Gravel Calculator
Estimate gravel and crushed stone in tons and cubic yards.
Result
Enter your area and depth to see how many tons of gravel you need.
A 20 × 10 ft #57 stone bed at 4 in deep needs about 3.80 tons (2.72 cu yd) of material.
You need3.80tons
Order 4 tons — gravel is sold by the whole ton, so round 3.80 up.
- 4 in deep
- ~58 sq ft/ton at this depth
- 10% waste
Includes 10% extra so you won’t run short mid-jobWe rounded up 10% for cuts, off-cuts and spillage — so you don’t run short mid-job.
What you’ll need
- #57 crushed stone4 tons4 in deepShop #57 crushed stone on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Landscape fabricweed barrier under the baseShop landscape fabric weed barrier on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Edging or restraintto hold the edgesShop paver edging restraint on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
- Wheelbarrow & steel rakeShop wheelbarrow and steel garden rake on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
BuildFigure may earn a commission from these links, at no cost to you.
Estimated cost
See the full breakdown
- Volume
- 66.67 cu ft (2.47 cu yd)
- With 10% waste
- 2.72 cu yd
- Weight (incl. waste)
- 3.80 tons
- Order (rounded up)
- 4 tons
- Coverage at this depth
- 1 ton ≈ 58 sq ft · 1 cu yd ≈ 81 sq ft
How this is calculated
- Area = length × width; volume = area × depth (all in feet), ÷ 27 for cubic yards.
- Density: 1.40 tons/cu yd for the selected material (suppliers vary ±10% by moisture and gradation).
- Waste/compaction: +10% added before converting to tons.
- Gravel is sold by the ton; cubic yards shown for reference. Order rounded up to the next whole ton.
How much gravel do I need?
To figure out how much gravel you need, multiply length × width × depth (converted to feet) to get cubic feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, add ~10% for compaction, then multiply by the stone’s density to get tons. For example, a 20 ft × 10 ft driveway at 4 inches of #57 crushed stone needs about 2.72 cubic yards — roughly 3.8 tons (order 4). Enter your area above for an instant, compaction-adjusted estimate in tons and cubic yards.
How to use this calculator
- Pick a shape. Choose a rectangular or circular area.
- Enter dimensions. Type length, width (or diameter) and depth, and pick each unit.
- Choose the stone. Select the material so the right density is used to convert to tons.
- Read your estimate. See cubic yards, tons and a rounded-up order quantity, then save or share it.
Tips & real-world notes
- Order extra for a compacted base — loose delivered gravel shrinks 10–20% when tamped.
- #411 / crusher run has stone dust (fines) that lock together and compact into a solid base — the right pick under pavers, sheds and driveways.
- #57 is open-graded (no fines) and does NOT compact — it stays loose on purpose for drainage, French drains and as a clean driveway top course. Don’t expect it to firm up like crusher run.
- Driveways are usually built in two ~4 in layers: a compacted #411 / crusher-run base plus a finer or decorative top course.
- Bulk delivery usually has a minimum load (often 1–3 tons) plus a delivery fee, so for a tiny job a few bags from the store can work out cheaper once haulage is added.
- Suppliers price by the ton but coverage is intuitive by depth — this estimate shows both.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, add ~10% for compaction, then multiply by density (about 1.40 tons per cubic yard for crushed stone). A 20 ft × 10 ft × 4 in driveway needs about 3.8 tons.
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
About 1.4 tons for pea gravel and #57 crushed stone, 1.5 tons for compacted #411 base, and roughly 1.35 tons for river rock or sand. Moisture and gradation shift these by ±10%.
What waste factor should I use for gravel?
Use 10% for a spread decorative layer and 15–20% for a base course that will be mechanically compacted, since loose gravel loses volume when tamped.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
Plan about 4 inches per layer, often two layers (a coarse base and a finer top), so a full driveway is commonly 6–8 inches total.
Is gravel sold by the ton or the yard?
Bulk gravel is usually sold by the ton, though some suppliers sell by the cubic yard. This calculator shows both so you can order either way.
How many yards of gravel for a driveway?
Work it out from the area and depth. A 20 ft × 10 ft driveway at 4 inches is 200 sq ft × 0.33 ft = 66.7 cu ft ÷ 27 ≈ 2.47 cubic yards; adding 10% for compaction rounds to about 2.72 cubic yards (roughly 3.8 tons of #57). A larger 24 ft × 24 ft two-car pad at 4 inches works out to about 7.8 cubic yards with waste — near 11 tons. Build the base in ~4-inch layers, so a full-depth driveway can double these numbers.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
It depends on depth. A ton of #57 or pea gravel (about 1.40 tons per cubic yard) covers roughly 116 sq ft at 2 inches, 77 sq ft at 3 inches, or 58 sq ft at 4 inches. This calculator shows the exact coverage per ton and per cubic yard for your chosen depth.
What is crusher run?
Crusher run (also called crush-and-run, #411 or ¾" minus) is crushed stone that still contains the fine stone dust from crushing. Those fines pack into the gaps so it compacts into a firm, load-bearing base — the standard pick under driveways, sheds, pavers and patios. It weighs about 1.5 tons per cubic yard. If you want drainage instead, use clean #57 stone, which has the fines screened out.
What’s the difference between #57 stone and #411 / crusher run?
#57 is a clean, open-graded ¾" stone with no fines — it drains freely and stays loose, so it’s used for drainage, French drains and as a driveway top course, and it does not compact. #411 (crusher run) is the same crushed stone plus stone dust; those fines let it compact into a firm, load-bearing base under pavers, sheds and driveways. Use crusher run for the base and #57 where you want drainage.
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