Gravel Calculator
Use this gravel calculator to estimate how much gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel or sand you need for a driveway, path, patio base or garden bed. Enter a rectangle, circle or several sections plus a depth, then read cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, tons, tonnes, optional bags and cost.
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Typical, varies by material and moisture. Adjust to match your supplier.
Cubic yards (cu yd)
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Cubic feet (cu ft)
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Cubic meters (m³)
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US short tons
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Metric tonnes
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Bags needed
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Estimated cost
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Volume = area × depth. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × density. 1 US ton = 0.9072 metric tonnes. The compaction and waste percentage is added to the volume before weight, bags and cost. Estimate only; confirm quantities with your supplier.
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How it works
- How many cubic yards of gravel do I need?
- Multiply length × width (in feet) × depth (in inches) ÷ 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 20 ft × 15 ft area at 4 in deep is 300 × 4 ÷ 12 = 100 cu ft, which is 3.70 cu yd before any extra for compaction.
- How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
- It varies with stone type, size and moisture. Commonly quoted figures run from about 1.2 to 1.5 US tons (roughly 2,400 to 3,000 lb) per cubic yard. This calculator starts at 1.4 tons for crushed stone, 1.3 for pea gravel and 1.35 for sand; treat these as typical defaults and use your supplier's figure if you have it.
- How deep should gravel be for a driveway or path?
- As general guidance only: decorative gravel and light walking paths are often laid about 2–3 in deep, while driveways commonly use around 4–6 in of gravel over a prepared base. Soil, drainage, vehicle weight and local requirements can call for more, so check with your supplier or contractor.
- How much extra gravel should I order for compaction?
- Gravel settles and compacts once it is spread, so many people add roughly 5–15% extra; this calculator defaults to 10%. At 10%, the 100 cu ft example above becomes 110 cu ft, or about 4.07 cu yd. Use more for deep layers that will be compacted heavily.
- Should I order gravel by the ton or by the cubic yard?
- A cubic yard is a volume (27 cu ft); a ton is a weight (2,000 lb for a US short ton). Suppliers sell either way, so convert with density: tons = cubic yards × density. For example, 3.70 cu yd × 1.4 tons per cu yd is about 5.2 US tons, or about 4.7 metric tonnes.