Concrete & masonry calculators
Gravel Calculator
Gravel is sold by weight and used by volume, which is exactly the kind of unit mismatch that causes under-ordering. The supplier quotes tons, your driveway is square feet at 4 inches deep, and somewhere between the two is the number that keeps you from paying a second delivery fee.
This calculator bridges the gap. Enter your area and depth, pick your material — crushed stone, gravel, pea gravel, crusher run, or sand — and it gives you cubic yards plus estimated tons, with a compaction allowance built in. Densities are the standard published values (about 1.4 tons per yard for crushed stone), and the tons figure is clearly labeled an estimate, because real density varies by quarry and moisture.
- Volume
- 66.7 cu ft
- Cubic yards
- 2.47 yd³suppliers sell bulk by the yard or the ton
- Estimated weight
- ~3.8 tonsat ~1.4 tons/yd³ — confirm with your supplier
How we calculate this (with your numbers)
Volume = 20 ft × 10 ft × (4 ÷ 12) in = 66.67 cu ft
Cubic yards = 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³
Tons = 2.47 yd³ × 1.4 tons/yd³ × 1.10 (10% compaction) = ~3.80 tons
Density varies by quarry, stone size and moisture — treat tons as an estimate and confirm the conversion with whoever delivers it.
How the math works
Worked example
A 20 × 10 ft driveway, 4 inches of crushed stone, 10% compaction allowance:
- Volume = 20 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 66.67 cu ft
- Cubic yards = 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³
- Tons = 2.47 × 1.4 × 1.10 = ~3.8 tons
Enter these exact numbers into the calculator above and you will get the same result — that is the point. No black box.
Limitations
Frequently asked questions
About 1.4 tons (2,800 lb) for standard crushed stone — but treat it as an estimate. Pea gravel runs a little lighter at about 1.3 tons per yard; crusher run is denser at about 1.5–1.6. Density varies by quarry, stone size, and moisture, so always confirm the conversion with your supplier before ordering by weight.
4–6 inches of compacted base is the standard for a residential gravel driveway; walkways and patios need 2–3 inches. French drains typically get 6–8 inches of washed stone. These are the commonly published depth recommendations from aggregate suppliers.
Loose gravel settles 10–20% once it is driven on or compacted — so a bed that should finish at 4 inches needs more than 4 inches of loose stone on day one. The calculator defaults to 10%; use 15–20% for crusher run or any base that will be mechanically compacted.
Whichever your supplier prices in — the calculator gives you both. Bulk suppliers usually sell by the ton; landscape yards often sell by the cubic yard. Because tons depend on density (which varies), the cubic-yard number is the more reliable of the two for planning. Get a quarry quote for anything over a yard: bulk is dramatically cheaper than bagged stone.
One cubic yard covers about 162 square feet at 2 inches deep, 108 square feet at 3 inches, or 81 square feet at 4 inches. (A yard is 27 cubic feet; divide by the depth in feet.)
Related calculators & guides
- Concrete calculator — cubic yards for the slab that goes on top of this base
- Concrete bag calculator — bag counts with total haul weight
- How thick should a concrete slab be? — and how much base goes under it