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Gravel Calculator

Calculate the volume, weight, and cost of gravel for driveways, patios, paths, and landscaping. Enter your project dimensions, pick a gravel type, and get cubic yards, tons, and a recommended order quantity with waste included.

Updated 2026-09-20
Area
ft
ft
in

Driveways 3–4 in · Paths 2–3 in

%

Covers compaction and settling.

$

Use local pricing

How much gravel do you need?

Gravel is sold by the cubic yard or by the ton, but projects are measured in feet and inches. This calculator does the conversion for you: multiply length × width × depth to get volume, then apply the density of your gravel type to get weight.

Depth matters more than most people expect. A 3-inch top layer is typical for paths and decorative cover, while driveways need a compacted base of 4–6 inches (often in layers). If you're building a driveway, see our guide on how deep gravel should be for a driveway.

Order slightly more than the math says — the default 10% waste allowance covers compaction, settling, and uneven ground, and saves you a second delivery fee.

Recommended order
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Includes waste allowance, rounded up
Area
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Volume (cubic feet)
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Volume (cubic yards)
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Volume (cubic meters)
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Estimated weight (before waste)
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Estimated cost
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Density: —

Convert cubic yards ↔ tons for other materials

Common questions

How much gravel do I need?

Multiply length × width × depth with every dimension in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A 20 ft × 10 ft driveway at 4 inches deep is 20 × 10 × 0.333 = 66.7 cubic feet, or about 2.5 cubic yards — roughly 3.3 tons of crushed stone before waste. The calculator on this page does this conversion for you and adds a waste allowance.

How much gravel do I need?

How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?

About 1.2 to 1.4 tons, depending on the stone. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so crushed stone at 100 lb per cubic foot weighs about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons), pea gravel about 2,590 lb (1.3 tons), and river rock about 2,400 lb (1.2 tons). Wet or dense material runs heavier.

How do I convert cubic yards of gravel to tons?

Multiply cubic yards by 27 to get cubic feet, multiply by the density in pounds per cubic foot, then divide by 2,000. For crushed stone: 5 cubic yards × 27 × 100 ÷ 2,000 = 6.75 tons. Pick your gravel type in the calculator and it reports both cubic yards and tons.

How much area does a ton of gravel cover?

A ton of crushed stone is about 20 cubic feet, so it covers roughly 120 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 80 sq ft at 3 inches, or 60 sq ft at 4 inches. Lighter stone such as river rock covers slightly more area per ton.

How deep should gravel be for a driveway?

Plan on 4 to 6 inches of total depth for a residential driveway, usually placed in two or three compacted layers over a larger base stone. Paths and top-dressing only need 2 to 3 inches.

How deep should gravel be for a driveway?

Should I order gravel by the yard or by the ton?

Most bulk suppliers sell crushed stone and gravel by the ton, while landscape material is often quoted by the cubic yard. Get both numbers before you call — the calculator shows cubic yards, cubic feet, and tons from the same measurement so you can order in whichever unit your supplier uses.

How this is calculated

Method
Volume = length × width × depth, with all dimensions normalized to feet (or meters in metric mode).
Weight = volume × density for the selected gravel type. Densities are listed under Assumptions.
Recommended order = estimated weight × (1 + waste allowance), rounded up to a practical order quantity.
Cost = recommended order in tons × your price per ton, when a price is provided.
Assumptions
  • Gravel densities are industry averages; actual density varies by supplier, moisture, and stone size.
  • The calculation assumes a rectangular area with a uniform depth.
  • The default 10% waste allowance covers compaction, settling, and uneven ground.
Sources
  • Aggregates in Concrete — University of Washington, Dept. of Construction Materials — Typical bulk density ranges for natural aggregates (~95–105 lb/ft³).
  • US DOT Federal Highway Administration — Base and subbase aggregate guidance — Typical compacted aggregate base practice for driveways and paths.
Methodology reviewed 2026-09-20 · See our methodology for how we build and test calculators.
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