Gravel Calculator
Find out how much gravel or crushed stone to buy for a driveway, path, or pad — in tons and cubic yards — for any stone type, with a cost estimate.
Driveway, path, patio base, or pad
Estimate only. These figures help you plan how much to buy — they are not engineering or structural advice. Actual needs vary with site conditions, waste, and installation method, so order a little extra and confirm final quantities with your supplier or contractor before you buy or start the job.
Popular driveway sizes
Jump to a ready-made answer for a common driveway.
How the gravel calculation works
Gravel is priced by weight, so we find the volume first, then convert to tons using the stone's density.
Rectangle = length × width. Circle = π × radius². Use feet.
Area (sq ft) × depth (ft) = cubic feet. Depth in inches ÷ 12 gives feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
Weight = cubic feet × density (≈ 96–115 lb/cu ft depending on stone). Tons = weight ÷ 2,000.
1 ton covers ~100 sq ft at 2 in, ~70 sq ft at 3 in, ~50 sq ft at 4 in.
Sources & assumptions
Frequently asked questions
How much gravel do I need for a 12x20 driveway at 4 inches?
A 12 ft × 20 ft area is 240 sq ft. At 4 inches deep that's 240 × 0.333 ft = 80 cubic feet, or about 2.96 cubic yards. For crushed stone (~1.42 tons per cubic yard) that's roughly 4.2 tons.
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Most gravel runs about 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard. Pea gravel is near the low end (~1.3), crushed stone around 1.4, and compactable base/crusher run near 1.5. Material varies with moisture and stone size.
How deep should a gravel layer be?
Walkways and decorative beds usually use 2–3 inches. Driveways typically need about 4 inches of gravel (often more with a compacted base layer underneath). Deeper layers and proper compaction improve durability.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
At 2 inches deep, one ton of gravel covers roughly 100 square feet; at 3 inches about 70 sq ft; at 4 inches about 50 sq ft. Coverage depends on the stone's density.
Is gravel sold by the ton or the yard?
Bulk gravel from a quarry or landscape supplier is almost always priced and sold by the ton. This calculator gives you both tons (to order) and cubic yards (to picture the pile).