel are about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, dry sand about 1.35, and riprap about 1.85, so weigh each material, not one blanket number.
Gravel coverage by depth
| Depth | Sq ft per cubic yard | Sq ft per ton |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 | 231 |
| 2 in | 162 | 116 |
| 3 in | 108 | 77 |
| 4 in | 81 | 58 |
| 6 in | 54 | 39 |
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it covers 324 square feet at 1 inch and halves from there. The per-ton figures use 1.4 tons per cubic yard, a typical gravel; a heavier material like riprap covers a little less per ton. The plain rule that a ton covers about 100 square feet at 2 inches assumes a heavier 1.6 ton stone; at 1.4 the honest number is 116.
Aggregate weight by material
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Compacts |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone #57 | 1.4 | No |
| Crusher run / road base | 1.45 loose (1.8 compacted) | Yes |
| Pea gravel | 1.4 | No |
| River rock | 1.4 | No |
| Stone dust / screenings | 1.4 | Yes |
| Sand (dry) | 1.35 | No |
| Decomposed granite | 1.4 | Yes |
| Riprap | 1.85 | No |
Loose, as-delivered weights, from the Inch Calculator density table and state DOT conversion factors. Wet material is heavier: wet sand runs 1.5 to 1.7 tons a cubic yard. Larger stone is lighter per yard, not heavier, because big rock leaves more air between the pieces. Crusher run is shown loose; it weighs about 1.8 tons a cubic yard once compacted in place.
How do you figure how much gravel you need?
You figure gravel by area and depth. Measure the area, pick the finished depth for the job, and multiply to get the cubic yards, then convert to tons by the material weight. For a base that compacts, add about a quarter more so it settles to depth, and add a little waste on top.
- 1
Measure the area to cover: length times width for a rectangle, pi times the radius squared for a round area, or add up the rectangles for an irregular shape.
- 2
Use the finished, compacted depth: 3 to 4 inches for a driveway surface, 2 to 3 for a walkway, 4 to 6 for a compacted base.
- 3
Multiply the area by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. For a base that compacts, order about 25 percent more loose.
- 4
Multiply the cubic yards by the material weight, about 1.4 tons per cubic yard for gravel, and add 5 to 10 percent for waste.
How do you calculate how much gravel you need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 to get cubic yards. For a base that compacts, order about 25 percent more so it settles to depth. Multiply by the material weight, roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard for gravel, to get tons, and add 5 to 10 percent for waste. Here is the exact math, with a worked example.
- Area
- rectangle length × width, circle π × (diameter ÷ 2)², or a total square footage
- Cubic yards
- area × depth in inches ÷ 324 (that is ÷ 12 for feet, then ÷ 27 for yards)
- Compaction
- for a base that compacts (crusher run), multiply the cubic yards by about 1.25 for the loose volume to order
- Tons
- cubic yards × the material weight (about 1.4 for gravel, 1.35 for sand, 1.85 for riprap)
- Waste
- add 5 to 10% for spillage and an uneven subgrade, then round up to whole units
Ordering adjustments
Gravel is sold by the ton or the cubic yard, so order in whichever unit your supplier quotes. Weight is per material: crushed stone and pea gravel run about 1.4 tons a cubic yard, dry sand about 1.35, and riprap about 1.85, so never use one number for everything. A dense-graded base like crusher run is delivered loose and compacts to a hard surface, so it takes about 25 percent more than the finished volume; clean, open-graded stone like #57 and rounded pea gravel do not compact, so they get no extra. Waste and compaction are separate: add each once. Bulk aggregate has a delivery minimum, often 5 to 10 tons, so small jobs round up.
Worked example
A 20 by 20 ft (400 sq ft) driveway base, 6 in of compacted crusher run, 10% waste
- Volume: 400 × 6 ÷ 324 = 7.41 cubic yards (the finished, compacted depth)
- Compaction: crusher run settles, so order 25% more loose: 7.41 × 1.25 = 9.26 cubic yards
- Waste: 9.26 × 1.10 = 10.19 cubic yards to order
- Tons: 10.19 × 1.45 tons per cubic yard = 14.77, round up to about 15 tons
Gravel reference tables
Recommended gravel depth by job
| Job | Depth | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Decorative top-dressing | 2 to 3 in | Pea gravel, river rock, #57 |
| Walkway or garden path | 2 to 3 in | Pea gravel, decomposed granite |
| Driveway surface | 3 to 4 in | #57 over a base |
| Driveway base (compacted) | 4 to 6 in per layer | Crusher run / road base |
| Paver base (patio) | 4 to 6 in + 1 in sand | #57 or crusher run + bedding sand |
| Shed or equipment pad | 4 to 6 in | Crusher run |
Finished, compacted depths. A full gravel driveway is 8 to 12 inches total, built in 2 or 3 layers over a geotextile fabric: a coarse subbase, a compacted crusher-run base, then a clean #57 top. Depths depend on the soil, the traffic, and the drainage, so treat these as a starting point.
Cubic yards of gravel by area and depth
| Area | 2 in | 4 in | 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.6 yd | 1.2 yd | 1.9 yd |
| 200 sq ft | 1.2 yd | 2.5 yd | 3.7 yd |
| 400 sq ft | 2.5 yd | 4.9 yd | 7.4 yd |
| 600 sq ft | 3.7 yd | 7.4 yd | 11.1 yd |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.2 yd | 12.3 yd | 18.5 yd |
Compacted, in-place cubic yards (area × depth ÷ 324), before waste and before any compaction allowance. Multiply by about 1.4 for tons of gravel. For a dense-graded base that compacts, order about 25 percent more than these figures; clean stone needs no extra.
Waste and compaction: what to add
| Add for | Amount |
|---|---|
| Waste (spillage, uneven subgrade) | 5 to 10% |
| Compaction, dense-graded base | About 25% (20 to 33%) |
| Clean or decorative stone | No compaction |
Waste and compaction are two separate things, each added once. Waste covers spillage and an uneven bottom; compaction is the extra loose volume a base needs to settle to the finished depth under a plate compactor. Only dense-graded materials with fines (crusher run, road base, stone dust, decomposed granite) compact. Open-graded #57, rounded pea gravel, river rock, and sand do not, so they get no compaction add.
Bags versus bulk
| Amount | Bags (0.5 cu ft) | Better bought |
|---|---|---|
| Under 0.5 cu yd | 27 bags | Bags |
| 1 cubic yard | 54 bags | Either |
| 2+ cubic yards | 108+ bags | Bulk delivery |
A cubic yard holds 54 half-cubic-foot bags. Bags cost far more per ton, so they only make sense for a small job or where a truck cannot deliver. Past a ton or two, bulk delivery is much cheaper even with the haul charge. Bulk usually has a delivery minimum, so a tiny bulk order can round up.
Gravel Calculator Questions
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 to get cubic yards, then multiply by the material weight, about 1.4 tons per cubic yard for gravel, to get tons. A 20 by 20 foot pad at 4 inches of #57 stone is about 5.4 cubic yards, or 7.6 tons, with 10 percent waste. For a base that compacts, add about 25 percent. This calculator does all of it.
Cubic yards equal the area in square feet times the depth in inches, divided by 324. The 324 is 12 inches per foot times 27 cubic feet per cubic yard, so it takes a depth in inches straight to yards. A 400 square foot area at 6 inches is 400 times 6, divided by 324, which is 7.4 cubic yards before waste and compaction.
About 1.4 tons for typical crushed stone or pea gravel. It varies by material: dry sand is about 1.35 tons a cubic yard, crusher run about 1.45 loose (1.8 once compacted), and riprap about 1.85. Wet material is heavier, roughly 10 to 15 percent. Because the weight changes with the material, a good calculator weighs each one rather than using a single number.
About 116 square feet at 2 inches deep, 77 at 3 inches, and 58 at 4 inches, for a typical gravel at 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Coverage halves as the depth doubles. The common rule that a ton covers 100 square feet at 2 inches assumes a heavier 1.6 ton stone; for standard gravel the honest figure is closer to 116.
A cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, and 81 at 4 inches. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so the coverage is just 324 divided by the depth in inches. Unlike tons, a cubic yard covers the same area for any material, because it is a volume, not a weight.
A 20 by 20 foot pad is 400 square feet. At 4 inches of #57 crushed stone that is about 5.4 cubic yards, or 7.6 tons, once you add 10 percent waste. At 3 inches it is about 4.1 cubic yards. If you are building a compacted base with crusher run instead, add about 25 percent for compaction on top of that.
A gravel driveway is usually 8 to 12 inches total, built in 2 or 3 layers: a coarse base stone, a compacted crusher-run middle, and a 3 to 4 inch #57 top, all over a geotextile fabric. For a single top-up layer, 3 to 4 inches is typical. A walkway needs only 2 to 3 inches. The depth depends on the soil and the traffic, so a soft or wet site needs more.
Yes, for a base that compacts. Crusher run, road base, stone dust, and decomposed granite are delivered loose and settle about 20 percent under a compactor, so order about 25 percent more than the finished depth. Clean, open-graded stone like #57 and rounded pea gravel do not compact, so they need no extra. This calculator adds the compaction only for the materials that actually densify.
#57 stone is clean, open-graded 3/4 inch stone with no fines, so it drains well and does not compact. It is used for drainage, a driveway top, and under concrete or pavers. Crusher run is the same rock crushed with the stone dust left in, a dense graded mix that locks up and compacts into a hard, load-bearing surface, which is why it is the base under a driveway. A driveway often uses both, crusher run below and #57 on top.
About 54 bags of the common half-cubic-foot size, because a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. A 0.4 cubic foot bag would be about 67 to a yard, and a 1 cubic foot bag 27. Bags cost far more per ton than bulk, so they only make sense for a small job or where a truck cannot deliver. Past a ton or two, bulk delivery is much cheaper.
Both. Many suppliers sell crushed stone and gravel by the ton off the scale, while landscape yards often price by the cubic yard. This calculator gives you both so you can order in whichever unit your supplier quotes. To convert, multiply cubic yards by the material weight, about 1.4 tons per cubic yard for gravel.
About $25 to $60 a ton for most materials in 2026, or roughly $40 to $75 a cubic yard, plus delivery. Crusher run and #57 stone are the cheapest; river rock and decomposed granite the priciest at $45 to $150 a ton. Delivery adds $10 to $25 a ton or a flat $50 to $150 a load, usually with a minimum. Installed as a driveway, figure $1 to $3 a square foot spread or $4 to $10 fully built.
Figure the circle area as pi times the radius squared, where the radius is half the diameter. A 10 foot wide round area is 3.14 times 5 squared, or about 78.5 square feet. At 3 inches of pea gravel that is about 0.8 cubic yards, or roughly 1.1 tons, once you add 10 percent waste. The calculator has a circle option, so you enter the diameter and it does the rest.
No. Pea gravel is rounded and does not lock together, so it cannot be compacted into a hard surface and will always shift underfoot. That is why it suits walkways and decorative beds, not a driveable base. If you need a firm surface, a dense-graded crusher run compacts, or you can set pea gravel over a compacted base or in a grid to hold it in place.
Yes. It is free, needs no signup, and runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded anywhere.
No. This calculator works from an area you type in. To measure a driveway, a pad, or a lot straight off a PDF site plan to scale, so your cubic yards and tons match the drawing, use Easy Takeoffs, the construction takeoff software built to measure off plans. 14-day trial, no card.
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