Gravel Calculator

Calculate how much gravel you need for driveways, paths, and landscaping. Choose from 8 gravel types, get weight in tons, add compaction factor, and estimate total cost with delivery.

🪨 Gravel Calculator

Shape

Material

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Depth (inches)

Depth Unit

Cost per Ton ($)

Delivery Fee ($)

Compaction

VOLUME (incl. 10% overage)

Coverage Area200.00 sq ft

Cubic Yards2.04 cu yd

Cubic Feet55.00 cu ft

WEIGHT

Estimated Weight2.85 tons

Order (rounded up)3 tons

COST

Material Cost$100

Delivery$75

Total Cost$175

💡 How to Calculate Gravel Quantities

Gravel is one of the most versatile landscaping and construction materials in the United States. Whether you're building a driveway, creating a drainage solution, or designing a decorative walkway, knowing how to accurately calculate the amount of gravel you need saves money and prevents costly over- or under-ordering.

Gravel is sold by the ton or by the cubic yard depending on your supplier. Most landscape suppliers sell by the ton for large orders. The calculator above automatically includes a 10% overage for waste and spillage, and optionally adds 30% for compaction if you plan to compact the gravel for driveways or road base.

Convert volume with our cubic yards calculator. Measure area with our square footage calculator. For mulch, see our mulch calculator.

Gravel Types and Specifications

Gravel Type	Size Range	Density (tons/cu yd)	Cost per Ton	Best For
Crushed Stone	¾"–1½"	1.4	$25–$50	Driveways, road base, fill
Pea Gravel	⅜"–½"	1.4	$30–$55	Walkways, patios, dog runs
River Rock	1"–3"	1.5	$40–$70	Decorative landscaping, drainage
Limestone	¾"–2"	1.5	$20–$40	Driveways, pathways, erosion control
Decomposed Granite	⅛"–¼"	1.3	$30–$60	Pathways, patios, xeriscaping
Quarry Process (QP)	Dust–¾"	1.5	$15–$35	Road base, sub-base, paver base
Marble Chips	½"–1"	1.4	$50–$90	Decorative borders, garden accents
Slate Chips	½"–1½"	1.5	$45–$80	Decorative mulch, pathways

Step-by-Step: How to Estimate Gravel Needs

Step 1: Measure the Area

Measure the length and width of the area in feet. For circular areas (tree rings, fire pit surrounds), measure the diameter. For irregular shapes, break into rectangles and circles, then add the results.

Step 2: Determine Depth

Choose depth based on your project type:

Decorative ground cover: 2 inches
Walkways and paths: 2–3 inches
Patios: 3–4 inches
Driveways (light traffic): 4 inches
Driveways (heavy traffic): 6–8 inches
Road base / sub-base: 6–12 inches

Step 3: Calculate Volume

Rectangular: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards

Circular: π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards

Step 4: Convert to Tons

Multiply cubic yards by the material density. Crushed stone: cu yd × 1.4 = tons. River rock: cu yd × 1.5 = tons.

Step 5: Add Overage

Add 10% for waste (spillage during transport and installation). If compacting the gravel (driveways, base layers), add an additional 30% for compaction loss.

How Many Tons in a Cubic Yard of Gravel?

Material	Tons per Cu Yd	Lbs per Cu Yd
Crushed Stone	1.4	2,800
Pea Gravel	1.4	2,800
River Rock	1.5	3,000
Limestone	1.5	3,000
Decomposed Granite	1.3	2,600
Quarry Process	1.5	3,000
Sand	1.3–1.5	2,600–3,000
Topsoil	1.0–1.3	2,000–2,600

Gravel Driveway Depth Guide

A proper gravel driveway is built in three layers for maximum durability:

Layer	Material	Size	Depth	Purpose
Bottom (Sub-base)	Large crushed stone	2"–4"	4–6 inches	Drainage & stability
Middle (Base)	Crushed stone / QP	¾"–1"	3–4 inches	Load-bearing structure
Top (Surface)	Fine gravel or DG	⅜"–¾"	2–3 inches	Smooth driving surface

Total depth: 9–13 inches for a durable residential driveway. A single-layer driveway (4–6 inches) works for light traffic but won't last as long.

Overage and Compaction

Most professionals add 10% extra to account for waste and spillage during transport and spreading. If the gravel will be compacted (compacted with a plate compactor or roller), expect to lose approximately 30% of the volume during the compaction process. This means you need to order 30% more material to achieve the desired finished depth.

Example: If your calculations show you need 5.2 tons, add 10% overage = 5.7 tons. If compacting, add 30%: 5.7 × 1.3 = 7.4 tons.

2025 US Gravel Cost Guide

Gravel Type	Cost per Ton	Cost per Cu Yd	Delivery (5–10 mi)
Crushed Stone	$25–$50	$35–$70	$50–$150
Pea Gravel	$30–$55	$40–$75	$50–$150
River Rock	$40–$70	$55–$100	$50–$200
Limestone	$20–$40	$30–$55	$50–$150
Decomposed Granite	$30–$60	$40–$80	$50–$150
Quarry Process	$15–$35	$20–$50	$50–$100

Delivery: Most suppliers offer free delivery for orders over 10–15 tons. Below that threshold, expect delivery fees of $50–$200 depending on distance. Dump truck loads hold 13–25 tons and cost $455–$1,250+ per full load.

A 20×10 ft driveway area with 3 inches of gravel = 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards ≈ 2.6 tons of crushed stone.