How it works
Enter the area and depth you want to cover and the calculator gives the volume in cubic yards and the weight in tons, which is how most quarries and landscape yards price gravel.
Weight depends on the stone. Crushed stone runs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, pea gravel and river rock a little less, and dense road base (Class 5, 21AA, crusher run) about 1.5 tons. Pick a material or enter your supplier's figure.
The default adds 10% because angular stone compacts when it is spread and rolled, and edges are never perfectly square. A driveway usually needs 4 to 6 inches of base topped with 2 to 3 inches of surface stone.
Formula
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × (1 + extra). Tons = cubic yards × density (tons per cubic yard).
Questions people ask
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
Most gravel and crushed stone weighs 2,600 to 3,000 lb per cubic yard, or about 1.3 to 1.5 US tons. Wet or fine material is at the heavier end.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
A common build is 4 to 6 inches of compacted base (road base or larger crushed stone) with 2 to 3 inches of finer surface stone on top. Soft or clay soils need more base.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
At 2 inches deep, one ton of crushed stone covers roughly 115 square feet. At 4 inches deep it covers about 58 square feet.
Is a ton the same as a tonne?
No. A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,205 lb. The calculator shows both.