Gravel Driveway Calculator
Enter your driveway dimensions and depth to estimate the gravel needed in cubic yards and tons, sized for a durable base and topcoat.
Results
- Volume needed
- 5.93 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 6.52 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 160 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 4.53 m³
- Estimated weight
- 9.13 tons
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Enter your driveway dimensions and depth to estimate the gravel needed in cubic yards and tons, sized for a durable base and topcoat.
How to use the gravel driveway 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
- 40 ft
- Width
- 12 ft
- Depth
- 4 in
- Waste factor
- 10 %
Results
- Volume needed
- 5.93 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 6.52 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 160 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 4.53 m³
- Estimated weight
- 9.13 tons
Using the example values above, the gravel driveway calculator returns 5.93 cu yd (volume needed). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
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.
Formula
Volume (cu ft) = area × depth ÷ 12. Cubic yards = cu ft ÷ 27. Waste-adjusted = volume × (1 + waste%).
Frequently asked questions
- How deep should a gravel driveway be?
- Build 4–6 inches total, ideally as a 3–4 inch crushed-stone base topped with 1–2 inches of finer surface gravel.
- How many tons of gravel for a driveway?
- Calculate cubic yards (area × depth ÷ 27) and multiply by about 1.4 to get tons.
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