Calculator · Gravel
Gravel Calculator: How Many Yards or Tons of Gravel Do I Need?
Pick the gravel and the shape of the area, enter the size and depth, and get what to order: cubic yards for the yard, tons for the quarry, or bags for the store, with the cost of each. No email, no phone number.
Materials ticket · Crushed stone
Enter your measurements and your shopping list prints here.
How to calculate how much gravel you need
- Find the area in square feet. Length × width for a rectangle; 3.14 × radius² for a circle. For odd shapes, split the area into rectangles and add them up.
- Multiply by the depth in feet. Divide the depth in inches by 12 (3 in = 0.25 ft). That gives cubic feet.
- Convert to what you buy. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, multiply the yards by the tons per yard of your stone, or divide the cubic feet by 0.5 for bags.
Shortcut: one cubic yard covers 324 ft² one inch deep. Divide 324 by your depth to get the coverage: 108 ft² at 3 inches, 81 ft² at 4 inches.
Gravel for common projects
Calculated with the same engine as the calculator. Compacted jobs include the 11% compaction allowance.
| Project | Cubic yards | Tons | Bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden path, 3 × 20 ft, 2 in deep (pea gravel) | 0.37 | 0.5 | 20 |
| Patio or seating area, 10 × 10 ft, 3 in (pea gravel) | 0.93 | 1.2 | 50 |
| Shed base, 10 × 12 ft, 4 in compacted (crushed stone) | 1.64 | 2.1 | 89 |
| Tree ring, 6 ft across, 2 in (river rock) | 0.17 | 0.2 | 10 |
| Driveway top layer, 12 × 50 ft, 4 in compacted (crushed stone) | 8.22 | 10.7 | 444 |
| Two-car pad, 20 × 24 ft, 4 in compacted (crushed stone) | 6.58 | 8.6 | 356 |
How much area gravel covers
Crushed stone at 1.3 tons per cubic yard:
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers | 1 bag covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² | 249 ft² | 6 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 125 ft² | 3 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 83 ft² | 2 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 62 ft² | 1.5 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 42 ft² | 1 ft² |
Types of gravel: weight and price
Weights from a Tennessee aggregate supplier's chart; bulk prices from HomeGuide's gravel cost guide, before delivery.
| Gravel | Tons per yd³ | Price per yd³ | Price per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (#57) | 1.3 | $35–$54 | $30–$38 |
| Pea gravel | 1.3 | $29–$86 | $28–$45 |
| Crusher run / road base | 1.45 | $51–$54 | $24–$34 |
| River rock | 1.3 | $47–$70 | $33–$49 |
- Crushed stone (#57): angular 3/4 to 1 inch stone. It locks together, drains well and works for driveway top layers, shed bases and drainage.
- Pea gravel: small, smooth and round. Comfortable to walk on for paths and patios. For driveways, the Maine manual recommends crushed gravel instead, because tires roll rounded stones out of the surface and leave potholes.
- Crusher run (road base): crushed stone mixed with stone dust. It packs hard and is the usual base under driveways, pavers and patios.
- River rock: larger smooth stones for decorative beds, dry creek beds and tree rings.
How much gravel for a driveway
A gravel driveway is built in layers. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection's manual for private gravel roads recommends a base layer of coarse, free-draining gravel 12–18 inches thick and a surface layer of finer gravel with some fines 4–6 inches thick, both measured after compaction. To end up with a compacted depth, the manual adds about 11% to the loose volume.
For a 12 × 50 ft driveway at the minimum depths in that manual:
| Layer | Cubic yards | Tons | Material cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base, 12 in compacted (crusher run) | 24.67 | 35.8 | $1,287 |
| Surface, 4 in compacted (crushed stone) | 8.22 | 10.7 | $371 |
That manual is written for camp roads that carry cars and delivery trucks. A short residential driveway on firm, well-drained ground often uses a thinner base, while wet or soft ground needs the full depth or a geotextile fabric underneath. If in doubt, ask a local excavation contractor or your county road department what works on your soil.
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 54 bags of 0.5 ft³: about $270 at $5 a bag, and 2,700 lb to load and unload. The same yard of crushed stone costs around $45 in bulk. Bags make sense for a tree ring or a few stepping-stone gaps; for anything larger, call a landscape supply yard or a quarry.
- Delivery: HomeGuide reports $10–$25 per ton, and many yards deliver free from 5 tons within 5 miles.
- Ask how they sell it. Quarries usually sell by the ton, landscape yards by the cubic yard. The calculator gives you both.
- Hauling it yourself: at about 2,600 lb per cubic yard, one yard of stone can be more than many pickups are rated to carry. Check the payload on the tire and loading sticker inside the driver's door.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.3 tons for crushed stone (#57) and pea gravel, and about 1.45 tons for crusher run, according to a Tennessee aggregate supplier's chart. Once compacted, a yard of road gravel weighs around 1.6 tons. Wet stone weighs more, so check with your supplier before ordering by the ton.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
At 2 inches deep, a ton of crushed stone covers about 125 ft²; at 3 inches, about 83 ft²; at 4 inches, about 62 ft². A cubic yard covers 162, 108 and 81 ft² at the same depths.
How many bags of gravel are in a cubic yard?
54 bags. Standard 50 lb bags of gravel (Quikrete All-Purpose Gravel, for example) hold 0.5 cubic feet, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. That is 2,700 lb to lift, so for more than about half a yard, bulk is usually easier and cheaper.
How much gravel do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
At 3 inches deep, 0.93 cubic yards: about 1.2 tons of crushed stone, or 50 bags of 0.5 ft³. At 2 inches, two thirds of that; at 4 inches, a third more.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
Maine's Department of Environmental Protection recommends two compacted layers for gravel roads: a coarse base 12–18 inches thick and a finer surface layer 4–6 inches thick. A light-duty driveway on firm, well-drained ground often gets by with less base, but soft or wet ground needs the full depth.
How much does gravel cost?
HomeGuide puts bulk gravel at $15–$75 per cubic yard or $10–$50 per ton, depending on the type. Crushed limestone runs $35–$54 per yard and pea gravel $29–$86. Bags cost $2–$8 each. Delivery adds about $10–$25 per ton.
Sources
- Smoky Mountain Sand & Gravel (Maryville, TN): Aggregate tons vs. cubic yardssmokymountainsg.com
- HomeGuide: How much does crushed stone or gravel cost? (December 19, 2025)homeguide.com
- Maine Department of Environmental Protection: Camp Road Maintenance Manualmaine.gov
- QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel (No. 1151), 50 lb bag, 0.5 cu. ft.quikrete.com