Stone Calculator
Calculate how much crushed stone or decorative stone you need by area and depth. Get cubic yards and estimated 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
- 3.06 tons
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Crushed stone is the workhorse base material under patios, driveways, sheds and drainage runs. This calculator converts your area and depth into cubic yards and tons so you can order in supplier units.
Angular crushed stone locks together when compacted, unlike round gravel, which is why it is specified for structural bases.
Also works as a crushed stone calculator, #57 stone calculator, and stone base estimator.
How to use the stone 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
- 3.06 tons
Using the example values above, the stone calculator returns 1.85 cu yd (volume needed). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
Which stone size for which job?
Use #57 stone (about 3/4 inch, clean) for drainage and under slabs. Use crusher run or #21A, which contains fines, when you need a base that compacts hard under pavers or a driveway.
Compaction shrinks loose depth by roughly 20 percent, so order about 1.2 times your finished compacted depth when using crusher run.
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 many tons of stone do I need?
- Multiply cubic yards by about 1.5 to estimate tons of crushed stone.
- What depth of stone should I use?
- Use 2–3 inches for decorative beds and 4 inches or more for driveways.
- How many tons of crushed stone in a cubic yard?
- About 1.4 tons for dry crushed stone, closer to 1.5 tons when wet.
- How thick should a stone base be?
- 4 inches compacted for patios and walkways, 6 to 8 inches for driveways, and up to 12 inches over soft clay soils.
Related calculators
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Sand Calculator
Estimate tons and cubic yards of sand for paver bases and fill.