Gravel calculator
Add your areas and the depth you want. You get cubic yards, tons and bags, worked out from the density of the material, which is what the yard actually weighs and charges by.
Inputs
Result
Coverage per ton
Square feet one ton covers at each depth, at the density you have selected.
| Depth | Sq ft per ton | Sq ft per cubic yard |
|---|
How it is worked out
A 10 by 20 ft path 3 in deep is 50 cu ft, or 1.85 cubic yards. At 105 lb per cubic foot that weighs 5,250 lb, or 2.6 tons.
Why weight depends on the material
Quarries sell stone by the ton and landscape yards often by the yard, and the conversion between them is the density. Dry gravel runs about 105 lb per cubic foot, wet gravel 125 and dry sand 97, by Engineering ToolBox's figures. That is about 1.4 tons a yard for gravel and 1.3 for sand, which is where the rules of thumb come from. Moisture and grading move it either way, so if your supplier quotes their own figure, enter it as a custom density.
Depth guide
- Decorative cover and paths: 2 to 3 in. Deeper loose gravel is hard to walk on.
- Driveway top layer: 4 in or more of crushed stone over a compacted base.
- Base under pavers or a shed: 4 to 6 in of crushed stone, compacted in lifts, more on clay or for vehicles.
- Drainage around a footing drain: as specified, typically washed stone in fabric.
Questions
How many tons of gravel do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches, divide by 12 for cubic feet, then multiply by about 105 lb per cubic foot and divide by 2,000. A 200 sq ft area 3 in deep needs about 2.6 tons.
How many square feet does a ton of gravel cover?
About 76 sq ft at 3 in deep and 57 sq ft at 4 in, for dry gravel at 105 lb per cubic foot. At 2 in it covers about 114 sq ft.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
About 1.4 tons, or 2,835 lb, dry. Wet gravel is nearer 1.7 tons. Ask your supplier for their figure, because grading and moisture change it.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
Typically 4 to 6 in of crushed stone over a compacted base layer of larger stone, which may itself be 4 to 8 in or more depending on the soil. Loose decorative gravel deeper than about 3 in ruts under tires.
Is it cheaper to buy gravel in bags or bulk?
Bulk is far cheaper per ton once you need more than about half a yard. A yard of gravel is about 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
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