Gravel
calculator.
Work out how much gravel, crushed stone or sand to order for a driveway, path or base, in cubic yards and tons, or find how far a delivered load will spread. Each material's density comes from a published table, and you can enter your supplier's own figure.
An area of 480 sq ft at 4 in deep needs 5.93 cubic yards of crushed stone (#57), about 7.11 US tons (6.45 tonnes) at 2,400 lb/yd³ (1,424 kg/m³).
- Weight
- 7.11 US tons · 6.45 tonnes
- Weight in pounds
- 14,222 lb
- Volume to order
- 5.93 cu yd · 160.00 cu ft · 4.53 m³
- Area
- 480 sq ft · 44.59 m²
- Density used
- 2,400 lb/yd³ (1,424 kg/m³)
- If the density is 10% off
- 6.40 to 7.82 US tons
volume = 480 sq ft × 0.333333 ft = 160 cu ft ÷ 27 = 5.92593 cu yd
weight = 5.92593 cu yd × 2,400 lb/cu yd = 14,222.22 lb ÷ 2,000 = 7.11111 US tonsVolume first,
then weight.
- Volume = area × depth. Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards; 1 cubic yard = 0.764555 m³.
- Weight = volume × loose density. A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg (about 2,204.6 lb).
- Built-in densities are typical loose, as-delivered figures from Ohio DOT's conversion table and an EPA volume-to-weight table. Real material varies with moisture, grading and settling, so the calculator also shows the weight if the density is 10% higher or lower.
- Nothing is added for waste or compaction unless you enter an extra percentage. Results are shown to two decimals and are not rounded up to a supplier's load size.
How do you calculate how much gravel you need?
Multiply the length by the width to get the area, multiply by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, and divide by 27 for cubic yards. A driveway 40 ft long and 12 ft wide is 480 sq ft. At 4 inches (4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft) deep it takes 480 × 0.333 = 160 cu ft, or 160 ÷ 27 = 5.93 cubic yards.
To convert to weight, multiply by the material's density. At Ohio DOT's loose figure of 2,400 lb per cubic yard for No. 57 limestone, 5.93 cu yd is 14,222 lb, or 7.11 US tons (6.45 tonnes).
cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
tons = cubic yards × density (lb per cu yd) ÷ 2,000How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
Loose gravel and crushed stone typically weigh about 2,400 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard, or 1.2 to 1.35 US tons. Ohio DOT's table for aggregate measured loose in the truck gives 2,400 lb for No. 4 and 57 limestone, 2,500 lb for crusher-run limestone and for No. 4 and 57 gravel, and 2,700 lb for bank-run gravel. An EPA conversion table lists loose gravel at 2,565 lb, loose sand at 2,441 lb and wet sand at 110 to 130 lb per cubic foot (about 3,000 to 3,500 lb per cubic yard).
No single figure is exact. Water adds weight, a well-graded mix packs tighter than single-size stone, and a load settles in the truck. Ohio DOT's own table says it will pay on dry weights if delivered material is more than 2% above saturated surface-dry moisture. For an order, use the density your supplier sells by.
How many square feet does a ton of gravel cover?
Divide the ton's volume by the depth. At 2,400 lb per cubic yard, one US ton (2,000 lb) is 0.833 cu yd, or 22.5 cu ft. Spread 2 inches deep (0.167 ft) it covers 22.5 ÷ 0.167 = 135 sq ft; at 3 inches, 90 sq ft; at 4 inches, 67.5 sq ft. Heavier material covers less: at 2,700 lb per cubic yard one ton covers 120 sq ft at 2 inches.
area (sq ft) = tons × 2,000 ÷ density (lb per cu yd) × 27 ÷ (depth in ÷ 12)Why does a compacted base need more gravel?
Compaction squeezes out the air between stones, so a finished, compacted cubic yard holds more stone than a loose one. Ohio DOT converts compacted crushed stone at 3,800 lb per cubic yard and compacted crushed gravel at 3,900 lb, against 2,400 to 2,700 lb for loose material. If you will compact a base with a plate compactor or roller, the finished depth will be less than the loose depth you spread. Add an extra percentage, or ask your supplier how much their material compacts.
Tons, tonnes or cubic yards: how is gravel sold?
U.S. quarries and landscape yards usually price gravel per US ton (2,000 lb) or per cubic yard. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb, so 10 tonnes is 11.02 US tons. The calculator gives both weights and three volumes, and can price per ton, tonne, cubic yard or cubic meter. Check whether a quote includes delivery and a minimum load.
Worked examples.
Gravel driveway
A 40 × 12 ft driveway, 4 inches of #57 crushed stone.
5.93 cubic yards, about 7.11 US tons.
Load this exampleSame driveway, priced per cubic yard
The 40 × 12 ft driveway at 4 inches with 10% extra, at $40 per cubic yard.
6.52 cubic yards, 7.82 US tons, $260.74.
Load this exampleRound pea gravel pad
A circle 10 ft across, 3 inches of pea gravel.
0.73 cubic yards, about 0.93 US tons.
Load this exampleSand bed in metric
A 5 × 4 m area, 10 cm of dry sand.
2.00 m³, about 2.90 tonnes.
Load this exampleWhat one ton covers
One US ton of #57 crushed stone spread 2 inches deep.
135 sq ft (0.83 cubic yards).
Load this exampleBase course priced per ton
100 square yards of bank-run gravel 6 inches deep at $30 per ton.
16.67 cubic yards, 22.50 US tons, $675.00.
Load this exampleWhat this calculator
does not do.
- Densities are typical published figures, not measurements of your material. Moisture alone can move sand by a quarter or more, so a supplier's own figure always beats the table.
- It computes loose volume. It does not model how much a base compacts, how much sinks into soft ground, or a slope or uneven depth; add an extra percentage for those.
- It is a material estimate, not a pavement or drainage design. Base depth, gradation and compaction for driveways and roads depend on soil and traffic.
- Prices are your own inputs. Delivery charges, minimum loads and tax are not included.
Common questions.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.2 to 1.35 US tons when loose: 2,400 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard in Ohio DOT's table. Wet sand and compacted stone weigh more.
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.74 to 0.83 cubic yards. Divide 2,000 lb by the density: 2,000 ÷ 2,400 = 0.83 cu yd for #57 limestone.
How much gravel do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
At 3 inches deep, 100 sq ft × 0.25 ft = 25 cu ft, or 0.93 cubic yards; about 1.11 US tons at 2,400 lb per cubic yard.
What is the difference between a ton and a tonne?
A US ton is 2,000 lb (907.2 kg). A metric tonne is 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb), about 10% heavier.
Should I order extra gravel?
Usually a little. Uneven ground, spillage and compaction all use more than the flat-area volume. Enter your allowance in Extra to order; the calculator adds nothing by default.
- Ohio DOT Construction and Material Specifications 2013, Item 410 Traffic Compacted Surface, Table 410.06-1 — conversion factors for aggregate measured loose in the vehicle: 2,400 to 2,700 lb/yd³
- Ohio DOT Construction and Material Specifications 2010, Item 617 Reconditioning Shoulders, Table 617.06-1 — compacted conversion factors: crushed stone 3,800, crushed gravel 3,900 lb/yd³
- U.S. EPA: Standard Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors — loose gravel 2,565, loose sand 2,441, loose rock 2,570, loose sandy loam 2,392 lb/yd³; wet sand 110–130 lb/ft³ (entries attributed to Tellus and FEECO)
Area comes from the shape (or is entered directly) and is multiplied by depth to give volume in cubic meters, using exact unit definitions (1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg). Weight is volume times the chosen loose density; the coverage mode inverts this. Our tests check hand-worked vectors, 300 random cases for linearity in depth, identical results in feet and meters, and an exact round trip between how-much and coverage modes, plus validation of every input.
Built and reviewed by CalculatorLab against the sources above; every worked example on this page is re-checked by our automated test suite before each release. How we build and check calculators. Found a problem? Tell us.