Gravel Calculator
Enter the area you want to cover and the depth, and this gravel calculator gives you cubic yards, tons and bags — plus an estimated cost. Works for pea gravel, crushed stone, road base and decomposed granite.
3″ for paths, 4″+ for parking
Typical bulk gravel: $30–$75 per ton delivered
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Enter a price per ton to estimate cost.
You might also need:Cubic Yard Calculator·River Rock Calculator
How to calculate how much gravel you need
Gravel is sold by the cubic yard or by the ton, but you measure your project in feet and inches. The conversion is simple: multiply length by width by depth to get volume, then convert to cubic yards.
tons = cubic yards × density (tons per yard)
For example, a 20 × 10 ft path at 3 inches deep is 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cubic feet, which is 1.85 cubic yards. At 1.4 tons per yard, that's about 2.6 tons of crushed stone — order 3 tons to be safe.
Gravel coverage chart (per cubic yard)
| Depth | Coverage per cubic yard | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 2″ | 162 sq ft | Top-dressing existing gravel |
| 3″ | 108 sq ft | Paths, walkways, plant beds |
| 4″ | 81 sq ft | Driveway surface layer, patio base |
| 6″ | 54 sq ft | Driveway base, drainage trenches |
| 8″ | 40 sq ft | New driveway (full build-up) |
Tips before you order
- Irregular areas: split the space into rectangles, calculate each, and add them together. For circles, use radius² × 3.14 as the area.
- Compaction: crusher run and road base lose ~10% volume when compacted — order extra if you're building a driveway or shed base.
- Weed fabric first: laying landscape fabric under decorative gravel stops it sinking into the soil and roughly doubles its usable life.
- Delivery beats bags: a single cubic yard equals ~54 half-cubic-foot bags. Above half a yard, bulk delivery is nearly always cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of gravel cover?+
One cubic yard of gravel covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep, or 81 square feet at 4 inches deep. As a rule of thumb: coverage in square feet = 324 ÷ depth in inches.
How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?+
Most gravel weighs 1.4 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. Pea gravel runs about 1.4 tons per yard, while crushed stone and road base run closer to 1.5 tons because they compact more densely.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?+
A gravel driveway needs at least 8 inches of total depth, built in layers: about 4 inches of large base stone (#3), then 3–4 inches of medium stone (#57), topped with 2–3 inches of surface gravel. For a path or patio base, 3–4 inches is usually enough.
Should I order gravel by the ton or by the yard?+
Suppliers sell both ways, and it doesn’t change what you receive — they convert with the same density figures this calculator uses. Bulk delivery is almost always cheaper per unit than bags once you need more than about half a cubic yard.
How much extra gravel should I order?+
Order 5–10% extra to allow for compaction, uneven ground and spillage. Crushed stone that will be compacted can settle by 10% or more, so round up to the supplier’s next half-yard or half-ton increment.