Gravel Calculator
Enter the area and depth of your driveway, path, or bed to get the volume in cubic yards and the estimated weight in tons.
Results
- Volume needed
- 1.85 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 2.04 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 50 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 1.42 m³
- Estimated weight
- 2.85 tons
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Enter the area and depth of your driveway, path, or bed to get the volume in cubic yards and the estimated weight in tons.
Also works as a crushed stone calculator, driveway gravel calculator, and gravel tonnage calculator.
How to use the gravel calculator
- Enter the shape.
- Enter the length in ft.
- Enter the width in ft.
- Enter the depth in in.
- Enter the waste factor in %.
- Optionally add a price to estimate the total project cost.
- Read your quantities instantly — no sign-up, and you can print the estimate to take to the supplier.
Worked example
Inputs
- Shape
- Rectangle / Square
- Length
- 20 ft
- Width
- 10 ft
- Depth
- 3 in
- Waste factor
- 10 %
Results
- Volume needed
- 1.85 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 2.04 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 50 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 1.42 m³
- Estimated weight
- 2.85 tons
Using the example values above, the gravel calculator returns 1.85 cu yd (volume needed). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
Use 2–3 inches for paths and beds, and 4–6 inches for driveways — usually built up in a coarse base layer and a finer topcoat. Crushed stone weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, which is how suppliers price and deliver it.
How much extra should I order?
Always order a little extra. A 5% waste factor suits simple, square projects; 10% is right for most jobs; bump it to 15–20% for irregular shapes, diagonal patterns, or uneven ground. Running short almost always costs more than the leftover material.
Weight per cubic yard
| Material | Tons per cu yd |
|---|---|
| Crushed stone / gravel | 1.4 |
| Pea gravel | 1.4 |
| Sand (dry) | 1.35 |
| River rock | 1.3 |
| Topsoil (moist) | 1.1 |
Formula
Volume (cu ft) = area × depth ÷ 12. Cubic yards = cu ft ÷ 27. Waste-adjusted = volume × (1 + waste%).
Frequently asked questions
- How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
- Use 4–6 inches total, often in two layers of base and topcoat stone.
- How many tons in a cubic yard of gravel?
- Crushed stone weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
- Crushed stone and gravel weigh roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
- Calculate area × depth, convert to cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.4 to get tons. A 20×20 ft driveway at 4 inches is about 2.5 cubic yards, or 3.5 tons.
Related calculators
Pea Gravel Calculator
Estimate tons and cubic yards of pea gravel for paths and patios.
Stone Calculator
Estimate tons and cubic yards of crushed or decorative stone.
Landscape Rock Calculator
Estimate tons and cubic yards of decorative landscape rock.
Gravel Cost Calculator
Estimate gravel cost by entering a price per ton.