Gravel Calculator
Cubic yards and tons of gravel for a driveway, path or bed, with an allowance for settling.
This gravel calculator gives the cubic yards and tons of gravel an area needs. Enter the size and the depth, and you’ll see the numbers update as you type. The weight is there too.
The conversion is where orders go wrong. A cubic yard of gravel doesn’t have one weight, and the published figures don’t agree. How big is the gap? The page is built around it.
How the Gravel Calculator Works
The calculator multiplies length, width and depth to get cubic feet. It divides by 27 for cubic yards and adds an allowance for settling and waste. Then it multiplies by the weight of a cubic yard to get tons.
- Depth is whatever you set. It depends on the use and the soil, so ask your supplier or county extension office instead of trusting one number.
- The allowance is 10%. Inch Calculator says it’s generally a good idea to order an additional 10%.
- Weight is 1.4 tons per cubic yard, a middle value. Published figures run from about 1.3 to 1.5 and wider, and the next section shows what that does to an order.
With the example values (a 20 by 12 foot area, 4 inches deep), the order is about 3.3 cubic yards, which weighs roughly 4.6 tons. I checked the math by hand and tested the calculator on worked examples.
How Much Does a Cubic Yard of Gravel Weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel weighs between about 1.1 and 1.7 tons, depending on the stone, its size and how wet it is. The three sources I read each land in a different place, and all of them are reasonable.
- Inch Calculator lists gravel from 1/4 to 2 inches at 1.4 to 1.7 tons per cubic yard, pea gravel at 1.25 to 1.5, and larger rock from 2 to 6 inches at 1.1 to 1.4.
- Omni Calculator reports that a cubic yard of gravel can weigh between 2,400 and 2,900 pounds, which is 1.2 to 1.45 tons.
- Hunker puts 3/4 inch coarse gravel at about 2,565 pounds, or 1.28 tons.
That’s a wide spread for one word. So which number should you use? Your supplier’s, and the weight box in the calculator takes it.
How Many Tons for 100 Square Feet?
This table shows how far the weight assumption moves an order. It covers 100 square feet at each depth, with no settling allowance, so it scales to any area.
| Depth | 1.3 tons/cu yd | 1.4 tons/cu yd | 1.5 tons/cu yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 0.80 tons | 0.86 tons | 0.93 tons |
| 3 in | 1.20 tons | 1.30 tons | 1.39 tons |
| 4 in | 1.60 tons | 1.73 tons | 1.85 tons |
| 6 in | 2.41 tons | 2.59 tons | 2.78 tons |
At 4 inches deep, 100 square feet takes 1.60 tons at 1.3 tons per cubic yard and 1.85 tons at 1.5. On a 12 by 50 foot driveway that gap is almost a ton and a half.
Ask for the weight before you order, not after.
How Far Will a Ton of Gravel Go?
One ton at 4 inches deep covers about 58 square feet, and at 2 inches it covers about 116. The table shows the area one ton covers at each depth, at 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
| Depth | One ton covers (at 1.4 tons/cu yd) |
|---|---|
| 2 in | 116 sq ft at this depth |
| 3 in | 77 sq ft at this depth |
| 4 in | 58 sq ft at this depth |
| 6 in | 39 sq ft at this depth |
Coverage halves as the depth doubles. Spread it thin to stretch a load and you’ll lose depth fast.
Common Jobs Worked Out
Here are five typical jobs with a 10% allowance and 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Change the weight if your supplier gives a different figure.
| Job | Size | Depth | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walkway | 3 by 30 ft | 2 in | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| Shed pad | 10 by 12 ft | 4 in | 1.6 | 2.3 |
| Parking pad | 12 by 20 ft | 4 in | 3.3 | 4.6 |
| Driveway | 12 by 50 ft | 4 in | 8.2 | 11.4 |
| Long driveway | 12 by 100 ft | 6 in | 24.4 | 34.2 |
On long runs like drives, a small change in depth moves the order a lot. Going from 4 to 6 inches on a 12 by 100 foot drive means about 16 cubic yards become about 24.
How Do I Measure an Odd-Shaped Area?
Split it into rectangles and add them up. It isn’t complicated. Measure each piece, run it through the calculator and add the cubic yards. For a circle, enter the diameter in the width box and pick Circle.
Gravel often goes with drainage work. If water is the reason for digging, French drains for standing water explains when a drain works and when it fails. The French drain calculator sizes the trench and stone.
For soakaways, dry wells for drainage covers sizing and the perc test. Deciding between patching and a rebuild? Driveway repair lays out the choice.
Gravel Questions
Should I order by the ton or by the cubic yard?
Use whichever the supplier sells by, and ask for both numbers. Yards say how much space it fills. Tons say what it costs and what the truck hauls.
How much extra gravel should I order?
Inch Calculator suggests an additional 10% for overage. It adds that compaction can reduce volume by about 30% for some materials, and that not all gravel needs compacting. For a compacted base, ask the supplier how much that stone settles.
How do I convert cubic yards to tons?
Multiply the cubic yards by the weight of a cubic yard. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, 3.3 cubic yards is 4.6 tons. Check that 1.4 with the supplier first.
