Building materials
Stone Calculator
Work out how much gravel or crushed stone to order for a driveway, path, patio base, or drainage area, in cubic yards, tons, and 50 lb bags.
Maintained by Austin Witherow · Updated
Stone to order
2.72 yd³
- Tons to order
- 3.85 tons
- Bags of dry gravel
- 154 bags
- Cost at your price per ton
- $173.25
- Area covered
- 200 sq ft
- Volume with extra
- 73.33 ft³
Formula
Area (sq ft) = Length × Width, or π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² for a circleVolume (cu ft) = Area × (Depth in inches ÷ 12) × (1 + Extra ÷ 100)Cubic yards = Volume ÷ 27Tons = Volume × Density (lb/cu ft) ÷ 2,000Bags = Volume × 105 ÷ Bag weight (lb), rounded up (dry gravel)Cost = Tons × Price per ton
Key caveat
Published stone densities vary widely. Engineering ToolBox lists gravel at 105 lb/ft³ dry and 125 wet in one table, and gravel at 75-85 and crushed limestone at 85-95 in another, which also warns that some values may mix bulk and solid density. Your tons could be high or low, so ask your supplier for their figure and use Custom.
What this calculator is for
You measure a stone project in feet and inches, but suppliers can quote by the cubic yard or by the ton. This calculator turns the size and depth of a driveway, path, patio base, or drainage area into cubic yards, then into tons using the stone's density, and prices it at your rate per ton.
If you are buying bagged gravel instead, it also shows how many bags of a given weight you need.
How it works
Area is length times width in square feet, or π times the radius squared for a circle.
Volume is area times depth, with depth converted from inches to feet.
The extra percentage you choose is added on top of the measured volume.
Cubic feet are divided by 27 to get cubic yards.
Tons are cubic feet times the stone's density in pounds per cubic foot, divided by 2,000.
Bags use dry gravel at 105 lb per cubic foot whatever density you choose, because a bag is a fixed product: volume × 105 ÷ bag weight, rounded up. Cost is tons times your price per ton.
Quick calculator insights
Coverage of one ton of dry gravel
One US ton at 105 lb per cubic foot is about 19 cubic feet.
- At 2 inches deep
- 114 sq ft
- At 3 inches deep
- 76 sq ft
- At 4 inches deep
- 57 sq ft
Weight per cubic yard
Bulk density × 27 ÷ 2,000 gives US tons per cubic yard.
| Material | Density | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel, dry | 105 lb/ft³ | 1.42 |
| Gravel, wet | 125 lb/ft³ | 1.69 |
How far one cubic yard goes
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Spread evenly, it covers this much area at each depth (before any extra).
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft |
How to use this calculator
- 01Measure the length and width in feet, or the diameter for a circle. Split other shapes into rectangles.
- 02Enter the finished depth of stone in inches.
- 03Choose the density that matches your stone, or pick Custom and enter your supplier's tons-per-yard figure.
- 04Set the extra percentage to your supplier's or crew's allowance, then enter your price per ton.
- 05Order the tons shown, or the bag count for small jobs.
Inputs explained
- Length and width
- The size of the area in feet.
- Depth
- The finished thickness of the stone layer in inches.
- Stone condition
- Sets the density used to convert volume to tons. Wet gravel weighs more than dry for the same volume.
- Supplier density
- Only shown for Custom. Enter the tons per cubic yard your supplier uses for this exact stone.
- Extra to order
- A percentage added to the measured volume.
- Bag weight
- The weight printed on the bags you plan to buy.
- Price per ton
- Your supplier's price for the stone itself.
Outputs explained
- Stone to order
- Cubic yards including the extra.
- Tons to order
- The weight at the selected density. Use this when your supplier prices by the ton.
- Bags of dry gravel
- Whole bags of dry gravel that fill the same volume.
- Cost at your price per ton
- Tons times your price, before delivery and tax.
Worked examples
Patio base, 12 ft × 10 ft at 4 inches
- Area = 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft.
- Volume = 120 × (4 ÷ 12) = 40 cu ft, plus 10% = 44 cu ft, or 1.63 yd³.
- Tons at 105 lb/cu ft = 44 × 105 ÷ 2,000 = 2.31 tons.
- In 50 lb bags: 4,620 ÷ 50 = 93 bags. At $45 per ton the stone costs about $103.95.
Driveway, 50 ft × 10 ft at 4 inches
- Area = 500 sq ft. Volume = 500 × (4 ÷ 12) = 166.67 cu ft, plus 10% = 183.33 cu ft.
- Cubic yards = 183.33 ÷ 27 = 6.79 yd³.
- Tons at 105 lb/cu ft = 9.63 tons, about $433.13 at $45 per ton.
Same driveway with a supplier figure of 1.5 tons per cubic yard
- The volume does not change: 6.79 yd³.
- Tons = 6.79 × 1.5 = 10.19 tons.
- Using the supplier's figure adds about half a ton, which is why it is worth asking.
When to use it
- Ordering gravel for a new driveway or for resurfacing an old one.
- Building a compacted base under pavers, a shed, or a patio.
- Filling a drainage trench or a dry creek bed.
- Laying a walking path or a decorative stone border.
Tips
- Published stone densities vary widely. Ask your supplier for their tons-per-yard figure for the exact product and use the Custom option.
- If you will compact the stone, set the extra percentage to your supplier's or crew's compaction allowance.
- If you are building in layers, such as a coarse base under a finer top layer, run each layer separately with its own depth.
Limitations
- Published stone densities vary widely. Engineering ToolBox lists gravel at 105 lb/ft³ dry and 125 wet in one table, and gravel at 75-85 and crushed limestone at 85-95 in another, which also warns that some values may mix bulk and solid density. Your tons could be high or low, so ask your supplier for their figure and use Custom.
- The calculator assumes an even depth over a flat rectangle or circle.
- Cost covers the stone only. Delivery, minimum-load fees, and tax are not included.
- Bag counts assume dry gravel at 105 lb/ft³ in every case.
Methodology & assumptions
- Volume uses exact unit relationships: 12 inches per foot and 27 cubic feet per cubic yard.
- Gravel densities come from Engineering ToolBox's Dirt and Mud table, converted with 2,000 lb per US ton.
- Bag counts use dry gravel density because a bag is a fixed product, and round up to whole bags.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-10-05
- Engineering ToolBox: Dirt and Mud - Densities
Gravel, dry 105 and Gravel, Wet 125 lb/ft³ (the gravel options).
- Engineering ToolBox: Densities of common Products
A second table with lower values (gravel 75-85, limestone crushed 85-95, sand dry 80-100 lb/ft³). The page warns that some listed values may mix bulk and solid density.
- 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 many tons of stone are in a cubic yard?+
It depends on the stone. Dry gravel at 105 lb per cubic foot is about 1.42 tons per cubic yard, and wet gravel at 125 lb is about 1.69. Other published figures are lower, so ask your supplier for the figure they use for your product.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?+
About 57 square feet at 4 inches deep, 76 square feet at 3 inches, or 114 square feet at 2 inches, using dry gravel at 105 lb per cubic foot.
How many 50 lb bags of gravel are in a ton?+
Forty bags, since a US ton is 2,000 lb.
Should I order by the yard or by the ton?+
Order in whatever unit your supplier sells. This calculator gives both so you can compare quotes.
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