Crunch Gravel Calculator
Gravel is sold three ways — by the cubic yard, by the ton, and by the bag — and quoted one way while you measure another. Enter length, width and depth and get all three numbers plus what each route costs.
Density 1.4 tons/yd³ is typical crushed stone; pea gravel runs about 1.3, dense road base up to 1.6. Depth guide: 2–3 in for paths and top-ups, 4–6 in for driveway bases.
How it works
Volume first: length × width × depth (in feet) gives cubic feet; divide by 27 for cubic yards. Tons = cubic yards × density — weight is how bulk yards actually price and deliver gravel. Bags divide the cubic feet by the bag size (0.5 cu ft is the common hardware-store bag). Costs are shown for both routes, because bags win on tiny jobs and lose badly on big ones.
Formula & worked example
Formula: Volume = length × width × depth in feet. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × density (about 1.4 tons per yard for crushed stone). Bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size (0.5 cu ft for the standard hardware-store bag).
Worked example: A 20 × 10 ft driveway area at 3 in deep is 50 cu ft: 1.85 cubic yards, 2.59 tons, or 100 bags. Bulk at $40 a yard costs about $74.07 — the same gravel in $5 bags would run $500.
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel for a 20 × 10 ft area, 3 inches deep?
That is 50 cubic feet: 1.85 cubic yards, about 2.59 tons at standard density, or 100 of the 0.5 cu ft bags. Bulk at $40 a yard costs about $74 — the same coverage in $5 bags runs $500, which is why bags are for patch jobs, not driveways.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
About 1.4 tons for typical crushed stone — a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet of rock, and rock is heavy. Pea gravel is nearer 1.3 tons, dense graded base up to 1.6. When a supplier quotes by the ton, this conversion is the whole ballgame.
How deep should driveway gravel be?
In layers: 4–6 inches of large base stone, 2–3 of medium, 2–3 of fine top stone on a proper build — 8–12 inches total. This calculator works per layer; run it once for each with that layer’s depth.
How much extra should I order?
About 10% over the computed volume covers uneven ground, spillage and compaction. For a single delivery, rounding up is cheap insurance: a second small delivery usually costs more in fees than the extra half-yard would have.
🌱 Mulch for the beds next to it?
Same volume math, garden edition — cubic yards, 2 cu ft bags and cost.