Gravel Calculator

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Formula

Volume = L × W × D × (1 + Waste ÷ 100); Weight = Volume × Density

L, W: length and width of the area (for a circle, π × (diameter ÷ 2)² replaces L × W)
D: depth of gravel, converted to the same unit as L and W
Waste: extra allowance in percent for compaction and uneven ground (default 10%)
Density: bulk weight per unit volume (default 1.4 US tons per cubic yard)

What the gravel calculator does

Gravel is measured by volume but often priced by weight. This gravel calculator turns the size of your driveway, path or bed into cubic yards, adds an allowance for compaction, and converts the volume into tons using a density you can adjust. It covers rectangular areas and circles, in feet and inches or in meters and centimeters.

How to use it

Choose Rectangle for driveways, paths, patios and beds, or Circle for round beds, fire-pit pads and tree rings.
Enter the length and width (or diameter) and the depth. Each field has its own unit, so feet and inches can be mixed.
Keep the 10% allowance or change it. Gravel settles as it’s spread and tamped, so 10–15% is normal.
Keep the typical density of 1.4 tons per cubic yard, or switch to your supplier’s figure in tons per cubic yard, pounds per cubic foot, tonnes per cubic meter or kilograms per cubic meter.

The result shows the weight first, then the volume in cubic yards, cubic meters and cubic feet, and the weight in pounds or kilograms.

How to calculate gravel by hand

A rectangle

Take a 20 × 10 ft patio base, 4 inches deep.

Convert the depth to feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft.
Volume: 20 × 10 × 0.333 = 66.67 ft³.
Cubic yards: 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 yd³.
Add 10%: 2.47 × 1.10 = 2.72 yd³.
Tons: 2.72 × 1.4 = 3.8 tons, or about 7,600 lb.

A circle

An 8 ft tree ring, 3 inches deep: π × 4² × 0.25 = 12.57 ft³, which is 0.47 yd³. At 1.4 tons per yard that’s about 0.65 tons before the allowance.

Gravel per 100 square feet

Calculated with the gravel calculator for a 10 × 10 ft area at the default 1.4 tons per cubic yard, with no allowance added.

Depth	Cubic feet	Cubic yards	Tons	Pounds
2 in	16.7	0.62	0.86	1,728
3 in	25	0.93	1.3	2,593
4 in	33.3	1.23	1.73	3,457
6 in	50	1.85	2.59	5,185

Multiply by your area in hundreds of square feet. A 500 ft² path at 3 inches needs about 5 × 0.93 = 4.6 cubic yards, or 6.5 tons.

Gravel density and why it matters

Density is the weight of a given volume, and it changes from one product to another. Gorham Sand & Gravel, for example, publishes about 1.3 tons per cubic yard for sand, 1.4 for gravel and 1.5 for stone. Engineering ToolBox lists dry gravel at 105 lb/ft³ and wet gravel at 125 lb/ft³, so a load that has been rained on weighs noticeably more. If you’re buying by the ton, a supplier’s figure for their own product beats any general rule, and the gravel calculator’s custom density option lets you use it.

Choosing a depth

Decorative beds and mulch replacement: 2–3 inches of pea gravel or river rock.
Garden paths: 2–3 inches of a fine, compactable gravel over landscape fabric.
Driveways: typically 4–6 inches of compacted gravel, sometimes over a thicker layer of larger base stone. Heavy trucks and soft soil need more.
Under concrete slabs or pavers: often 4 inches of compacted base. The concrete calculator sizes the slab on top.

Ordering tips

Compare quotes on the same basis. If one yard quotes per cubic yard and a quarry per ton, convert one into the other with the density the supplier gives you, not a general figure.
Check the minimum load. Many suppliers deliver a set minimum, so a small path can cost the same as a larger order. Combine jobs where you can.
Plan where the truck tips. A dump truck drops the whole load in one pile, so choose a spot close to the work and protect the lawn or drive with a tarp.
Order base and top layers separately. Coarse base stone and a finer top dressing often have different densities and prices.

Common mistakes

Leaving the depth in inches. 20 × 10 × 4 = 800 is twelve times too much. Divide inches by 12 first.
Dividing by 9 instead of 27. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
Confusing short tons and tonnes. A US ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,205 lb.
Skipping the compaction allowance. A compacted base can lose 10–15% of its loose volume.
Measuring an irregular area as one rectangle. Split it up with the square footage calculator, then multiply the total by the depth.

Glossary

Cubic yard: 27 ft³, or 0.765 m³.
Short ton: 2,000 lb, the US ton.
Bulk density: the weight of loose material per unit of volume, including the air between stones.
Crusher run: crushed stone mixed with stone dust that packs into a firm base.

Worked examples

A gravel driveway, 4 inches deep

A 60 ft × 12 ft driveway, 4 in deep, 10% extra, default density of 1.4 tons per cubic yard.

Inputs (Rectangle): Length = 60; Length unit = Feet; Width = 12; Width unit = Feet; Depth = 4; Depth unit = Inches; Waste allowance = 10 %

Volume = 60 ft × 12 ft × 0.333 ft = 8.889 yd³ With 10% extra: 8.889 yd³ × 1.1 = 9.778 yd³ Weight: 9.778 yd³ × 1.4 ton/yd³ = 13.69 tons

Answer: For the area, plan on about 9.78 cubic yards (13.69 tons) of gravel, including 10% extra.

A pea gravel path with a supplier density

A 30 ft × 3 ft garden path, 2 in deep, 10% extra, with the supplier quoting 100 lb per cubic foot.

Inputs (Rectangle): Length = 30; Length unit = Feet; Width = 3; Width unit = Feet; Depth = 2; Depth unit = Inches; Waste allowance = 10 %; Gravel density = Enter my supplier's density; Density = 100; Density unit = pounds per cubic foot

Volume = 30 ft × 3 ft × 0.167 ft = 0.556 yd³ With 10% extra: 0.556 yd³ × 1.1 = 0.611 yd³ Weight: 0.611 yd³ × 1.35 ton/yd³ = 0.83 tons

Answer: For the area, plan on about 0.61 cubic yards (0.83 tons) of gravel, including 10% extra.

A round fire-pit pad in metric

A 4 m circle, 10 cm deep, 15% extra for compaction, density 1.6 t/m³.

Inputs (Circle): Diameter = 4; Diameter unit = Meters; Depth = 10; Depth unit = Centimeters; Waste allowance = 15 %; Gravel density = Enter my supplier's density; Density = 1.6; Density unit = tonnes per cubic meter

Volume = π × (4 m ÷ 2)² × 0.1 m = 1.257 m³ With 15% extra: 1.257 m³ × 1.15 = 1.445 m³ Weight: 1.445 m³ × 1.6 t/m³ = 2.31 t

Answer: For the circle, plan on about 1.45 m³ (2.31 t) of gravel, including 15% extra.

A small bed with no extra (edge case)

A 9 ft × 3 ft bed filled 1 ft deep is exactly 1 cubic yard; with no extra and the default density it weighs 1.4 tons.

Inputs (Rectangle): Length = 9; Length unit = Feet; Width = 3; Width unit = Feet; Depth = 12; Depth unit = Inches; Waste allowance = 0 %

Volume = 9 ft × 3 ft × 1 ft = 1 yd³ With 0% extra: 1 yd³ × 1 = 1 yd³ Weight: 1 yd³ × 1.4 ton/yd³ = 1.4 tons

Answer: For the area, plan on about 1 cubic yards (1.4 tons) of gravel, including 0% extra.

Assumptions and limitations

This is an estimate only, not engineering advice. Base thickness for driveways that carry heavy vehicles should follow local guidance or an engineer's design.
Default density is 1.4 short tons per cubic yard (2,800 lb per cubic yard), the figure Gorham Sand & Gravel publishes for gravel. It agrees with the 105 lb/ft³ that Engineering ToolBox lists for dry gravel (105 × 27 ÷ 2,000 = 1.42 tons per yard). Real density varies with stone type, size and moisture, so use your supplier's figure when you have it.
The waste allowance defaults to 10% if left empty. It covers settling when gravel is spread and compacted, and ground that is not perfectly level. Use 15% or more for a compacted driveway base.
Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb). Metric results use tonnes (1,000 kg). Conversion factors follow NIST.
US units are the default. Enter the length in meters or centimeters to see the result in cubic meters and tonnes.

Frequently asked questions

How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?

About 1.4 tons (2,800 lb) for typical gravel. Washed stone can be 1.3–1.5 tons and dense crusher run or road base up to about 1.5 tons. Ask your supplier for the weight of the product you're buying.

How much gravel do I need for a driveway?

Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by 1.4 for tons. A 50 × 10 ft driveway 4 inches deep needs 6.17 cubic yards, or about 8.6 tons, before any extra allowance.

How deep should gravel be?

Walkways and decorative beds are usually 2–3 inches deep. Driveways commonly use 4–6 inches of compacted gravel, often over a thicker base of larger stone. Soft or wet soil needs more.

How many square feet does a ton of gravel cover?

At 1.4 tons per cubic yard, one ton is about 19.3 ft³. Spread 2 inches deep it covers about 116 ft²; at 3 inches about 77 ft²; at 4 inches about 58 ft².

Is gravel sold by the yard or by the ton?

Both. Many landscape yards sell by the cubic yard, while quarries usually sell by the ton. The calculator shows both so you can compare quotes.

How do I convert yards of gravel to tons?

Multiply cubic yards by the density in tons per yard. At 1.4 tons per yard, 5 cubic yards is 7 tons. To go the other way, divide tons by 1.4.

Sources

Calculating Cubic Yards vs. Tons — Gorham Sand & Gravel. Checked October 12, 2026.
Dirt and Mud - Densities — The Engineering ToolBox. Checked October 12, 2026.
NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9: Factors for units listed by kind of quantity — National Institute of Standards and Technology. Checked October 12, 2026.