Building materials
Gravel Calculator
Work out how many tons and cubic yards of gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel, or crusher run to order, with the weight each quarry or supplier publishes for that product.
Maintained by Austin Witherow · Updated
Gravel to order
1.68 tons (1.02 yd³)
- Tons
- 1.68 tons
- Tons across published figures
- 1.27 to 1.68 tons
- Cubic yards, with extra
- 1.02 yd³
- Loose yards on the truck
- Same as the cubic yards
- One ton covers
- 65.45 sq ft
- Bags
- 68 bags
- Cubic meters, with extra
- 0.78 m³
- Metric tonnes
- 1.52 t
- Cost
- Add a price
- Area
- 100 sq ft
Formula
Area (sq ft) = Length × Width, or π × (Diameter ÷ 2)²Cubic yards = Area × (Depth ÷ 12) × (1 + Extra ÷ 100) ÷ 27Tons = Cubic yards × Tons per cubic yardLoose yards (crusher run) = Tons ÷ 1.40 to Tons ÷ 1.22One ton covers (sq ft) = 27 ÷ Tons per cubic yard ÷ (Depth ÷ 12)Bags = Tons × 2,000 ÷ Bag weight, rounded up
Key caveat
Published weights for the same product differ by up to about a third (1.25 to 1.65 tons per cubic yard for #57-size stone). The range shows how much; your supplier's figure is the one to order from.
What this calculator is for
Gravel is measured in feet and inches, sold by the ton or the cubic yard, and the weight of a yard depends on the product. This calculator turns the area and depth into cubic yards, then into tons using the figure a quarry or supplier publishes for that product, and shows how far the other published figures differ.
#57, #67, and #8 are size numbers from AASHTO M43: #57 runs from 1 in down to 3/16 in. Pea gravel and crusher run are trade names: pea gravel is a rounded stone about 3/8 in across, and crusher run is a dense-graded base that compacts hard. For crusher run you enter the finished depth after compaction; the calculator gives the tons and the larger loose volume the truck brings, from Wisconsin DOT's measurements.
How it works
Area is length times width, or π times the radius squared for a circle.
Volume is area times depth (inches ÷ 12), plus the extra percentage, divided by 27 for cubic yards.
Tons are cubic yards times the product's tons per cubic yard.
The range repeats that with the lowest and highest published figures for the product.
For crusher run, tons use Wisconsin DOT's 1.85 tons per cubic yard for compacted base. The loose yards on the truck divide those tons by the 1.22 to 1.40 tons per cubic yard Wisconsin DOT measured for the same kind of base loose.
Coverage is the area one ton fills at your depth. Bags are the weight divided by the bag weight, rounded up.
Stone sizes and weights
Top: nominal sizes from the AASHTO M43 table (Maryland Department of the Environment reprint); #57 and #67 are blends that run down to 3/16 in, and pea gravel is a rounded stone about 3/8 in across. Bottom: the tons per cubic yard published for each product (grey) and the figure the calculator uses (orange dot), from Kokosing, Front Range Material, Wisconsin DOT, and Engineering ToolBox. Wet general gravel (1.69) is left off the chart.
Quick calculator insights
Why published weights disagree
For #57-size stone, published figures run from 1.25 to 1.65 tons per cubic yard, 32% apart. Use your supplier's figure when you have it.
- Kokosing (quarry)
- 1.65 tons/yd³
- Its ordering factor for the job volume, coarse sizes 2 to 9.
- Front Range (supplier)
- 1.40 tons/yd³
- From its coverage chart for 3/4 in rock.
- Front Range (supplier)
- 1.25 tons/yd³
- Its quick conversion factor for rock.
Stone or gravel
- Stone
- Crushed and angular. Pieces lock together (Maryland Department of the Environment).
- Gravel
- Natural and rounded. Pea gravel never packs into a solid surface (UC Master Gardeners).
- Compacted base
- Wisconsin DOT measured dense-graded base taking 34 to 52% more room loose than compacted.
Weight of one cubic yard by product
The figure the calculator uses, the range of other published figures, and the cubic yards in one ton.
| Product | Tons per yd³ used | Published range | Lb per yd³ | Yd³ per ton | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean crushed stone (#57, #67, #8) | 1.65 | 1.25 to 1.65 | 3,300 | 0.61 | Kokosing |
| Pea gravel | 1.65 | 1.30 to 1.65 | 3,300 | 0.61 | Kokosing |
| Gravel, dry (general) | 1.42 | One figure | 2,835 | 0.71 | Engineering ToolBox |
| Gravel, wet (general) | 1.69 | One figure | 3,375 | 0.59 | Engineering ToolBox |
| Crusher run or road base, compacted depth | 1.85 | 1.67 to 2.00 | 3,700 | 0.54 | Wisconsin DOT |
| Stone dust or screenings | 1.75 | 1.50 to 1.80 | 3,500 | 0.57 | Kokosing |
| Rip rap | 1.65 | One figure | 3,300 | 0.61 | Front Range Material |
Area one ton covers
27 ÷ tons per cubic yard ÷ (depth ÷ 12), before any extra. Crusher run is at its compacted depth.
| Product | At 2 in | At 3 in | At 4 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean crushed stone (#57, #67, #8) | 98 sq ft | 65 sq ft | 49 sq ft |
| Pea gravel | 98 sq ft | 65 sq ft | 49 sq ft |
| Gravel, dry (general) | 114 sq ft | 76 sq ft | 57 sq ft |
| Gravel, wet (general) | 96 sq ft | 64 sq ft | 48 sq ft |
| Crusher run or road base, compacted depth | 88 sq ft | 58 sq ft | 44 sq ft |
| Stone dust or screenings | 93 sq ft | 62 sq ft | 46 sq ft |
Standard stone sizes (AASHTO M43)
Nominal sizes from the AASHTO M43 table reprinted by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Combined sizes such as 57 blend two sizes (5 and 7). Pea gravel and stone dust are trade names, shown for comparison.
| Size number | Nominal size | Notes (Maryland guide) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2-1/2 to 1-1/2 in | Construction entrances and stone reservoirs |
| 3 | 2 to 1 in | |
| 4 | 1-1/2 to 3/4 in | |
| 57 | 1 in to No. 4 (3/16 in) | Most widely used aggregate in stormwater work: reservoirs, around underdrains, under permeable paving |
| 67 | 3/4 in to No. 4 (3/16 in) | |
| 8 | 3/8 in to No. 8 (3/32 in) | |
| Pea gravel | About 3/8 in, rounded | Natural; Maryland identifies it as #8 or #9 |
| Stone dust (#10 screenings) | 1/4 in to dust (not an M43 size) | Structural fill or traction; not a filter |
Depth by use
Published depths. Your supplier, plans, or local practice may call for more.
| Use | Depth | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rock or gravel mulch | 2 to 3 in | Utah State University Extension |
| Garden path | 2 in minimum; 4 in with stepping stones or pavers set in it | UC Master Gardeners |
| Base under paver walks | 4 to 6 in compacted | CMHA Tech Spec 10 |
| Base under a paver driveway | 6 to 8 in compacted | CMHA Tech Spec 10 |
| Base course under a house floor slab below grade | 4 in of clean graded sand, gravel, or crushed stone; not needed on well-drained sand-gravel soils | IRC R506.2.2 |
How to use this calculator
- 01Measure the length and width in feet, or the diameter of a round bed. Split other shapes into rectangles.
- 02Enter the depth in inches: 2 to 3 for rock mulch, at least 2 for a path, the compacted depth for a base.
- 03Pick the product, or enter your supplier's tons per cubic yard under Custom.
- 04Order the tons, or the cubic yards if your supplier sells by the yard (for crusher run, the loose yards).
Inputs explained
- Area shape, length, width, diameter
- The area in feet.
- Depth
- The finished depth in inches. For compacted crusher run, the depth after compaction.
- Product
- Sets the tons per cubic yard and the published range shown with the result.
- Supplier density
- Only for Custom: the tons per cubic yard your supplier bills from.
- Extra to order
- A percentage added to the volume for uneven ground and spillage.
- Bag weight
- For a bag count.
- Price
- Optional, per ton or per cubic yard (loose yards for crusher run).
Outputs explained
- Gravel to order
- Tons, with the cubic yards including the extra. For crusher run, the loose yards the truck brings.
- Tons across published figures
- The same volume at the lowest and highest figures published for the product.
- Cubic yards, with extra
- The volume you measured plus the extra.
- Loose yards on the truck
- For crusher run: the loose volume that compacts to your depth, from Wisconsin DOT's loose and compacted measurements of dry base. If you order by the yard, order the larger figure, or use your supplier's figure, since wet stone and other products differ. Other products are spread as delivered.
- One ton covers
- Square feet per ton at your depth, before the extra.
- Bags
- Whole bags by weight. Not counted for rip rap or a compacted base.
- Metric
- The same order in cubic meters and metric tonnes.
- Cost
- Tons or cubic yards times your price; for crusher run per yard, a range over the loose yards.
Worked examples
10 × 10 ft area, 3 in of #57 stone
- Volume = 10 × 10 × 3 ÷ 12 = 25 cu ft, plus 10% = 27.5 cu ft, or 1.02 cubic yards.
- Tons at Kokosing's 1.65 = 1.68 tons. At Front Range's quick factor for rock (1.25) it would be 1.27 tons.
- One ton covers 65.5 sq ft at 3 in.
Pea gravel path, 30 ft × 3 ft at 2 in
- Volume = 90 × 2 ÷ 12 = 15 cu ft, plus 10% = 16.5 cu ft, or 0.61 cubic yards.
- Tons at Kokosing's 1.65 for #8 and #9 stone = 1.01 tons, or 41 bags of 50 lb. At Front Range's pea gravel figure (1.30), 0.79 tons.
- UC Master Gardeners say pea gravel never packs into a firm surface and slips underfoot; they call it better suited to mulch or ground cover.
Crusher run base, 50 × 10 ft at 4 in compacted
- Compacted volume = 500 × 4 ÷ 12 = 166.67 cu ft, plus 10% = 183.33 cu ft, or 6.79 cubic yards.
- Tons at 1.85 = 12.56 tons.
- Loose, Wisconsin DOT measured this kind of base at 1.22 to 1.40 tons per cubic yard, so the truck brings 8.97 to 10.30 cubic yards. Ordering by the yard, order the larger figure unless your supplier gives you theirs.
When to use it
- Ordering gravel or crushed stone for a path, bed, or drainage area.
- Ordering crusher run for a base under a shed, patio, or slab.
- Comparing a supplier's per-ton and per-yard prices.
- Checking whether bags or a bulk load makes sense.
Tips
- Ask your supplier for the tons per cubic yard of the exact product and enter it under Custom; their figure is what they bill from.
- For crusher run, enter the depth you want after compaction and choose the compacted option.
- Run each layer separately when you build in layers, such as a base under a top dressing.
Limitations
- Published weights for the same product differ by up to about a third (1.25 to 1.65 tons per cubic yard for #57-size stone). The range shows how much; your supplier's figure is the one to order from.
- River rock, lava rock, and decomposed granite have no published figure we could verify from a quarry, agency, or reference table, so they are left to your supplier's figure.
- Gravel driveway depths are not covered here: they depend on the soil and the traffic, and the sources on this page do not give one depth.
- The crusher run loose volume uses Wisconsin DOT's lab measurements of dense-graded base, dry. Moisture and the supplier's product change it.
- Bags are counted by weight at the product's figure; a bag's own label is more accurate.
- The area is a flat rectangle or circle at an even depth.
- Cost covers the stone only, not delivery or tax.
Methodology & assumptions
- Volumes use 12 inches per foot and 27 cubic feet per cubic yard; tons are US tons of 2,000 lb.
- Product figures: Kokosing's published conversion factors; Front Range Material's coverage chart, converted with 27 ÷ (sq ft per ton × depth ÷ 12), and its quick factors; Wisconsin DOT's specification and 2023 research; Engineering ToolBox.
- Defaults are Kokosing's ordering factor for the job volume where its size list covers the product (Maryland identifies pea gravel as #8 or #9), so an order is less likely to run short; compacted crusher run uses Wisconsin DOT's in-place 1.85, as the paver calculator does.
- Sizes follow AASHTO M43 as reprinted by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
- Depths come from Utah State University Extension, UC Master Gardeners, CMHA, and the IRC.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-10-07
- Kokosing Materials (Ohio quarry): Tonnage Calculator and conversion factors
Cubic yards × 1.5 for fine materials (sands); × 1.65 for coarse sizes 2, 4, 57, 67, 8, and 9; × 1.75 for base materials 304, 411, and screenings.
- Front Range Material (Colorado supplier): Material Coverage & Conversion Chart
1 ton at 3 in covers pea gravel 83 sq ft, 3/4 in and 1-1/2 in rock 77, 3/4 in base 63, crusher fines 67. Quick factors: crusher fines 1.8 tons per cubic yard compacted, 1.5 loose; rip rap 1.65. Rock products are sold by the ton.
- Wisconsin DOT research report WHRP G22-05: Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates (2023)
Tests of 43 materials. Dense-graded base: 1.78 to 1.98 tons per cubic yard at lab maximum (Proctor) density across 13 samples, 124 to 131 lb/ft³ dry in built 3/4 in base, and 90 to 104 lb/ft³ dry loose (34 to 52% swell). Loose crushed aggregates 90 to 107 lb/ft³ dry, average 98.8. Natural soils loose: 66 to 106 lb/ft³ of solids, average 87.5, water excluded. Literature swell tables: broken limestone 100 lb/ft³ loose.
- Wisconsin DOT Standard Specifications, Section 305: Dense-Graded Base
Converts completed, compacted (in-place) dense-graded base aggregate at 1.85 tons per cubic yard.
- Engineering ToolBox: Dirt and Mud - Densities
Gravel 105 lb/ft³ dry and 125 wet (the general gravel options).
- Maryland Department of the Environment: Guide to Common Construction Materials, Aggregates
Stone is crushed and angular; gravel is natural and rounded. #2 stone 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 in; #57 about 3/8 to 1 in, the most widely used aggregate in stormwater work; pea gravel rounded, about 3/8 in; stone dust 1/4 in to dust. Reprints the AASHTO M43 coarse aggregate size table.
- UC Master Gardener Program, Contra Costa County: Gravel Pathways in the Garden
Rounded river-run gravel such as pea gravel never packs into a solid surface; angular gravel such as decomposed granite packs nearly solid. Two inches is a practical minimum depth, four inches if thick stones or pavers are set in it. Rough rule: 1 ton covers 80 to 120 sq ft at 2 in.
- Utah State University Extension: Water-Wise Landscaping, Mulch
Apply inorganic (rock or gravel) mulch 2 to 3 inches deep; organic mulch 3 to 4 inches.
- CMHA (ICPI) Tech Spec 10: Application Guide for Interlocking Concrete Pavements
Minimum aggregate base 4 to 6 in for walks and 6 to 8 in for driveways; bedding sand to ASTM C33 screeded 1 to 1-1/2 in uncompacted, not mason sand or stone dust; joints typically 1/16 to 3/16 in.
- 2015 International Residential Code, Section R506 (as published by the City of Richmond, KY)
R506.2.2: a 4 in base course of clean graded sand, gravel, crushed stone, crushed concrete, or slag under a slab-on-ground floor below grade; not required on well-drained or sand-gravel soils (Group I).
- QUIKRETE Sand & Gravel Products data sheet
Bag sizes for All-Purpose Sand (50, 60, and 70 lb) and All-Purpose Gravel (50 lb).
FAQs
How do I calculate how much gravel I need?+
Multiply length × width × depth in feet, and divide by 27 for cubic yards. Multiply by the product's tons per cubic yard for tons. A 10 × 10 ft area at 3 in is 25 cu ft, 0.93 cubic yards, or 1.02 with 10% extra: 1.68 tons of #57 stone at Kokosing's 1.65.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?+
It depends on the product. #57-size crushed stone is published at 2,500 to 3,300 lb per cubic yard (1.25 to 1.65 tons), pea gravel at 2,600 to 3,300 lb, general dry gravel 2,835 lb, and compacted crusher run about 3,700 lb (3,340 to 4,000).
How many cubic yards are in a ton of gravel?+
About 0.61 to 0.80 cubic yards of #57-size stone, and 0.61 to 0.77 of pea gravel, depending on whose figure you use. Divide 1 by the tons per cubic yard.
How much will 1 ton of gravel cover?+
At 2 in deep, about 98 sq ft of #57 stone or pea gravel at 1.65 tons per yard, 114 sq ft of general dry gravel, or 125 sq ft of pea gravel at Front Range's 1.30. UC Master Gardeners give a rough 80 to 120 sq ft per ton at 2 in. At 3 in, Front Range's chart gives 83 sq ft of pea gravel and 77 sq ft of 3/4 in rock.
How many yards of gravel for a 10 × 10 area?+
0.62 cubic yards at 2 in deep, 0.93 at 3 in, and 1.23 at 4 in, before any extra.
How much crushed stone do I need for a 12 × 12 patio?+
At 4 in, 1.78 cubic yards: 2.93 tons of #57-size stone at 1.65, or 3.29 tons of crusher run at its compacted 1.85, before any extra. Under pavers, CMHA calls for 4 to 6 in of compacted base.
How much does a 50 lb bag of gravel cover?+
About 0.48 cubic feet of general dry gravel, which covers 2.9 sq ft at 2 in deep. A 40 lb bag covers about 2.3 sq ft at 2 in. Check the bag, since products differ.
What is #57 stone?+
A crushed stone graded from 1 in down to 3/16 in (the No. 4 sieve) under AASHTO M43, made by combining sizes 5 and 7. Maryland's environment department calls it the most widely used aggregate in its stormwater work.
What is the difference between crusher run and #57 stone?+
#57 is a clean stone graded from 1 in to 3/16 in; Maryland's environment department uses it for stone reservoirs, around underdrains, and under permeable paving. Crusher run is a dense-graded base that compacts hard: Wisconsin DOT measured dense-graded base taking 34 to 52% more room loose than compacted, which is why the calculator has a compacted option for it.
How much pea gravel do I need for a 10 × 10 area?+
At 2 in, 0.62 cubic yards: 1.02 tons at 1.65, or 0.80 at Front Range's 1.30. At 3 in, 0.93 cubic yards: 1.53 or 1.20 tons. Before any extra.
How deep should gravel be?+
Utah State University Extension says 2 to 3 in for rock mulch. UC Master Gardeners call 2 in the practical minimum for a path and 4 in when stepping stones or pavers are set in it. A compacted base under pavers is 4 to 6 in for walks and 6 to 8 in for driveways (CMHA).
Is pea gravel good for a patio?+
It can be hard to walk on. UC Master Gardeners say rounded gravel like pea gravel never packs into a solid surface and slips underfoot, so it is better suited to mulch or ground cover, though it can work for paths and patios with large stones set in for furniture. Angular gravel such as decomposed granite packs nearly solid.
How many tons is 3 yards of gravel?+
About 4.25 tons of general dry gravel, or 3.75 to 4.95 tons of #57 stone and 3.90 to 4.95 tons of pea gravel, depending on the figure.
How much will 2 yards of gravel cover?+
324 sq ft at 2 in deep, 216 sq ft at 3 in, or 162 sq ft at 4 in. Coverage by volume is the same for every product.
How much does 1 yard of 57 stone cover?+
162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, or 81 sq ft at 4 in.
How much area does a 50 lb bag of pea gravel cover?+
About 2.5 sq ft at 2 in deep at 1.65 tons per cubic yard (0.41 cubic feet per bag), or 3.1 sq ft at Front Range's 1.30. The bag's label is more accurate.
How do I measure rip rap?+
By the ton, and by its class or median stone size. Front Range's chart gives 23 sq ft per ton for light rip rap with a 9 in median stone, 17 for medium (12 in), 11 for heavy (18 in), and 8 for very heavy (24 in). Maryland sizes its rip rap classes 0 to 3 at roughly 7, 12, 20, and 28 in.
How much gravel do I need for my driveway?+
Measure it like any area here, at the depth you plan. The depth itself depends on the soil and the traffic, and the sources on this page do not give one figure for a gravel driveway. For a paver driveway, CMHA calls for 6 to 8 in of compacted base.
How many tons of river rock or decomposed granite do I need?+
Work out the cubic yards here, then multiply by your supplier's tons per cubic yard for that product (choose Custom). We could not find a quarry, agency, or reference figure for them to publish.
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