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.
A gravel driveway is built in layers, so this calculator handles length, width and total depth and reports both cubic yards and tons for ordering.
Most residential driveways use 8 to 12 inches of total stone in two or three lifts, each compacted before the next goes down.
Also works as a driveway gravel calculator, driveway stone tonnage calculator, and driveway base estimator.
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.
The three layer driveway build
Bottom layer: 4 inches of large 3 to 4 inch base rock over fabric. Middle layer: 3 to 4 inches of #57 stone. Top layer: 3 to 4 inches of crusher run or #411, which locks in and sheds water.
A typical 12 by 50 ft driveway at 10 inches total needs about 18.5 cubic yards, roughly 26 tons, delivered across two or three loads.
Yearly top ups
Expect to add 1 to 2 inches of surface stone every two to three years as gravel works into the subgrade and gets pushed to the edges.
Grading with a box blade before adding new stone is far more effective than simply dumping more gravel on ruts.
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 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.
- How many tons of gravel for a driveway?
- Multiply length by width by depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by 1.4 for tons. A 12 by 50 ft driveway at 6 inches is about 11 cubic yards or 15.5 tons.
- What is the cheapest gravel for a driveway?
- Crusher run or quarry process is usually the lowest cost per ton and compacts the hardest, which is why it is the standard surface layer.
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