Gravel & Base Calculator
Turn the size of a driveway, pad or path into cubic yards and tons of gravel, with a compaction allowance for base material.
How it's calculated
Volume is area times depth: the calculator converts your depth to feet, multiplies, and divides cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.
Quarries sell most stone by the ton, so the yards are multiplied by a typical weight for the material, from about 1.1 tons per yard for fill dirt to 1.5 for crusher run. Weights vary by quarry and moisture; use the custom option if your supplier gives you a number.
Base material that gets compacted loses volume. Adding 10–15% covers it.
Worked example
A 60 × 10 ft driveway with 4" of #57 stone: 600 × (4 ÷ 12) = 200 ft³, or 7.41 yd³. At 1.4 tons per yard that is 10.4 tons, a single tandem load.
Field notes
- For a new gravel drive, use 4–6" of compacted crusher run under 2–3" of #57 or similar surface stone.
- Ask the yard what their material weighs per yard. It is the most common source of short orders.
- Edge the drive or path so stone does not migrate into the lawn.
- Geotextile fabric under the base keeps stone from pushing into soft clay.
Common questions
- How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
- Most crushed stone weighs about 1.4 tons (2,800 lb) per cubic yard. Crusher run is about 1.5 tons, sand about 1.35.
- How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
- Plan on 8–12" total over native soil: a compacted base of crusher run topped with 2–3" of clean stone.
- How many tons fit in a dump truck?
- A single-axle truck carries roughly 6–8 tons; a tandem carries about 10–15 tons, depending on local weight limits.