Gravel Calculator
Calculate the cubic yards and tons of gravel needed to fill any rectangular area.
Example
For a driveway 20 ft long × 10 ft wide at 3 inches deep: area = 200 sq ft, volume = 200 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft = 1.85 cu yd. At 1.4 ton/cu yd that's about 2.59 tons of gravel.
How it works
Multiply length × width to get the area, then multiply by depth (converted to feet) for cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards, and multiply cubic yards by ~1.4 to estimate tons.
Good to know
The Gravel Calculator turns the dimensions of a rectangular area into the volume and weight of stone you need to fill it. You type a length, width and depth (each in your choice of feet, yards, meters, inches or centimeters), and it instantly returns cubic yards, cubic feet, estimated tons and the surface area. It's aimed at homeowners and DIYers pricing out a driveway, path, patio base, French drain or decorative bed, but it's equally handy for landscapers and contractors doing a quick takeoff before calling a supplier.
Reach for it whenever a quote is sold by volume or weight and you only know the footprint you want to cover. Gravel yards almost always price by the cubic yard or by the ton, so the calculator bridges the gap between "I have a 20-by-10 patch I want 3 inches deep" and an order quantity you can actually place. Because everything runs locally, you can run a dozen what-if scenarios at the curb without a connection.
To read the result, treat cubic yards (the big number) as your ordering unit for bulk deliveries and tons as the cross-check if your supplier sells by weight. The tons figure depends entirely on the density field, which defaults to 1.4 tons per cubic yard; if your stone is heavier or lighter, change that number and the tonnage updates while the volume stays the same. The area readout is a useful sanity check that you entered length and width correctly.
One practical caveat: the math assumes a flat, even rectangle, so for L-shaped or irregular jobs, split the space into rectangles and add the results. Always order a bit more than the calculator shows, because gravel settles and compacts and some is lost to spillage and uneven subgrade.
- Cubic yards: the standard unit for bulk gravel deliveries
- Tons: useful when your supplier prices by weight, driven by the density field
- Area and cubic feet: quick checks and bagged-product estimates
Frequently asked questions
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
Most dry gravel weighs roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard, though it ranges from about 1.2 to 1.7 depending on the stone type and moisture. Adjust the density field if your supplier gives a different figure.
How deep should a gravel layer be?
For walkways 2 inches is common, driveways usually need 3-4 inches per layer (often 8-12 inches total over a base), and decorative ground cover is typically 2-3 inches. Order about 10% extra to allow for compaction.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — this calculator runs entirely in your browser. Your inputs never leave your device, and it works offline once loaded.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up and no limits.
People also ask
How many bags of gravel do I need from cubic feet?
Divide the calculator's cubic-feet result by the volume printed on the bag. Bagged gravel is commonly sold in 0.5 cubic foot bags, so a 50 cubic foot job would need about 100 bags.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel cover?
One cubic yard (27 cubic feet) covers roughly 100 square feet at about 3 inches deep, 160 square feet at 2 inches, or 80 square feet at 4 inches. Coverage scales inversely with depth.
What is the difference between cubic yards and tons of gravel?
Cubic yards measure volume while tons measure weight, and they are linked by the material's density. The calculator converts between them using your density value, defaulting to about 1.4 tons per cubic yard.
Do I need a base layer under gravel?
Driveways and load-bearing areas usually use a compacted base of larger crushed stone beneath the finish gravel, while light walkways and decorative beds may sit on landscape fabric over soil. Calculate each layer's depth separately and add them.
How do I calculate gravel for a circular or irregular area?
This tool handles rectangles, so break an irregular space into rectangular sections and total the results. For a circle, estimate its area as pi times the radius squared, then back into an equivalent rectangle.
Why is gravel sometimes sold by weight instead of volume?
Trucks and scales make weight a precise, easy-to-measure unit at the quarry, so many suppliers price crushed stone per ton. Volume pricing is more common for bagged products and smaller bulk deliveries.
Does the type of gravel change how much I need?
The volume you need stays the same for a given area and depth, but the weight changes because pea gravel, crushed limestone and river rock have different densities. Adjust the density field to match your specific material for an accurate tonnage.
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