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Gravel Calculator
Gravel is sold by weight, so most people get this wrong. Enter the area and depth and this returns cubic yards and the tons to order from the yard.
How the gravel calculation works
- Measure the area to be covered in feet.
- Choose your depth — 2 in for a decorative top layer, 4 in for a walking path, 6 in or more for a driveway base.
- Convert inches to feet and multiply by area for cubic feet.
- Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
- Multiply cubic yards by 1.4 for the tonnage — this is the number stone yards actually sell in.
The formula
Volume (ft³) = Length × Width × Depth(in) ÷ 12. Cubic yards = ft³ ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × 1.4.
Buying materials?
Compare prices before you order:
- Crushed stone paste your link here
- Landscape fabric paste your link here
- Steel rake paste your link here
Common questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Roughly 1.4 US tons, though it ranges from 1.25 for lighter decorative stone to 1.45 for dense crushed rock. This calculator uses 1.4, which is a safe middle figure.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
Six inches minimum of crushed base for a driveway, topped with two to three inches of decorative stone if you want it. A foot of base is better on soft ground. Paths only need two to four inches.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
About 100 ft² at two inches deep. Since a ton covers roughly 14 ft³ spread at 2 inches, it works out to about 100 ft².
Do I need a weed barrier under gravel?
For decorative beds, yes — a woven fabric stops weeds coming through. For driveways, no: use compacted base material instead, because fabric tears under vehicle loads.
Why is gravel sold by the ton instead of the yard?
Because weight is what governs the truck load and the material cost, and moisture content changes the weight far more than the volume. Yards are just a convenient middle unit for estimating.
Sizes people search for
Jump straight to a worked example:
- How Much Gravel for 10×10 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 10×10 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 10×10 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 12×12 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 12×12 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 12×12 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×10 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×10 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×10 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×20 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×20 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 20×20 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×10 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×10 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×10 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×12 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×12 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 30×12 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 40×12 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 40×12 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 40×12 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 50×12 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 50×12 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 50×12 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 24×24 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 24×24 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 24×24 ft at 6 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 16×8 ft at 2 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 16×8 ft at 4 Inches Deep?
- How Much Gravel for 16×8 ft at 6 Inches Deep?