Gravel Calculator
How much gravel do you need? Enter your area and depth to get cubic yards, tons, cubic feet, bags, and cost — for driveways, patios, French drains, and everything in between.
- Calculators
- 43
- Stone types
- 10
- Cost
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How much gravel do I need?
Works for any rectangular, circular, or triangular area. Add your supplier's price per ton to cost the job exactly.
Most-used calculators
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Gravel Driveway Calculator
Size a full gravel driveway, including the three-layer build that professionals actually use.
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Gravel Cost Calculator
Total delivered cost for your gravel project, including material, haul fees, and optional spreading labor.
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Cubic Yards to Tons Calculator
Convert between cubic yards and tons for any gravel type, using real in-place densities.
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Pea Gravel Calculator
Pea gravel quantity and cost for patios, play areas, dog runs, and garden beds.
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French Drain Gravel Calculator
Gravel, pipe, and fabric quantities for a French drain trench of any length and depth.
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Paver Base Calculator
Base gravel and bedding sand for a paver patio, walkway, or driveway.
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Paver Calculator
How many pavers you need by size, joint and pattern — plus the base gravel, sand and pallets.
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Retaining Wall Block Calculator
Blocks, caps, base gravel and drainage stone for a straight or circular block retaining wall.
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Stone & Rock Calculator
How much rock you need in tons and cubic yards — crushed, base, river, drain, or decorative rock.
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Mulch Calculator
How much mulch you need in cubic yards and 2 or 3 cu ft bags, with bulk versus bagged cost.
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Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards, tons, and bags of topsoil for new lawns, garden beds, and raised beds.
Open calculator →How to calculate gravel
Gravel is sold by volume (cubic yards) or weight (tons), so every estimate is two steps: find the volume, then convert it to weight with the density of the stone you are buying.
- Area = length × width in feet (circle: 3.1416 × radius²; triangle: base × height ÷ 2).
- Cubic feet = area × depth in inches ÷ 12.
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27.
- Tons = cubic yards × density (about 1.35–1.5 tons per cubic yard for common gravel).
- Order 10% extra for compaction, 15% over soft ground.
Worked example: a 20 ft × 12 ft parking pad at 4 inches deep is 240 sq ft × 4 ÷ 12 = 80 cubic feet. 80 ÷ 27 = 2.96 cubic yards. With 10% extra that is 3.26 cubic yards, and at 1.5 tons per cubic yard of crusher run, about 4.9 tons. At $22–$40 a ton that is roughly $108–$196 of stone before delivery.
Gravel weight and price by type
The densities the calculator uses, and the 2026 national average delivered price range per ton. Local prices vary with haul distance — enter your own quote in the calculator for an exact figure.
| Stone | Size | Tons per yd³ | lb per ft³ | Price per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crusher Run / #411 (base) | 0 – 3/4" with fines | 1.5 | 111 | $22–$40 |
| #57 Crushed Stone (3/4") | 3/4" | 1.4 | 104 | $30–$55 |
| #8 Crushed Stone (3/8") | 3/8" | 1.4 | 104 | $32–$58 |
| #4 Crushed Stone (1.5") | 1.5" – 2.5" | 1.35 | 100 | $30–$52 |
| Pea Gravel (3/8" rounded) | 3/8" rounded | 1.35 | 100 | $35–$70 |
| River Rock (1" – 2") | 1" – 2" rounded | 1.35 | 100 | $55–$130 |
| Decomposed Granite | 1/4" and fines | 1.4 | 104 | $40–$85 |
| Crushed Limestone | 3/4" with fines | 1.45 | 107 | $28–$50 |
| Marble Chips | 1/2" – 1" | 1.35 | 100 | $90–$200 |
| Coarse / Bedding Sand | Fine | 1.35 | 100 | $25–$45 |
Full price breakdown, delivery fees and regional notes: gravel cost guide. Converting a quote? Use the cubic yards to tons calculator.
How much area does gravel cover?
Square feet covered by one cubic yard, and by one ton of crushed stone at 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 ton covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 116 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 77 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 58 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 39 sq ft |
| 8 in | 41 sq ft | 29 sq ft |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft | 19 sq ft |
Working backwards from a budget or a pile you already have? The gravel coverage calculator does it for any stone.
How deep should your gravel be?
Depth drives everything — get this wrong and every other number is wrong too. These are finished, compacted depths.
| Application | Recommended depth |
|---|---|
| Decorative bed / mulch replacement | 2" |
| Walkway or garden path | 2 – 3" |
| Patio base (under pavers) | 4 – 6" |
| Driveway top layer | 2 – 3" |
| New driveway, total build | 8 – 12" |
| Shed or parking pad base | 4 – 6" |
| French drain trench | 12 – 18" |
Not sure? The depth calculator picks it for you, and tells you how deep the stone you already have will actually spread.
Browse by category
Volume & Weight
Cubic yards, tons, coverage, and bag counts for any area.
Cost & Delivery
Material cost, delivery fees, and total installed project price.
Driveway
Multi-layer driveway bases, gravel depth, and resurfacing.
Landscaping
Pea gravel, river rock, decomposed granite, patios, and fire pits.
Drainage & Base
French drains, paver base, shed pads, and sub-base layers.
Sand, Soil & Mulch
Mulch, topsoil, sand, paver sand, polymeric sand, play sand, and pool bases.
Concrete & Comparisons
Concrete slabs with a gravel base, gravel versus concrete and asphalt, and delivery loads.
Gear for gravel projects
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Get the Gravel & Stone Calculator app for Android
Estimate gravel, stone, sand, and mulch on the job site, save projects, and share quantities with your supplier.
Building something else? Try our sister calculators
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Android app — drywall sheets, mud, and tape estimates.
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Android app — sod rolls, pallets, and coverage.
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Smart Tile Calculator
Android app — tile, grout, and thinset quantities.
Smart Fencing Calculator
Android app — fence cost estimates on the go.
Frequently asked questions
- How much gravel do I need?
- Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 20 ft × 12 ft area at 4 inches deep needs about 2.96 cubic yards, or roughly 4.4 tons of crushed stone. Add 10% for compaction.
- How many tons is a cubic yard of gravel?
- Between 1.35 and 1.5 tons depending on the stone. Crusher run is heaviest at about 1.5 tons per cubic yard, #57 stone is about 1.4, and rounded pea gravel is about 1.35.
- How much does gravel cost?
- Bulk gravel runs $22 to $70 per ton delivered in 2026. Crusher run is cheapest at $22–$40, #57 stone $30–$55, pea gravel $35–$70, and decorative river rock $55–$130. Delivery adds $60–$150 per load.
- How deep should gravel be?
- Two inches for decorative beds, two to three inches for walkways, four to six inches for patio and shed bases, and eight to twelve inches for a new driveway built in compacted layers.
- How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
- About 115 square feet at 2 inches deep, 77 square feet at 3 inches, or 58 square feet at 4 inches deep, for typical crushed stone at 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
- How many bags of gravel make a cubic yard?
- A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 54 of the common 0.5 cubic foot (about 50 lb) bags. Bulk delivery is almost always cheaper above half a cubic yard.
- How do I calculate gravel for a circle?
- Area = 3.1416 × radius². A 10 ft diameter fire-pit area is 78.5 sq ft; at 3 inches deep that is 19.6 cubic feet, or 0.73 cubic yards. Choose Circle in the calculator and enter the diameter.